Plano city overview
Plano, Texas forms part of the huge Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and is located 20 miles north of Dallas. The city itself is a small city with a population of around 280,000 but with Dallas and Fort Worth close by, has all the benefits of a huge city without the downsides.

Brief history of Plano
Plano was settled in the 1840s by European settlers. The initial settlement was wiped out by Native Americans but a subsequent settlement was more successful. It began modestly until the Post Office arrived in 1852 and was named Plano, which is Spanish for ‘flat’ which accurately describes the geography of the area.

Despite lacking forests of any kind, one of the first industries to come to Plano was a sawmill. It was quickly joined by a grist mill and a local store. The combination attracted more settlers and eventually, the Houston and Central Texas Railway in 1872.

After a fire destroyed much of the town in 1881, it was rebuilt and reinvented itself. Farmers moved further away from the town center, allowing more people to move in. More industries arrived to make use of the railway and available labor and the town evolved steadily from there.

The 20th century brought more development, city amenities and some big businesses to Plano. Now regarded as a suburb of Dallas, Plano.

Doing business in Plano
The Plano economy is wide and varied. The city itself has some major employers but the city also attracts businesses from Dallas. The service industry and corporations dominate the local economy with offices and administration being a primary economic driver.

Despite its size, Plano is also where some of the country’s largest employers have their headquarters. They include; Alliance Data, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Pizza Hut, Siemens PLM Software, Toyota Motor North America, National Business Research Institute, JCPenney, Huawei Device USA, Cookies by Design, Cinemark Theatres and lots more.

Highlights of Plano
Plano is a working city and a suburb of Dallas so has limited big name attractions. It does have lots of leisure opportunities and local bars, restaurants, cafes, parks and entertainment options though.

Some things to see and do in Plano include; Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, Flying and Floating Toys, Cockroach Hall of Fame, Angelika Film Center, Tom Muehlenbeck Recreation Center, Carpenter Park Recreation Center, Oak Point Recreation Center, Liberty Recreation Center, and Douglass Community Center.

Plano city character
As a mainly administrative center, Plano has a lot of middle class residents with a good mix of cultures. There is some manufacturing and blue collar work in the city but it is mainly offices and management types that you see out and about. The city’s vibe is relaxed and affable and those Wester traits of being relaxed and hospitable are evident in most places you’re likely to go.

There is a definite resilience to the city. After the initial settlement was wiped out, it rose again. Fire destroyed a lot of the city and it rose again. That has made its mark on residents and there is a quiet determination to work hard and succeed.

Plano neighborhoods
Some of the neighborhoods that make up Plano include; Avignon, Deerfield, El Ranchero Country Estates, Forest Creek, Gleneagles, Indian Creek, Lakeside on Preston, Normandy, Whiffletree and Willow Bend.