The not-for-profit Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney Foundation formed in 1998.

Median Plantings

The first major plantings of crape myrtles were made in September 2000 and April 2001 along Eldorado Parkway from Highway 5 (MacDonald Street) west to Hardin Boulevard, also along U.S. 380 just west of U.S. 75.

Subsequent plantings were made from Hardin Road to Stonebridge Drive, also along Virginia Parkway.

In 2007 plantings were made on Hardin Drive between Eldorado Parkway and Virginia Parkway, also on McKinney Ranch Road and on Ridge Road between Eldorado Parkway and McKinney Ranch Road. 

To-date, some 15 miles of medians have been planted with more than 4,000 crape myrtles.

Super Sponsors

Each year at our Founders' Club Gala we introduce the following year's Super Sponsors.  Each of these individuals and companies agrees to plant 200 crape myrtles in a publicly visible area of McKinney within the following calendar year.  We are indebted to the support of these community-spirited leaders

Mayor Bill Whitfield welcomes the first-ever Crape Myrtle Conference at Collin County Community College, McKinney, in June 2005.  More than 130 persons from all across the country attended.

2006 Super Sponsors
The Ballfields at Craig Ranch
Craig Ranch
Wal-Mart of McKinney
Pogue Construction
Encore Wire
Simpson Strongtie
Pat Lobb Toyota
Medical Center of McKinney
Sharla's Cosmetics & Bath
Horizon Development Group
Eric and Katina Zepp
Wellstone at Craig Ranch

2007 Super Sponsors
Crescent Development - Golden Tulip at Craig Ranch
Pogue Construction (2)
St. Michael Roman Catholic Church
Cooper Aerobics Center at Craig Ranch
Palladium USA
Cooper Life at Craig Ranch
Cooper Sports Complex - Michael Johnson's Performance Training Center
DXE - Time Square at Craig Ranch
Wilbow Construction

Featured speakers for the 2005 Crape Myrtle Conference, left to right: Dr. Mike Arnold, Texas A&M Department of Horticulture; Dr. Cecil Pounders, United States Department of Agriculture, Mississippi; Dr. David Creech, Stephen F. Austin University Department of Horticulture; Dr. Raul Cabrerra, Texas A&M/Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; Janie and David Byers, Byers Wholesale Nursery, Alabama; Dr. Margaret Pooler, United States National Arboretum, Washington DC; Dr. Gary Knox, University of Florida Department of Horticulture; Rowland Jackson, Newman, Jackson, Bieberstein, Inc. Landscape Architects, Dallas

The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney Foundation receives a donation at the Grand Opening of the Wal-Mart store on Redbud Blvd. from one of their vendors, Kraft Foods.  Wal-Mart has supported The Crape Myrtle Trails efforts as a Charter Super Sponsor, also as sponsor of our annual "Run the Trails" Fun Run.