The future Ellis County area of the young Republic of Texas was known as the Peters Colony, named for a Louisville, Kentucky-based land grant company consisting of English and American investors.

The young Republic empresario grant program encouraged settlements in North Texas in 1857.

The few settlers who lived in this region trapped animals and sold their pelts, and traded goods with the natives.

The majority of Ellis County's original settlers came from the southern half of the United States.

For Hawkins to claim his 640 acres (260 ha) of land from the Peters Colony group, he was required to build a house on the property he chose along the mouth of Waxahachie Creek before July 1, 1848.

According to local legend, the area was named Midlothian when the Chicago, Texas, and Mexican Central railroads, which eventually connected Dallas and Cleburne, arrived in the area and a homesick Scottish train engineer stated that the local countryside reminded him of his homeland in Scotland, and the location served as the midpoint between Dallas and Cleburne, and between Ennis and Fort Worth.

Adjacent cities are Cedar Hill to the north, Grand Prairie to the northwest, Venus to the southwest, Waxahachie to the southeast, and Ovilla to the northeast.

[citation needed] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

Midlothian became a prime area for cement quarrying due to the Austin Chalk Escarpment, a unique geological formation that runs north–south through the city.

Three of the top-10 largest cement factories in the United States operate in the city: TXI (formerly Texas Industries), Holcim, and Ash Grove.

According to Midlothian's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[17] the top employers in the city are: Primary and secondary education in the majority of the municipality is provided by the Midlothian Independent School District (MISD),[18] which encompasses an area around 112 square miles (290 km2).

At Midlothian High School, called the "Panthers", students have been awarded numerous times in agricultural problem-solvers competitions, and high-quality music organizations.

The collaboration between the four institutions provides area students the ability to complete baccalaureate and graduate degree programs at Navarro College's Midlothian campus.

In May 2015, Padera Lake, located three miles northwest of Midlothian, was full from torrential rains.

Water overflowing and cracks in an earthen dam gave rise to concerns that failure was imminent.

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