A Brief History of Elevon
The history of the area near Elevon, a master-planned community just north of Dallas and a few minutes from Lake Lavon, is as colorful as the wildflowers of Texas. Centuries before settlers arrived here, this fertile bottomland near the East Fork of the Trinity River was a magnet for Native Americans such as the Caddo, Cherokee, and Comanche Indians. The woods were bustling with wild game, hundreds of species of birds, and a beautifully diverse collection of trees, flowers, and other plants.
This stunning natural beauty soon drew farmers, in search of a place to grow crops and their young families.
Nevada Established
One of the early communities in this area was Nevada in Collin County. According to the city’s website, “The rich soil and available water provided by Bear Creek attracted settlers to the area as early as the mid-1840s. The first organized community in the area was McMinn Chapel, established in the early 1840s, 4 miles north of the present Nevada site. In 1861,”
Granville Stinebaugh purchased 160 acres near McMinn Chapel. Shortly after that, he named the area around his farm “Nevada", in honor of the Nevada Territory he had passed through on his way to mine gold in California. When the tracks of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway reached the area in 1888, the small community started greeting more and more settlers, eager to build a life in the new state of Texas.
Lavon Begins
According to sources, the small community of Lavon adopted its name in honor of Lavon Thompson, the son of E.C. Thompson, who operated the town’s post office, established in 1888.
“The “flag stop” on what became the St. Louis Southwestern Railway of Texas in the early 1890s, served as a commercial center for farmers and increased the population of Lavon from an estimated twenty-five in the late 1880s to 300 by 1910.
“The population of Lavon hovered near 200 through the 1930s and 1940s, and in 1940 five businesses served its residents. These population and business figures varied only slightly between 1940 and 1980, despite the construction of Lavon Lake in 1952-53, two miles west of town.
“The lake did, however, bring boaters, fishermen, and picnickers to replace farmers as the most frequent visitors to the community. In 1980, the newly incorporated Lavon had one business, serving 306 residents.”
Lake Lavon Changes Everything
No event had more impact on this charming area of North Texas than the decision to build Lake Lavon.
According to the Texas State Historical Association, “Lavon Lake, formerly known as Lavon Reservoir, is on the East Fork of the Trinity River in the Trinity River basin ten miles southeast of McKinney in southern Collin County (at 33°01' N, 09°62' W).
“The project is owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District. The North Texas Municipal Water District is the local cooperative agency, which, by paying part of the cost, has rights to 100,000 acre-feet of water in the conservation pool of the lake.
“Construction was started in January 1948 and completed in early 1953. Lavon Lake was designed for flood control, conservation storage, and recreational use. The crest of the spillway is 472 feet above mean sea level. The lake is 9,540 feet long and has a conservation storage capacity of 275,000 acre-feet covering a surface area of 11,080 acres. It has an eighty-three-mile shoreline ninety feet above sea level. The drainage area above the dam is 770 square miles.
“Conservation storage is for municipal, industrial, and irrigation use. Construction of the dam assisted in preventing seasonal flooding of rich bottomland in southeastern Collin County and stimulated land development along the shores of the lake, including Lavon Beach Estates and Lavon Shore Estates. Lakeside parks and marinas have transformed such farm and ranch communities as Lavon, Lucas, and Copeville into commercial and recreational centers. One park, Caddo, was built especially for the handicapped.”
Community Schools Serve the Area
The future is NOW when it comes to education in the area. Children who are lucky enough to live in Elevon attend the outstanding schools of the Community Independent School District.
“Established in 1947, Community ISD has been serving the students and families in southeast Collin County for 71 years. CISD attendance boundaries spread over 89 square miles and encompass the towns of Copeville, Josephine, Lavon, and Nevada. CISD is home to over 3,500 students attending our five campuses: NeSmith Elementary (Pre-K through 5th grade), McClendon Elementary (Pre-K through 5th grade and ESL program), Roderick Elementary (Pre-K through 5th grade), Edge Middle School (6th - 8th grade), and Community High School (9th - 12th grade). Ellis Education Center, a flex space, will serve as the home for Edge Middle School's 6th graders in the 2022-23 school year.
“In 2019, the district received an A-Rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and has remained an A-Rated District since then. In Fall 2020 and Fall 2021, Community High School was named a “Best High School” by US News and World Report, and the district received a Superior Rating for the 5th consecutive year from the state's school financial accountability rating system, known as the School Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST).
Elevon: A New Chapter
The history book of the area started a new chapter when ground was broken on one of the most anticipated master-planned communities in the Southwest - Elevon. What sets the community apart from other residential developments is its spectacular collection of amenities. Two large amenity complexes with resort-style pools, splash pads, cabanas, lounge areas, outdoor event space, and indoor space are planned. Plus, Elevon boasts community event lawns, a dog park, a hammock park, and several other parks throughout the community.
A small-town lifestyle, minutes from one of the best recreational lakes in Texas and close proximity to Dallas is just part of what makes Elevon special. To see what everyone is talking about, click here and let us show you around.