Garland is a mid-size city in Dallas County, northeast Texas, but it began as two separate communities, Embree and Duck Creek, in 1874. A competition commenced shortly after between the two communities, who were vying to host the new post office. The dispute was settled when Dallas County Judge Thomas Nash requested that the post office be located between the two communities. This was completed in 1887 by congressman Joe Abbott and the site of the post office was named Garland (after then U.S. Attorney General Augustus Hill Garland). Within a short time, Embree, Duck Creek and Garland were combined to become the city of Garland, which was incorporated in 1891.