Incorporated as
"Grand Prairie"
in 1909, the
community was
first recognized
as Dechman in
1863.
From his home in
Birdville,
Alexander McRae
Dechman learned
he could trade
his oxen and
wagons for land
in Dallas
County. In 1863,
he bought 239½
acres on the
east side of the
Trinity River
and 100 acres of
timber land on
the west side of
the river for a
broken down
wagon, oxen team
and US$200 in
Confederate
money. He tried
to establish a
home on the
property, but
ran into
difficulties, so
returned his
family to
Birdville before
joining the
Civil War. In
1876 he filed a
town plat
consisting of 50
acres with
Dallas County.
After the war,
he returned to
Birdville for
two years before
selling that
farm in 1867 and
moving to
Houston,
where Yellow
Fever broke out
causing the
family to settle
in
Bryan.
In 1876, Dechman
traded half his
"prairie"
property to T&P
Railroad to
ensure the
railroad came
through the
town. The
railroad named
the depot "Dechman"
prompting its
namesake to
relocated his
home from Bryan
to Dechman. His
son Alexander
had been living
in Dechman and
operating a
trading post and
farm.
The post office
was opened in
1877 under the
name "Deckman"
rather than "Dechman"
because the U.S.
Post Office
couldn't read
the writing on
the form
completed to
open the post
office.
The name of the
town changed to
Grand Prairie
later in 1877.
Legend has it
that the town
was renamed
after a famous
female actor
stepped off the
train and
exclaimed "My,
what a grand
prairie!"
Dechman sold the
remainder of his
Grand Prairie
land in 1890 and
apparently moved
to
Waxahachie.
He is buried in
historic
Greenwood
Cemetery in
Dallas.
Grand Prairie
incorporated as
a city in 1909.