Place · United States
The history of Plano
Assembled from 2 dug tiles · 15 sourced records · 1842–2017 · last reviewed 19 September 2026
Plano began as prairie that twice drove settlers off before 1844, then held when Henry Cook arrived in 1845 and buried his son Daniel in 1847. That burial ground, later named for Rachel Cook Baccus, still receives burials today, outlasting the church, highways and malls built around it.
These are the individual spots Strata has dug in Plano — not a guide to the town, but a record of what happened on particular ground.
Digs in Plano
The graveyard that survived a church, a highway and a mallA War of 1812 veteran's family burial plot, a mile from where you stand, still takes burials today.
1845–2017 Settlers had to fight twice before this ground held
Two attacks in the early 1840s drove settlers off this stretch of prairie before anyone built here to stay. Tennyson Parkway
1842–2017
Plano in layers
1842 and 1843
Settlement here began in 1841 but was halted by two documented Indian attacks in 1842 and 1843, and did not resume until 1844. Collin County Texas official history
near Baccus Cemetery, Plano
Henry Cook's log house, built after he settled here in 1845, stood as a landmark on the old Shawnee cattle trail near this ground. Texas Historical Commission plaque
1845–1847, named c. 1915
Henry Cook settled nearby in 1845 as part of the Peters Colony, near the Shawnee Trail, and began the burial ground in 1847 with the death of his son Daniel; his daughter Rachel Cook Baccus later deeded and named it. Texas Historical Commission plaque, Baccus Cemetery
Baccus Cemetery, Plano
Henry Cook, a War of 1812 veteran who settled here in 1845 with the Peters Colony, buried his son Daniel in this plot in 1847, and it grew into the Baccus Cemetery still used today, a kilometer from here. Texas Historical Commission plaque
c. 1847
Right at the center of the Shops at Legacy stands Baccus Cemetery, Plano's oldest, dating to about 1847 when Captain Henry Cook buried his son Daniel there. Wikipedia: Legacy West
Baccus Cemetery, Plano
Henry Cook's daughter Rachel Cook Baccus deeded the family cemetery to his heirs in 1878 and later donated land for the Baccus Christian Church, which was named for her around 1915 and disbanded in the 1930s. Texas Historical Commission plaque
Plano
John F. Steward's patent model for a grain binder, dated 1882, is catalogued by the Smithsonian with a Plano connection. Smithsonian
Plano
Danny Lynch, who pitched in Major League Baseball, died in Plano in 1978. Wikidata
Plano
Rusty Russell, the coach famed for leading the Fort Worth Masonic Home orphans' football team, died in Plano in 1983. Wikidata
1987–2017
Land JCPenney bought in 1987 for its headquarters relocation stayed vacant until Toyota's arrival pushed developers to break ground on a $2 billion district that opened to the public in 2017. Wikipedia: Legacy West
Plano
Gerald Ketchum, who took part in early 20th-century Antarctic exploration, died in Plano in 1992. Wikidata
Plano
Howie Shannon, a professional basketball player from the league's early years, died in Plano in 1995. Wikidata
2000–2012
Proposed in 2000 as the Westside Park & Ride, the project stalled through the dot-com recession and did not break ground until 2010, finally opening in 2012. Wikipedia: Northwest Plano Park & Ride
Northwest Plano Park & Ride
The Northwest Plano Park & Ride, a Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus station a short walk from here, opened in 2012 as the system's northernmost facility. Wikipedia
Legacy West
Legacy West, a large open-air retail and office complex with over 1,300 residential units, opened north of here in 2017. Wikipedia
Questions about Plano
What is Plano known for historically?
Plano is known for Baccus Cemetery, which began in 1847 when War of 1812 veteran Henry Cook buried his son Daniel on his own land, and which still receives burials despite the church, highways and malls that later grew up around it.
What happened at Tennyson Parkway before Plano was settled?
The ground along what became Tennyson Parkway was first claimed by settlers in 1841, who were driven off by two attacks in 1842 and 1843, according to Collin County's own history. Nobody resettled the land until 1844.
Who founded Baccus Cemetery in Plano?
Henry Cook, a War of 1812 veteran and Peters Colony settler, founded the cemetery in 1847 when he buried his son Daniel on his own land. Rachel Cook Baccus later deeded the ground to the family and gave it her name.
Is Baccus Cemetery still in use?
Yes, Baccus Cemetery still receives burials today, having outlasted the church built beside it and the malls and highways built around it since.
What other history is tied to the ground near Baccus Cemetery?
A log house once stood nearby marking the Shawnee Trail, according to a Texas Historical Commission plaque.
What notable people are connected to Plano?
High school football coach Rusty Russell, Antarctic explorer Gerald Ketchum, NBA guard Howie Shannon and Major League pitcher Danny Lynch all died in Plano.