Renner - Dallas
Renner, Renner Baptist Church, and Renner School
At one time there was a community of Renner southwest Collin County. Renner said that is extended into three counties - Collin, Dallas, and Denton. In order for that to be true the boundaries had to extend from about Coit Road on the east to the other side of Addison Airport on the west and from about 15th Street in Plano on the north to Campbell Road in Richardson on the south.
Renner was a railroad town, started about 1887, when the St. Louis/Southwestern, or the Cotton Belt, Railroad was established through Collin County. The community was named for John A. Renner, an engineer in charge of developing town sites along the Cotton Belt Line. Renner was founded where the tracks enter Collin County on the west - just west of Coit Road, not far from Frankford Road.
The community of Renner applied for a post office in 1888, almost as soon as the railroad came through. George T. Hudson was appointed postmaster. F. W. Jackson opened the first store. A school was built about the same time. The school house was a large two-story building with a foyer and one room on first floor and one room on the second. As was the custom with early school houses, the second floor was used as a community center. The school was used until 1919. The Renner school house has been moved to Old City Park in Dallas.
In 1890 the population of Renner was 50. In 1900 the population had more than tripled to 166. In September of 1904 Renner petitioned the railroad for passenger service. Renner was always a farming community. The railroad was used to carry the crops to market.
In 1950 the town population was down to 100 residents. D. E. Wilson was the mayor in 1957. Remnants of Renner on the west side of Coit Road near Frankford Road existed until 1983 when the community was absorbed by Dallas. The Texas A. & M. Research Center on the east side of Coit Road listed its address as Renner.
The First Baptist Church of Renner was started in the Renner School house in 1890. They met in the school house until 1897 when the Renner Baptist Church dedicated a building that was located on Dickerson Street in Renner. It was a wooden frame structure with one room that served all purposes. The building had an entrance in the north corner and another one on the west side. In 1925 a larger building was erected, which had a small square steeple and a covered entryway/porch. The doors were in the center. The congregation was very active. It was not on a circuit and had its own ministers. In 1963 a separate fellowship hall was added. Community elections were held in the fellowship hall.
The Renner Methodist Church was started in 1891. Frank Jackson, who had the first store, donated land for a church building, parsonage, barn and vegetable garden. The Methodist church was always on a circuit with other Methodist churches. Services were held every other Sunday. The congregation was dissolved in 1957 and the church building sold to a business firm.
At one time Renner had a cotton gin and stores as well as the school house and the Baptist and Methodist churches. The school district was absorbed by the Plano School District. In 1985 the Baptist Church building was moved to the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Aside from the two buildings in the historical parks, the only other remnant of Renner still in existence is the congregation of the Baptist church, which moved to a building on Davenport Street in North Dallas. In 1980 the name of the church was changed to Preston Highlands Baptist Church. The Renner Baptist Church congregation has a Texas State Historical Marker.
The street names also survived. The Baptist church was on Dickerson Street. Another street was named for Frank Jackson, who opened the first store. Renner Road, which runs from Murphy on the east to Waterview/ Independence Parkway in Richardson/Plano on the west, stops about a mile east of the old community it was named for.
In 1980 the church name was changed to Preston Highlands Baptist Church and its new sanctuary was built in Dallas. The old church building was moved to the Farmers' Branch Historical Park. The Renner schoolhouse is in Old City Park in Dallas.
In 1983 the city of Dallas completed annexation of Renner.
At one time there was a community of Renner southwest Collin County. Renner said that is extended into three counties - Collin, Dallas, and Denton. In order for that to be true the boundaries had to extend from about Coit Road on the east to the other side of Addison Airport on the west and from about 15th Street in Plano on the north to Campbell Road in Richardson on the south.
Renner was a railroad town, started about 1887, when the St. Louis/Southwestern, or the Cotton Belt, Railroad was established through Collin County. The community was named for John A. Renner, an engineer in charge of developing town sites along the Cotton Belt Line. Renner was founded where the tracks enter Collin County on the west - just west of Coit Road, not far from Frankford Road.
The community of Renner applied for a post office in 1888, almost as soon as the railroad came through. George T. Hudson was appointed postmaster. F. W. Jackson opened the first store. A school was built about the same time. The school house was a large two-story building with a foyer and one room on first floor and one room on the second. As was the custom with early school houses, the second floor was used as a community center. The school was used until 1919. The Renner school house has been moved to Old City Park in Dallas.
In 1890 the population of Renner was 50. In 1900 the population had more than tripled to 166. In September of 1904 Renner petitioned the railroad for passenger service. Renner was always a farming community. The railroad was used to carry the crops to market.
In 1950 the town population was down to 100 residents. D. E. Wilson was the mayor in 1957. Remnants of Renner on the west side of Coit Road near Frankford Road existed until 1983 when the community was absorbed by Dallas. The Texas A. & M. Research Center on the east side of Coit Road listed its address as Renner.
The First Baptist Church of Renner was started in the Renner School house in 1890. They met in the school house until 1897 when the Renner Baptist Church dedicated a building that was located on Dickerson Street in Renner. It was a wooden frame structure with one room that served all purposes. The building had an entrance in the north corner and another one on the west side. In 1925 a larger building was erected, which had a small square steeple and a covered entryway/porch. The doors were in the center. The congregation was very active. It was not on a circuit and had its own ministers. In 1963 a separate fellowship hall was added. Community elections were held in the fellowship hall.
The Renner Methodist Church was started in 1891. Frank Jackson, who had the first store, donated land for a church building, parsonage, barn and vegetable garden. The Methodist church was always on a circuit with other Methodist churches. Services were held every other Sunday. The congregation was dissolved in 1957 and the church building sold to a business firm.
At one time Renner had a cotton gin and stores as well as the school house and the Baptist and Methodist churches. The school district was absorbed by the Plano School District. In 1985 the Baptist Church building was moved to the Farmers Branch Historical Park.
Aside from the two buildings in the historical parks, the only other remnant of Renner still in existence is the congregation of the Baptist church, which moved to a building on Davenport Street in North Dallas. In 1980 the name of the church was changed to Preston Highlands Baptist Church. The Renner Baptist Church congregation has a Texas State Historical Marker.
The street names also survived. The Baptist church was on Dickerson Street. Another street was named for Frank Jackson, who opened the first store. Renner Road, which runs from Murphy on the east to Waterview/ Independence Parkway in Richardson/Plano on the west, stops about a mile east of the old community it was named for.
In 1980 the church name was changed to Preston Highlands Baptist Church and its new sanctuary was built in Dallas. The old church building was moved to the Farmers' Branch Historical Park. The Renner schoolhouse is in Old City Park in Dallas.
In 1983 the city of Dallas completed annexation of Renner.
