HUTCHINS, TEXAS. Hutchins is at the southern Dallas city limit and Interstate Highway 45, nine miles south of downtown Dallas in southern Dallas County. Settlement at the site began around 1860, as Hutchins became the trading place for settlers along the west bank of the river and new arrivals who crossed the Trinity River at Dowd's Ferry from the east. The town was named for William J. Hutchins, one of the promoters of the Houston and Texas Central Railway, which was completed through Hutchins in 1872. At that time the community had gins, a gristmill, several general stores, a school, and a church. Hutchins also had a post office by the end of 1872. In 1884 it had a population of 250, three general stores, three gins, two gristmills, one sawmill, three doctors, and a wagonmaker. By 1890 the population had grown to 300. It was 204 in 1904 and 500 in 1926. It remained steady until 1952, when it was 741, and then rose to 1,100 by 1961 and 2,719 by 1990. The number of businesses increased from fifteen in 1931 to sixty-seven in 1990. In 1991 small manufacturing dominated business in Hutchins. Producers of central-air conditioning units and parts, bronze and brass castings, and data-processing cards and magnetic tapes were the largest industries. In 2000 the population was 2,805 with 133 businesses. Most of the town's residents are employed in Dallas.

Kelly A. Woestman