C.H Wysong settled here in as early as 1846. The location of the post office was at Foster Crossing about 3 miles north of Melissa.

The rich soils of the Blackland Prairie & the waters of the Trinity River attracted settlers to the area in the 1840's. In 1872 the Houston and Texas Central Railroad was built through the community.

Sources disagree as to the naming of Melissa. Some say it was after Melissa Quinlan, daughter of an official for the Houston and Texas Central Railroad while others say it was after Melissa Huntington, the daughter of a prominent railroad executive.

In 1886, Melissa had 2 cotton gins, a flourmill and several business houses.

April 13, 1921 a deadly tornado struck Melissa and in August 1929, many of the buildings that were rebuilt after the tornado were burned down in a fire.

In 1925, Melissa had a population high of 500. In 1966 it was 375 and by the 1990's it was 557. By 2019, the census put Melissa's population at ~ 19,000 and today we are estimated to be over 24,000 in population - and growing!