Collection: Truman Texas

Shop the full Truman collection below — and — knock out your gift lists early.


See our pressroom for recent national press. Items below are shown in single size/color — see also black logo and white logo options. Enjoy!

Wear Local. Feed Local. Stay Classic.

Product FAQs

How does your sizing work?

Because items are made to order, we can’t accept returns for sizing or color choices. We do accept returns for defects, misprints, or shipping damage. Please review the detailed photos and descriptions before purchasing. Women’s fitted tees run small; if you prefer a looser fit on that or any item, consider sizing up.

How do I send gifts?

All items ship without prices and include a simple packing slip for easy gifting. Enter the recipient’s shipping address and your billing address at checkout. Use your contact info to receive tracking updates. Orders typically arrive within 6–11 business days—please allow extra time for time-sensitive gifts.

How do I care for my item?

For apparel: wash cold, inside-out, with like colors; avoid bleach and high heat; tumble dry low or hang dry. For embroidery, iron inside-out to protect the stitching. See specific care instructions in product descriptions and also follow general best practices in caring for your items for long term enjoyment.

How are items made and when will they arrive?

We make each item on demand using premium blanks, embroidery, and soft-hand prints. Production usually takes 2–5 business days (excluding weekends and holidays). You’ll receive tracking once shipped. We currently ship to U.S. addresses via USPS, UPS, or FedEx. Most orders arrive within 6–11 business days.

What’s the return/exchange policy?

We accept returns for defects, misprints, or damage on arrival. Report issues within 14 days with photos and your order number, and we’ll replace or refund. Size or color changes aren’t supported after purchase, so please consult size charts before ordering if you are at all unsure.

Who are we?

Merlin Classics is a volunteer-run, AI-assisted apparel project celebrating timeless local style. Every item is made to order, and profits (revenue minus external product/marketing cost) support hunger-relief programs in the communities our collections spotlight. Classic looks, real local impact—every purchase helps.

Truman Texas — Retro Vintage History

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Truman, Texas began as a small East Dallas County stop along the old U.S. 80 corridor, a crossroads of farms, creeks, and wagon traces on the prairie edge. Earlier names—Thin Gravy, Deanville, North Mesquite, and Mesquite Tap—hinted at humor, settlers, and rail sidings before pavement. Families worked cotton and truck patches, traded at crossroads stores, and watched Dallas’s growth approach from the west. After wartime years, local identity sharpened around a renamed signboard and a sense of being seen. The place’s founding character blends modest acreage, roadside commerce, and neighborly ritual along a hard-traveled highway shoulder.

Truman Texas named in honor of Harry S. Truman in 1945

In 1945 the town voted to rename itself Truman in honor of the new president; the highway sign was christened with a bottle of milk as a congratulatory letter was read aloud. Postwar, U.S. 80 carried servicemen, salesmen, and families past cafes, garages, and frame houses. By the 1950s, Mesquite’s expansion absorbed the community, shifting services, schools, and zoning east of Dallas’s skyline. Subdivisions, shopping strips, and widened lanes recast the map. The timeline reads: rail siding and farm stop; wartime publicity and renaming; suburban annexation and through-traffic corridor—small origins folded into a larger city’s edge.

Truman’s lore keeps the milk-bottle christening story alive, retold beside coffee cups and reunion tables. Old-timers trade nicknames for the earlier settlements, recall hitching rides to Mesquite’s square, and list the cafes that made a perfect pie. Storm talk returns each spring—hail dimpling hoods, creek water over culverts, and neighbors sweeping glass before church. Highway memories include roadside star cards, state trooper warnings, and hot tar under August sun. Myth and memory mingle in small gestures: a borrowed jack, a spare plug, a phone on the counter. The lesson is endurance plus humor, mile by mile.

Our Truman mark centers on a longhorn-and-star emblem under an arched TRUMAN wordmark. The longhorn silhouette reads bold at distance; the star balances left-side negative space. “TEXAS REPUBLIC” and “EST. 1845” anchor the lockup in slab-serif capitals, tying the design to statehood and ranch-brand tradition. One-color production keeps edges crisp for screen print and embroidery; wide counters preserve legibility on caps. The geometry feels straight-shooting and work-ready—heritage without fuss. On merchandise, the symbol delivers classic Texas attitude: plainspoken, durable, and proud, suited to hoodies, tees, patches, mugs, and sleeve labels.

Today the area is part of Mesquite, where the name carries forward in the Truman Heights neighborhood north of U.S. 80. The district’s grid ties homes to parks, schools, and service corridors, while downtown Mesquite and Dallas sit a short drive away. Community centers, rodeo nights, and seasonal festivals supply rhythm; neighborhood plans and code upgrades outlined upkeep and streetscape goals. In that spirit, our Truman collection honors small-place grit within a growing city—longhorn strength over a highway-born story. Explore the lineup and carry a reminder of perseverance, humor, and porch-light hospitality at Dallas’s east-side gateway.



Explore Truman Texas Offerings


Famous Art Deco Good Luck tower glowing over Dallas’s old U.S. 80 near Truman Texas.

Truman Texas — Travel Guide

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Visiting Truman Texas Today

Compact neighborhood blocks near U.S. 80 make simple days easy. Parks, trails, and rec centers sit close together, with quick links to Mesquite’s downtown and Dallas beyond for museums, arenas, and evening shows.

Beaches, Parks, and Attractions in Truman Texas

For visitors searching for things to do in Truman Texas:

  • City Lake Park: lakeside paths, playgrounds, pier, ducks, and open lawns.
  • Paschall Park: disc-golf loops, tree shade, creek meadows, and walking trails.
  • Mesquite Arena: championship rodeo nights, touring concerts, family-friendly events year-round.
  • Opal Lawrence Historical Park: preserved farmstead buildings, gardens, tours, and community festivals.
  • Florence Recreation Center: courts, programs, youth leagues, and neighborhood fitness options.

Why People Visit Truman Texas

Visitors find small-town texture inside a larger, easygoing city: morning coffee near the square, park circuits, quick museum or rodeo stops, and tacos before dusk. Drives are short, parking is simple, and prices stay moderate. Weekend plans stitch together porches, playgrounds, and arena lights; weeknights favor rec-center schedules and neighborhood fields. Truman Heights keeps errands close while big-city culture sits one highway turn away—comfortable, practical, and welcoming for families and friends.



Explore Truman Texas Offerings



For planning help, start with Visit Mesquite for maps, events, rodeo schedules, and downtown updates. Check City of Mesquite Parks & Recreation for facility hours, reservations, and closures. Neighborhood Plans outline Truman Heights boundaries and improvements. Historic Mesquite, Inc. lists tours at Opal Lawrence; TxDOT and city feeds post traffic or construction notices on U.S. 80. Confirm hours after severe weather, verify accessibility with venue staff, and review parking rules around the arena and civic facilities before group outings.