by Kristy Lawrie Gravlin (Author), Anne Sears (Author), Jeanne Valentine (Author)
Plano's founders, Marcus Steward and John F. Hollister, along with their families, settled in Kendall County in 1838. Hollister selected the town's name from the Latin planus, signifying "flat" or "plane." With the invention of the first successful harvester in 1861, Plano earned the title of "Birthplace of the Harvester" and established the town as a leading manufacturer of farm implements. It continued to attract a variety of factories, most notably Plano Molding Company, creator of the first plastic tackle boxes. Under the leadership of Joseph Smith III, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints established its national headquarters in Plano. Its original "stone church" is a landmark, as is the world-famous Farnsworth House, designed by influential architect Mies Van Der Rohe.