Cedar Hill is a suburb of both Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas situated in both Dallas and Ellis counties along Joe Pool Lake’s eastern shore and Cedar Hill State Park. Cedar Hill is usually referred to as the “hill country” of Dallas due to the hilly landscape and the lush forests of native eastern red cedar evergreen trees that are found in it.

In the 1830s, the area now known as Cedar Hill was uninhabited except temporarily by Native American tribes who would live in the area during the winter months and later served as an overnight campsite for Texas Rangers.

To encourage growth, in 1841, the Congress of the Republic of Texas signed contracts with promoters to survey the land and entice settlers to relocate to Texas with the promise of free land. One of these promoters was Peters Colony who enticed Abraham Hart to relocate to the area that is now known as Cedar Hill. Being one of the first settlers, Hart was given a land grant that covers much of what is now downtown Cedar Hill. In 1847, Hart donated land to create a townsite, but the actual creation of the plat and lots for the community was not completed until 1871 when the official Cedar Hill plat was filed with Dallas County.

In the early 1850s, the community became known as Cedar Hill, and in 1852, it was granted a post office. This was soon followed by a school that could accommodate only sixteen students. With the rich soil, mild climate, and favorable location, Cedar Hill quickly became a trade center for cowboys and farmers. In 1856, the thriving community was severely damaged by a destructive tornado. Nine people perished and most of the buildings were destroyed, including the blacksmith shop, stores, and the post office. It was reported that only one house and one business were spared. Neighboring communities came together to help the small community recover and the town was rebuilt.

In the 1880s, Cedar Hill benefited from the establishment of a rail line between Dallas and Houston. This spurred economic opportunity and growth. By 1892, Cedar Hill had two blacksmiths, a few druggists, confectioners, and a barber but the main economic activity was farming and ranching.

Cedar Hill continued to prosper at the beginning of the 20th century, and by 1915, the city had added three churches, two banks, and several other businesses. This was followed by the arrival of electrical service in 1920. By the 1940s, growing cotton was no longer the main product and most farmers and ranchers switched to producing dairy products and raising livestock.

In 1960, the population of Cedar Hill was approximately 1,800 people, and over the next 20 years, the community experienced slow but steady growth. By 1980, the population exceeded 6,800. Like many North Texas cities, the 1980s brought rapid growth and development which was further enhanced with the construction and opening of Joe Pool Lake in 1989, and by 1990, the population reached 19,900 people. This period of growth and development accelerated with the population reaching 32,000 by the year 2000 and exceeding 45,000 by the year 2010.

Today, Cedar Hill is a vibrant and thriving suburb that covers 35.88 square miles and has over 47,000 people who reside in the city.