Cross Roads History
Cross Roads Articles of Incorporation
In 1973, the Town of Cross Roads was formed by a group of people determined to maintain independence from the City of Denton. The founders did not want the high taxes that would accompany annexation to become their future; independence and country-living was a way of life they wished to keep. In 2023, the Town of Cross Roads celebrated its 50th anniversary and the Towns people still appreciate these values.
The landscape of Cross Roads has changed vastly over the last 50 years. Take a step back in time to picture Cross Roads as it was in 1970. East of Denton on Highway 380/377, there stood a long, two-lane raised bridge over the Elm Fork of the Trinity River and the flood plain it served that was known as “the flatlands”. This is before Lake Lewisville was expanded and before Lake Ray Roberts was planned. In those times, water only covered the flatlands when the heavy rains caused flooding. Then the water would recede, leaving rich bottom land for cattle grazing in the summer, and a wonderful place for duck and quail hunting in the winter.
Continuing east on Highway 380/377, to the left is Rock Hill Road. In 1970, it was a dirt road with a rickety wooden bridge, in sore need of repair. Continuing up the hill, there was a panorama of the valley carved from years of river flooding and the TWU dormitory in Denton in the background. To the right is Moseley Road, which in 1970 had huge piles of gravel that Tex-Dot used to maintain the roads. There were no stores or businesses on Highway 380/377, just two or three big piles of gravel. In this area is Rock Hill House, built as a hunting lodge in the 1850’s. The doors are a solid three inches thick to keep intruders out with iron bars across the doors and windows inside.
Just after Moseley, Highway 380/377 splits with a small overpass for 377 to go up to Aubrey. Back in 1970, on Highway 380 there was a ranch or two to until FM 424. On the northwest corner of Highway 380 and FM 424 there was one store, T&O, named for the Turner and Ottinger families who ran the store. This is the place for people in the community to buy eggs and milk, visit and find out about “What’s going on.” They still had a hitching post for horses out front in 1970!
With a population of about 300, James Cundall and Jerry Burns with the financial help of Denton Co-op Power, drew up a petition, talked to neighbors, then talked to more neighbors about having a town with no ad valorem tax to protect against annexation by the City of Denton. A letter from James Cundall in 1992 recalls the incorporation of the Town.
“In 1973 I initiated the work to incorporate Cross Roads. I went first to our neighbors the Floyds, the Elmores and the Beales. Then the group grew to include the Burns, Ludvigs, Turners, Ottingers and many others. We organized the South Aubrey Citizens Association and held community meetings at the Women’s Building on #377. Things didn't always go smoothly. We were told by some that they didn’t want an incorporated tow, they wanted everything to stay like it was (which is impossible in this day and age) and that the "old-timers" resented us as "new comers" who were trying to change everything. We were not trying to make changes. Our goal was to preserve and protect our homes, our investments and the area. I had built our home in 1967-68 with the intention of living here for the rest of our lives. Eddie and I did much of the construction and finishing of the house ourselves. We knew the area would grow and if the home owners didn't have a way to control this growth we might find ourselves living in a slum east of Denton. If Denton annexed Hway#380 to Lincoln Park as they intended, we would all have been left helpless without any protection or voice in what could be developed in the area. When we had agreed to incorporate I personally went to Texas Power and Light and got them to underwrite all the legal and other expenses of incorporation. It didn’t cost the citizens a plug nickel. There are always ways to get things done without spending large sums of money.
Many projects can be completed without cost to the citizens. It does not require taxes but it requires intelligent planning and cooperation among people.”
In the 1970s, the City of Denton was expanding its ETJ out Highway 380 and they also wanted to expand the Denton City Landfill that was located in Cross Roads on the corner of Moseley and Tipps Road. At that time very few of the area residents wanted to become a part of the City of Denton and they wanted the dump to close, not expand. On April 23, 1973, Denton County Judge Tom Todd, received the petition to incorporate a defined area around the crossroads of Fish Trap Road and FM 424 and to the south and west, as an official town. The election followed and the Town of Cross Roads was formed by a vote of 52 FOR and 21 AGAINST. From the beginning, the founders of Cross Roads had a goal of running the Town on only sales tax revenues and building fees, keeping the Town Property-tax free. Cross Roads still do not pay a Town Property tax – an annual savings of $2 - $3K per year for residents.
A lot has changed in 50 years – new subdivisions, Wal-Mart, and our very own Cross Roads Police Department! The population has expanded from 100 or so back in the 1970s to around 2,000 today. As the Town grows, a major concern became how do we optimize the sales tax generation potential of Hwy 380 while maintaining the small Town, county feel that residents desire. In 2021 Mayor Tompkins initiated the Town Vision 2035, in which over 500 people participated to give feedback on what they would like to see for the future of Cross Roads.
The Town Vision 2035 became the roadmap used by the Town to share with new residents, businesses and developers. With a proactive approach to development the Town is better positioned to ensure that the future aligns with what the community has asked for. With proper planning and a high measure of fiscal responsibility the Town continues to deliver the dream set out by the Founders over 50 years ago.