The history of Roanoke, Texas goes back to the year of 1847, when a small group of twenty settlers and their families from Missouri settled near Denton Creek, north of the present location of Roanoke. First called the Medlin Settlement, in honor of Louis and Charles Medlin whose families were in the colony, the early community was later designated as Garden Valley.
Sam Bass crossed the history of Roanoke. He was a notorious desperado who made his headquarters in Denton County. What is known as one of the Sam Bass Caves is located northeast of Roanoke on the banks of what is now Grapevine Lake.
Almost one hundred years ago the Roanoke School had its beginning. It was around 1847, soon after the settlement started, that the school was established. In 1882, the first school was built on the present sight, but the buildings now being used were built in 1938 and 1940. However the grade school building was begun in 1913, and for many years served as the high school also. All the buildings and grounds (which covers 3 acres) are surrounded by a rock wall fence. The Roanoke School also has a fine lunch room located on the second floor of the old grade school building.