Two men shaking hands. Bill Gilbert (left) greeting customer Albert Farine in Irving State Bank's new building, 1947. The Merchants and Planters Bank was organized in 1907. Chaney and Fletcher Miller took over operation of the bank and in 1908 and had it chartered as the Irving State Bank. It later became Irving Bank and Trust Company and remained in business along Main Street until 1975.

The D. W. Gilbert home stood from 1882 to 1955 near the northwest corner of Story and Grauwyler Roads. Dr. D. W. Gilbert was one of the first physicians to practice in the Irving area. In addition to his work as a physician, he operated a 1,500-acre farm and orchard and a dairy. He also owned farmland in Euless, Shady Grove, and Bear Creek.

In the fall of 1902, a Rock Island Railway survey crew was working a stretch of line between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth when two of the members decided to found a town along the route of the track. J. O. Schulze and Otis Brown finished their work with the railroad and remained in the area, where they founded the town of Irving in December 1903. C. P. Schulze, Jr, brother of J. O. Schulze is on the far left.

Train at the Irving Depot. Completed in 1903, the site of the Chicago Rock Island & Gulf railroad depot also served as the location of the 1903 lot sale that founded Irving.

A lady standing on a porch at the Howard home at 318 Iowa (now O’Connor Rd.), believed to be Irving's oldest existing house, built in 1904.

Constructed in May 1904 as the home of Joseph B. Howard and his wife, Susan, it stood on 2.5 acres just south of Irving's city limits. Eugene and May Ann Beaufford bought the property in 1919. They operated a truck farm on the acreage. They later divided the land among their children.

Home of W. D. Lucas and family at 127 S. Hastings. The house was built in 1907. W. D. Lucas was the proprietor of a general merchandise store from 1906 until his death in 1931.

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

First St. Luke’s Catholic Church, built in 1904. Located on the corner of Second and Jefferson, this building was used until 1920. Several French families, many from the defunct La Reunion colony, founded the parish. A parish list from 1890 includes the names of DeHaes, Chassang, Beaufford, and Boinard. Prior to 1904, Masses were held in private homes and later moved to the Lively School House on Britain Street. The city founders donated the lot for this church.

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.

Otis Brown built the first house in Irving in 1903. He and his wife Netta lived there until they built a larger home in 1905. Brown sold this home to Chaney Miller. Miller had it enlarged, and he or a member of his family lived in the house until it was torn down in the 1970s.

Albert Farine home, constructed in 1906 and burned in the 1960s. The Farine family came to Texas in 1855 as part of the La Reunion colony and settled in the area that is now Irving in 1859.

Lorene Lucas (Looper) flanked by her brothers Howard and Ray. These were the children of W. D. Lucas, who was a long-time owner of a general merchandise store on Main St. The three pose in front of Lorene's new car in 1929. In an interview, Lorene said that the dress she was wearing was blue and yellow and matched the blue car with its yellow trim.

West side of Main Street, Irving, Texas, shortly after the founding of the town in December 1903.

Grover Pierce and Hershel Ramsey operated a grocery store along Irving's Main Street. In this photo, Grover Pierce is behind the counter wearing a white hat. Hershel Ramsey is in the chair on the right. The woman in black in the center of the photo is Fannie Tompkins Haley, the wife of Tom Haley.

Lucas and Joffre Store was founded by W. D. "Doug" Lucas and Fred Joffre in 1906 on the west side of Irving's Main Street. Lucas and Joffre split, but W. D. Lucas maintained a store on Main Street until he died in 1931.

Fannie Hicks ran a millinery store on Main Street during Irving's early years. She later married T. C. Haley, the proprietor of another Main Street business. In 1909, she closed her store.

Photograph of the West Fork of the Trinity River seen at flood stage. A group of people are standing at the water's edge looking out over the water.

The Elm school served the farming community know as Elm which was located just north of Irving. Pictured in the back row left to right are: teacher Mrs. Holland, Lee Metker, Mary Farine, Ruth Holt, Lucy Parker, Sadie Watkins, Henry Farine, and Maudie Carroll. Next row: Lucy Farine, John Farine, Gus Story, Clyde Allen, Arthur Farine, Lillian Works, and Lela Toler. Next row: Ora Seat, Bill Metker, Foy Holt, Irene Nichols, Thelma Works, and Ann Carroll. Front row: Howard Parker, Fred Story, Milton Holt, Roy Bailey, and Bertha Farine.

The Sowers School served the Sowers community, located about a mile west of Irving, near the present-day intersection of Pioneer and Belt Line Road. The teachers pictured are John Roberts (later Dr. John Roberts) and Miss Mary Ruth Wespey. The school was one large room, and the boys carried in drinking water from a well a quarter of a mile away. Classes were held from 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. Top row: Allie Lanotte, Etta Eaton, unknown, Bess Kimble, Sally Haley, Ethel Barton, unknown, Ruby Slater, Nancy Slater, Mary Ruth Wespey, Ethel Tompkins, Jeanie Barton, John Roberts, unknown, Mabel Gilbert, Sam Mitchell, unknown, Thurston Jernigan, Hayde Gilbert, Kimble, Clay Gilbert, Tom Taylor, and Charlie Wilson Middle row: Nora Lusk, unknown, Marie Lanotte, Claudie Barton, Lillie Williams, Stella Slater, Minnie Moore, Moore, Jettie Rucker, Sitton, George Wilson, unknown, Fannie Slater, Grider Taylor, N. Jernigan, Bill Bietendorf, Paul Gilbert (with white glove), Ed Avrett, Jess Moore, Oscar Tompkins, Allen Avrett, Willie Smith, Arthur Smith, Carrie Lusk, Pauline Isadore, Ernestine Isadore, and Alice Lusk Bottom row: Most are unidentified, but some are Lawrence Ranft, Sidney Ranft, Dan Barton, Dan Gilbert, Floyd Eaton, Winnie Eaton, Adolph Bietendorf (with bat), W.B. “Bill” Gilbert (holding catcher’s …

R. M. Hudson began publishing the "Irving Index" in December 1903. He worked from his home in Dallas for five years. In 1908, he moved into this house in Irving. Hudson and his wife Mary had four children. Youngest son Tom can be seen at the fence in this photo. R. M. Hudson published the "Irving Index" from 1903 until 1916.

R. M. Hudson operated Irving's first newspaper the "Irving Index." He ran the paper from 1903 until 1916. His home was on the northwest corner of Fourth and Jefferson streets. He is pictured here in front of his house with his wife Mary and daughter Veda. Not pictured are their sons Robert, Andrew, and Tom.

This building served as the home of the "Irving Index" in Irving. It was built behind the home of the newspaper's owner, R. M. Hudson.

Essie Jones and Joe Keeling's wedding picture. Essie Jones and Joe Keeling were married in 1910. Both lived most of their lives in Irving. They had three children: Helen, Weldon and Clyde.