Flower Mound Farms History

By Mark Glover
June 4, 2024

Flower Mounds Farms was saved from becoming a Mobile Home Park in the mid 1960’s, by Edward Marcus and Bob Rheudasil. Marcus began purchasing property in Flower Mound in the 1950s and had amassed close to 4,000 acres to the North of Flower Mound Farms for ranching and tree farming.

The ranch was called Black Mark Farms and spanned North from FM 3040 to above the Presbyterian Hospital at the Riverwalk Development. Bob Rheudasil managed the ranch and the affairs of Edward Marcus in Denton County.

When Edward Marcus heard about a Mobile Home Park purchasing the Flower Mound Farms property to the South of Black Mark, “He wouldn’t have it”, according to Bob Rheudasil.  Marcus immediately purchased the property to stop the Mobile Home Park.

Bob Rheudasil, Edward Marcus & Ladybird Johnson

 

“Everything Edward Marcus did was of the highest quality” according to Bob. Edward and his brother Stanly were engrained with quality from a young age and from their years of running Neiman-Marcus.

Marcus purchased the property and laid out a planned neighborhood with beautiful trees, rolling terrain, and nearby creeks. Bob Rheudasil managed the development and built his own home at 140 Red Oak Lane in 1968.

The property sits on Long Prairie and was used primarily for agricultural. In the early 1960’s, the land was mostly pastureland for grazing cattle. Trees, including some ancient Post Oaks, lined the creeks and low-lying areas.

Many of the trees in Flower Mound Farms were planted by Bob Rheudasil. Bob operated the Flower Mound Tree Farm, located on Black Mark property.  Bob planted many trees in Flower Mound Farms, Flower Mound, DFW Airport, and they even sold trees in the Neiman-Marcus Catalogue.

Flower Mound Farms was revolutionary for it’s time. It was the first residential development in Denton County with all underground utilities. “People thought we were crazy to spend money to bury the power and telephone lines”, according to Bob Rheudasil. The investment paid big dividends in making Flower Mound Farms the special place it is. It is now one of the most beautiful farm-house communities around.

The old Presbyterian Church adjoins Flower Mound Farms to the East. This Church was constructed by some of our earliest settlers in the area. Development of North Texas opened up after Sam Houston was able to negotiate a Treaty with the Warring Chiefs of the Indian Tribes that dominated the prairies of North Texas and stalled Westward expansion.

The first settlers came to Flower Mound in fourteen Oxen Carts with all the worldly possessions they could bring in one wagon. They made the journey from Platt County, Missouri in 1844. It took several weeks to cross the creeks, avoid Indians, and to hack their way through the Cross Timbers, which were referred to as the “Cast Iron Forest” at the time. Trees, briars and scrub brush made it difficult to cross through this forest, unless you found a Buffalo Trail or Indian Trail through the timbers.

Many more families have come to Flower Mound in the years since. “I welcome you to Flower Mound, as long as you welcome the next to come”, was what Bob and Pat Rheudasil told newcomers to the area. Bob served as Flower Mound’s first Mayor and his wife Pat served as City Secretary.

Bob and Pat were local ambassadors for Flower Mound and likely the first residents you met when you moved to Flower Mound. You had to get your water meter from Pat, and the Town of Flower Mound was run from their home on Red Oak Lane, before a City Hall could be built.

“Welcome to Flower Mound, if you welcome the next to come.”  Edward, Bob and Pat would be proud to have you. But be sure to welcome the next to come to Flower Mound!

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