69 and the city is still kicking

From the Kennedale News Archives

 

The City of Kennedale is 69 this month. In July, 1947 the citizens of Kennedale voted to incorporate as a village after 66 years as a school district community when 42 voters said yea. {{more:[read more]}}

 

City government …

 

At the first meeting, four committees were appointed ? Water and Sanitation, Franchise, Traffic and Fire Prevention. H.R. Bishop was selected as the city’s legal advisor. The meeting was adjourned.

Police and Fire …

Frank Bedford was the first City Marshal, patrolling on his own motorcycle in 1950. Dave Foster became the Assistant City Marshall and he used his own Studebaker pickup for transportation.

 

A Kennedale volunteer fire department followed soon afterward. The officers for the Kennedale Fire Department were A.S. Flake as President, W.W. Gillesie as Vice-President, H.C. Evans as Secretary. The first Fire Chief was Marty Peterman. B.T. Webb served as Assistant Fire Chief and Captains were Doug Cooper and L.F. Johnsons. The first Fire Marshal was J.C. Skeet. The Fire Department listed 36 men. The Fire truck was kept at Peterman?s service station.

 

Water and sewage …

In 1950, Freese & Nichols was hired to create plans and specifications for a water system. In 1951, $65,000 in bonds were issued for a waterworks system. The first well was drilled for $13,508. The contract price for the construction of a water system was $82,058.17. The first water tower was erected holding 50,000 gallons in 1952.

 

A water deposit was $5.00 and the water rates were $3.50 for 2,500 gallons and less, $.60 per 1,000 for the next 2,000 gallons and an additional $.50 per 1,000 for more than 4,500 gallons.

 

A design for a sewer waste water system was authorized in 1959 and the first connection was made in 1961. A sewer tap cost $50.00 plus a $5.00 deposit.

 

Post Office …

 

 

Like the school district, the post office predated the incoporated city by many years. The first first post office was established in 1884 in the store of John D Hudson. In 1900, J.A Alpin was elected to be one of two rural mail carriers. He delivered the mail for 32 years. He sold pencils, tablets, stamps and envelopes from his wagon. In 1972, Ben Middleton became the first post master in Kennedale who was not a political appointment. He served for 23 years.

 

Taxes …

 

The tax rate in Kennedale in 1956 was $.75 per $100 valuation, escalating to $1.35 per $100 valuation in 1971. Business growth in the area help decrease the rate to a low of $.32 in 1988. The rate was .58 rounded in 1997 and in 2015 the tax rate was $.77 rounded.

 

In 1982 taxable property values were listed as $50,182,653 climbing to $175,333,264 in 1997. In 2015 official values were $668,774,817.

 

Kennedake Chamber of Commerce …

The first Kennedale Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1970. Spearheading the organizing committee was James ?Butch? Evans. Newly elected directors were Norman Lassiter, Franklin Calame, Jack Rapologle, Mae Pennington, Don White, Polly Platt, Floyd Collins, Kenneth Morrison, S.M. Love, Truman Blair, Bob Craft and Grady Walker.

 

School District …

 

The school district was organized much earlier than the incorporation of the city. There was a school house in the late 1800?s but it was 1909 when the community of Kennedale voted to for a ?free school district? by vote of 39-20. The first trustees were J.H. Rogers, J.M. Estes, R.I. Foster, T.P. Moore, J.T. Gardner, R.E. Price and J.L. Britton. The first teacher was Wash Hudson and the school term grew from just a few months to six months in length.

In 1997, the City held a 50 year birthday celebration, spearheaded by the Kennedale Heritage Committee. Activities included a parade, burying a time capsule, a one mile Family Run/Walk, a Festival in the Park and an ice cream social.

 

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Historical Society