In the 1840s, settlers from Tennessee and Kentucky began arriving in the Richardson area which was inhabited by Comanche and Caddo Indian tribes. Several of the earliest families clustered around an area later named Breckinridge in honor of the Vice President of the United States from 1857-1861. The town was situated near the what is now RichlandCollege and consisted of a general store, a blacksmith shop and the FloydInn.
After the Civil War, the railroad bypassed Breckinridge and an area to the northwest of Breckinridge became the new center of activity. William J. Wheeler donated land for the town site and railroad right-of-way, but declined to have the village named in his honor. Instead the town was named for railroad contractor E.H. Richardson, who built the line from Dallas to Denison.
Richardson was chartered in 1873 and was generally situated between present-day Greer and Phillips streets on the north and south, and between Central Expressway and Greenville Avenue on the west and east, although a small segment did lie west of Central Expressway in its present alignment. Originally, there were three businesses: a general store, a post office and a drug store.
In 1908 the Interurban, an electric railway, began service north to Denison, south to Waco, southeast to Corsicana and west to Fort Worth. By 1910, residents had seen their first telephone, electric light and gravel street, and had grown in number to about 600. In 1914, a red brick schoolhouse, presently home to the administrative offices of the Richardson Independent School District (RISD), was built.
In 1924, the Red Brick Road (Greenville Avenue) was completed, bringing an increase in traffic, population and property values. The following year the town incorporated and elected its first mayor, Thomas F. McKamy. All taxable property was assessed at a value of $515,292, and a total of 15 businesses were in operation. Bonds were issued and in 1926, waterworks were completed so homes could be furnished with indoor water. A sewage treatment plant was then constructed, the volunteer fire department began operating and, soon after, utility franchises were awarded to Lone Star Gas and Texas Power and Light Company.
By 1940, the population stood at about 740 but after World War II, the City experienced a new surge in population. By 1950, the City boasted a population of approximately 1,300. Additional municipal services, such as emergency ambulance, police protection and parks and recreation facilities, became available to residents.