This group of musicians played for square dances in the Union Bower community. Dances were held in the fall and winter because the weather was too hot during the summer. Left to right are: Tom Owens, Earl Steele, Lillie Owens, and Tom Wright. Lloyd Smith called the square dances, but is not in the picture. Union Bower was a farming community on the eastern edge of the city of Irving. The community was established about 1880.

An unidentified couple enjoys an afternoon in the Union Bower community, c. 1910. Union Bower was a farming community that today is part of eastern Irving.

Model T Ford Pickup. In the vehicle are W. D. Lucas's sons Howard and Ray, c. 1915

The student body of the Irving Independent School District gathers at the water tower, which was in the middle of the intersection of Main and First streets (Irving Blvd.), to celebrate growing to a district of 500 students, c. 1915.

The Doug Lucas family in a surrey. Doug Lucas holds his daughter Lorene while his wife holds their son Howard.

Howard and Lorene Lucas play in their early toy automobile, c. 1913. The children's father, Doug Lucas, ran a general merchandise store in Irving from 1906-1931.

Photograph of people on the bank of the Trinity River, surrounded with trees.

Charles Schulze, Jr., and John Brown as children, c. 1915. Charles Schulze, Jr., was the nephew of town co-founder J. O. Schulze. John Brown was the son of the other town co-founder Otis Brown.

Before Irving received bus service, one of the ways to travel to downtown Dallas was on one of the local jitney services. Mrs. B. L. Pierce operated a jitney service from Irving to Dallas and back. Here she poses with some of her customers, c. 1915.

C. P. Schulze, Sr., Otis Brown, and Fred Joffre (in back) sit in Schulze's new Hupmobile. The house in the background is Otis Brown's house on Iowa Street (today 327 S. O'Connor Road). Brown built the house in 1905.

Henry Alvis Seiber owned this general store along Main Street in Irving, Texas, c. 1915.

Cotton gin, Irving, Texas

Major T. G. Robinson opened the Palace Drug Store in Irving's first brick building in 1906. In 1908, he added a soda fountain to the establishment. The store was in business until 1939, when Major Robinson retired.

This photo is taken looking north up Main Street. The town's water tower was over a well in the middle of the intersection of Main Street and First Street (today Irving Blvd.). Main Street dead-ended into the railroad depot. The depot can be seen behind the water tower.

William Haley and his family moved to the area during the late 1850s. They settled northwest of the future town site of Irving in what became known as the Estelle community. Tom Haley, William's son, farmed a large piece of land his father had given him as a wedding gift. When his children became of school age, he decided that it would be more convenient for his wife and kids to stay in Irving during the school year. This is a photo of the home the family rented in town. At the fence on the left is Vera Haley (Anderson) and one of her sisters Bertha Haley (Gleghorn), c. 1911.

Graduating class of Irving High School, 1916. First row, front to back, are: Osten Cushenberry, Frank Haley, and Roy Lively. Second row, front to back, are: Theo Dehaes, Inez Moore, Homer Duckworth. Third row, front to back, are: Susie Clark, Velma Duckworth, and Roy Miller.

Dr. John Roberts and his wife Etta Williams Roberts in their horse-drawn buggy. Dr. Roberts was one of Irving's first physicians. He died at the age of 35 in 1918. The couple had three sons, one of whom became a physician and was instrumental in the development of Irving's first hospital during the 1950s and 1960s.

Prior to Irving receiving bus service in 1930, several Irvingites operated jitney services to transport locals from Irving to downtown Dallas. Mrs. B. L. Pierce operated one of the first of these services. In this photo, she posed around the jitney with her customers, c. 1915.

The cotton gin, located at Irving Boulevard and Britain, was dismantled about 1916.

Early Irvingites prepare for a motor outing, c. 1912. On the left is the Schulze family automobile and on the right is the Robinson family car. The boy on the running board is Joe Williamson. Behind the wheel is Percy Schulze and next to him is his wife, Virginia. In the other vehicle, in no particular order are, Mr. T. G. Robinson, Mr. Williamson, May Williamson, Mrs. T. G. Robinson, Ward Robinson, and Mrs. Marsh.

Earl Brown, John Brown, and Charles Schulze, Jr., c. 1914. The Brown boys were sons of Irving's co-founder, Otis Brown. Charles Schulze, Jr., was the nephew of town co-founder, J. O. Schulze.

The Story livery stable and feed store was located just west of the corner of Main and First (Irving Blvd.) streets during Irving's early years.

Early Irvingites take to the road, c. 1915.

W. D. "Doug" Lucas poses with his three children: Howard, Roy (baby), and Lorene. W. D. Lucas owned a general store on Main Street in Irving from 1906 to 1931.