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P*RC 10 Sunday May 26, 1963 NEWS TEXAN«•••lt; •lt; k•••Stjjf;•? ....... •.lt;**********'*••****•••lt;lt;•••• la(lt;*»aaaaaait,,lt;, , , . , , ,lt;r*f*»»»*«lt;aaaaalt;«lt;alt;aa«a.a«««aa«...lt;lt;.aalt;lt;lt;9* 999999 99« • 9•*«9««»t t t • * $ * 4 • • ^ *»4 94«»9» . S $ $ 4 4 4^ ........9 II « I 4 I « 4 I *««»#•• 9 9 9 .9 99 9 9 9 9 9 9 S . «9 « a .9999*«9«*«99 a • 999 s9a ...... . a. 9 . .9*#»4|l««9*l9l«9«««««999999»«9999 «999a• ft r a A ft• aaa9a««, 4904 $ $ t4 $ 4 $^4 • 4 4 04 4*0099440094*1^9I 4 4444904 940000904040040*»*440 999ttf99449444^9^4t*44444904999444044i949994444%44994t»44 4 4 4^^400SUNDAY, MAY 26,1963 SECTION V,00t*»%0,4t9»t**^99 0*********»**^^^0**^^ .......a^^aaa ••a»»a»^»aa*««««««,«««* 4 4 « « 449490990 44 9499999999$999494^40404^f4999^ • * ^*999^449 I I I 91 •• 994* I I I •♦•ft 00*0 ## I 1*9 4 4 ♦•9944 •♦• I I 9*| 0 94 •• •9««* * 4 4 4 ••• I100 Years of Grand Prairie History9 9 • • 9 a a • I I 9 •• *•♦19 99*l«»«• ♦•♦*♦* i4499009 a a a a a9 4 9 009 *4 • 99 4 • 4 9 4 4 4 Il9l l*4« a9««ft||»|l a4«ft9l99v«**l99v ••!• ••|||||»4«9«4|||i «a• •••••••l^|« l«9l ft«9 aa99 .9« . 99»«99l«9999*a ................. 99 a .9099 4 9 4 94 t 4 9 4»90 999^999 • 9a9a . a ..... .9• •!• ft M * * 9 •« •• 9 ••• 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 ^9a99fta9 9 99l^»99^l9aa9 9aaaaaa a a• |IM*»**4ll4«aaa,,,aa«............a94 9 ^4 94 4 \4 9 * ^ * * *»aafta» 9 99. aa 99a90 99lt;44*9^t» a9« .....................♦ 99 9 •94990494^t949999999t*999^^*^**449999994^49 9999994^9ki*9ia««aaaaaaaa9««tlta«alt;• taaa..'a.a.aMtioa'M'a** ••’•••*••*••*lt;•*s;:s;;::;rs::JtJt:JS|||:|[||nHH:i;:i:;!::'H:iftlt;I•»!»*•••••••••••‘••S’ lt;a • • •i ♦♦♦^••^••4 ♦««« 9 s 9 9*A9444999i44999»999494 949994^4990994999049900»»»4^0494i4i940499»94449499994994¥499^%9^ 49 4 4 *09 94 4 9*tllil4ill0 000990 4 9 4 94 9 9 4 09 9 49994 4 9 4 9 ...........9 a I* 9 40h09 ••*• * 4400^0*00*9*♦♦♦♦♦♦9« •^••••aa a^aaa0*4*04*^94^9^ 499900^9499 4(Continued froin Page 6)prairie Stock and Poultry Show was a annual affair until1940.In Sopicmber, 192S, the Dallas City commission purchased approximately Uii'ee liundred acres of land two miles east of Grand Prairie, when United States Army officials agreed they would lease the property for a milita’-y base. This site had been approved by Major William Hensley, Air Corps Commander of the Hightli Corps Area, as an air base because of the convenience of transportation to Dallas and Fort Worth, Immeiliately after the establishment of this airport, it was named Hensley Field, in honor of Major Hensley. Army officials moved the hcadquaitcrs of the 366th Air Reserve Squadron from I.ove Field to Hensley Field. Hensley Field was places! on the official army airiine, with student fliers from Kelly Field, San Antonio, using this airport extensively for cross country training flights from their army ber^. CThis airport cost the city of Dallas seventy-five thousand'..'dollars flt;ii- land and imprnvements, and in addition to that aniount. the Dallas Chamber of Commerce contributed sixteen thousand dollars for the construction of hangers and otiier imjrovetiients. The United States Army operated this auxiliary airport under the terms of a twenty-year lease given by the City of Dallas in the amound of one dollar each year.fly l'-)26 the eitizL'ns of Grand Prairie were already feeling the effect of low prices for farm products. During the depression years all business in Grand Prairie suffered greatly. Some of tiio k. itizeiis were aided by charity in the form of free food and cioihing. as a- result of the Reconstruction Finance Corporali()n loan to aid states and their subdivisions, Grcnid J-’rairie was one of the first towns in Dallas County to otk'C eniployment through the program of work projects cMi pniilii' properly, which was made possible by donations iii iIk' siaie from the Federal Fmergency Relief Adminisi rat ion, .Abinit iiv'e hundretl local workers were aided by this proLram.The Dallas City Auditor and the officials of the Dallas Powor and (Jglit Clt;'»mpjnv reached an agrct-ment over the proposed MonuUiin (j'eek Lake project in May, J930, The idea of sueli a project was discLissed several times in the early 1V2(L.“, at joint meetiiig.s of the Dallas and Grand Prairie Chambers nf Commerce. The mayor of Grand prairie andother local delegates began intensive efforts toward the real-_,ization of this prlt;jc\‘i in 1923. After the agrreemeiit in May, jl930, the Dallas City Llomnnssion purchased several hundred 'acres of land from the Carniers of the Mountain Creek area for approximately forty dollars per acre. Work on the project began in November. bi3l), and it was complc'tcd in the fail of 1931.In 19.hi most ol Grand Prairie’s industrial activity was derived Irum i^nhlic Work Admini.stration projects winch in-; eluded appi-oximately tAveniy thousand dollars worth of school I consti'Licl ion projects and the improvement of I jen.sley Field., In January. lo3p. The pureau of Air Service in Washington |approved an apjd ii at ion whicli granted Hensley Field .“^362,S52.92 ; to complete ninwavs. to extend tlie apron around the hanger, and to construct an iultlilion on tlie hangers. Also includec♦***♦♦•♦•♦••«•♦ ••♦♦♦^••*l44««^*#»|l|^ 4*99«9ft «|999 999«|ft»««ft^|4^^%|««« ♦♦ll^9l«#^l ♦♦ 4 !•♦♦♦♦ ♦« •• •• i ^ _ ..................................We’re Proud To Be A PartAfter Centennial Special Beards Shaved — $1.50VON’S BARBER SHOPin the' Hensley i?ield expansion was the establishment of a ga^aWne service station for planes, and the building of additional quarters and garages for the officers and enlisted men. In September, 1940, Hensley Field was designated as a Naval Air Training Base. This required the federal government to spend one million dollars for additional construction so that this base could train twelve hundred fliers yearly. It also served as a base for several reserve squadrons.July, 1929, the Curtis Flying Service Corporation of New York purchased a 275 acre tract of land one mile west of the Grand Prairie corporate limits on which it established a school for advanced fliers. This flying school wa,s »iot a successful basiness; however, a transaction was made in 1930, whereby it brcame the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport under the supervision of R. C. Kirk. After the accidental death of her husband in 1938, for a short time Mrs, Kirk attempted to operate the airport. Mr. Taeff succeeded Mrs, Kirk as the director of this airport and operated it until 1940, at which time Lou Foote purchased the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport and founded the Lou Foote Flvinir ScIkk-)! During the 1940’s Mr. Foote made several improvements and added new equipment to such an extenl that before the; close of the year he was training 116 student fliers in preparation for a more advanced schooling at Randolph Field, '•After considerable effort had been expended on the part of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, the Giaitd prairie Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor of Grand Prairie, and various other persons, the federal government made extensive surveys to determine which one of three sites iindcr consideration would be most suitable for an airplane factory. On August 10, 1940, the manager of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce, Ben Critz, annoiinced by way of THH DALLAS MORNING NEWS that he had received a lelegrani from ), H. Kindlebcrger, the president *)f North Anieriean Aviation] hicorporated, which stated tlnii his company had beennutlnu--ized by the War Department and the National Advisory Committee to Build an airplane factory acljacenl to jleiisiey Field just east of Grand ^I’^irie. The she for this plant required seven hundred acres of lanci. The .\rniy pleilgeci ihe use of the Hensley Field airstrips to the plant officials.An article' in the August 23, 1940, issue of TML GRAND PRAIRIE TEXAN stated that a great stop for the beltei'menl of Grand prairie was made when the North American Aviation, Incorporated decided to build its factory in Gi-and Prairie. The article emphasized thal the leaders in the community did not consider the tlevelopmeni of this industrial plant as an end in itself, hut I hey had al I'eady sla rted plant.ing for the further growth and development of’tlieelt;;m-munity. After the aimoiincement that the airplane factory would be near Grand Prairie, each dav bnught men anti women from all vocations of life to the eitv of (;ratul Prairie. Mayor Titrner. the pre.sideni of the Chamber of Goniirn-ree. and other leading businessmen wi,’re Cfnisianily answoihng questions as to when anti where operations wouki bi.-gin. The citizens of the town were irnrneiisley proud of the far sighted planning and cstahlj.shmeni of ciiv improvements under thp leadership of C. H. Turner,The first major problein facing the cilv of Cmand )rairie.»»»4f949999 04 **9 49 9 9444 * 0* 4 9 9 9994t09*999999449 94 44994449**4944* 4009499*044994409494000000040004400 •00♦•♦♦•♦♦•♦•9••619 E. JeffersonAN2-9316'y.K'',%.y •8‘y*••v.v.e4. ♦♦•9ft ^ ft •*ft4 4^419 I * ftCONGRATULATIONSGrantl PrairieonYOUR lOOlh ANNIVERSARYWAGGONER’S SELECT SCHOOLlOfiNortfi AN2-1465Hoppy 100th Birthday Grand PrairieALL AMERICAN .HOMCSA NO DOWN PAYMENT^nnesotaTIft'tftPoints ★ LOW MONTHLY PAYMENTSalter the announcernent of the coming oi the new Industry, was that of proper housing for the employees of the factory. The city commission approved the organization of the Grand Prairie Housing Authority whereupon the committee was formed. Mayor Turner appointed B. A. Stufflebenie, G. W. Bingham, L. O. Turner, Asa Anderson, and W. A, Brundagc as the committee. The committee filed an application with the United States Housing Authority at Washington for an appropriation of $3,000,000 under the Defense I-jnergency Program for a housing project for Grand Prairie, .Architcct.s were retained by this local Housing Authority as consuhants for a housing program that would build one thonsaud or more new homes of modern type. Tentative pliins called for the purchase of some two hundred acres of land udjneeiil to the city upon which to build a housing project. Plans were laid out for necessary streets, alleys, park sites, and pUiv-grcjunds.vlayor Turner announced that the city would enforce all zoning laws insofar as possible to prevent the establishmenl of small unsanitary additions at the outskirts c;f the eurpeTa-tion limits. The development of the bu.siness .section wa.s to depend largely upon the property owners,[n 1915 Ross Simpson established a small eleclri( plant in Grand Prairie giving the citizens a twenty-five cycle current for lights as well as for smaller motors in liu.sinessestablishments, Each day Jiff tuiuicd the current on In tlie late afternoon and usually turned it off shorllv after nine ok ioek in the evening. After Mr. Simpson left Grand 1’ rair'ie during the year 1915, the town was without any eleetneitv for two or three months, until the North Texas Traction (knnpanv os-tablisbed a similar service. After Ihe Tract ion ('otiir'anx' had been in possession of the plant a short while, it elutng'-'d the service to a .sixty cycle current. Beeau.se uC this Jcnige the Traction Company collected, rewound, ami leiiiriK'd .ill l!ie electric motors in the town. In September. I'Mti. thlt; Texas iJeelrie C«mipany purchased the rigltfs ef the Nmih Texas Traction Company and appfuniedS. F. Wiin’ as di-.i t i. t manager. Mr, Wine had been with the Nortl) Texas 'i'r.K i i. .n Company for eight years. The Texas I'.leclrie ServieeUlt;-m-pany constructed a large offii.'e building next ekj«.)r to iK- |o‘st office in Grand prairie.Soon after the end of World War I there wejlt; (re-jue.ni parties celebrating the return of tlie soldiers. In the',eai beku'e 1930 there wei*e several souiai organi/ai ilt; nn. .md ni.mv social activities in the community. During the ilepies-em years of the i9.10’s there was a n«)tieeahle dec liin- In h.cal participation of social and civic organizations to sut li .in extent that a few of them disbanded.The year 1920 ushered a fifteen year pel iod lt;.t g^ iv r.iI law breaking in the town anti the surrounding arcvi. At firstpetty thievery occurred fref|iiently, then tliere followed j few years of unusually reckless tlriving within the town. I'-'rofn 19.10-34 a wave of bank robberies and .irmed lii*ld-up'^ swlt;*[H this part of the country.Cjrand Prairie was pretlominatelv an agliL'iihur.'I (um-miiiiuy throughiHit the period of 1913 i., I'M). \Mi.-. ,k r j..-men ami crop farmers suffered a below in»rnial iuihmI income, almost the entire town was effected. Heginmiig in 1920 a movement ftjr general improvement pr.ieii.es mceiv.-d suppori from local civic organizations.In the early 192(.)’s tiiere K-gan a sidest.ilk .onsiriKMonCvimpaign, whieli was ai.\‘epted so slowly that ii wa*-. iilf in tlie progre.ss in 1940. FA'onomie eontiiluuis were su.li mihe early 19.30's lli.il people wei-e Vaut ious in making « \['.'nlt;liium's on their properl ies,Conveniences such as electricity, gas. w.iter. and -ev.ei'age were slowly e.xieiuled into atkiilional parts of town, i vi.n as ale as 1934 the city commission proiiuseil to . niio i iIk-ordinance prohibiting the building or tlie used of ,.i,idoor toilets. In August. I930,_^the Lone Star Gas taimp.uiv purchased the franchise of tlie G.oitnlv ('.as Cump.mv ,i;ld^ou-nniied the e.xpansion of this service as conuiuinif', u.-itUilu-matKleij.In the latter pan of 1940, after the offte 111 I fMllUiiMU * llU'iUlliat the Nortli Aineriean Aviatjon, Ineorpor.jied would Inconst fueled-in Grand Prairie, the people of GlraiKi lrairiebegan making their /ilaiis for the immetliate fiiuire. Tin-. u^ oflieials began making pj-epa rat ions to build business houses. acle(|uate to meet increased demands of eommeree; m. re-i-^e Us scliotd facilities, to be aide to take care of hundreds lt;4ice s\siein, ilt;additional eliilUrerr, double its fire and po serve an area greater than liie entire existing sysiem;'.n.d provitk hfjusiiig for more than a thousand mav families.
Newspaper Details
Grand Prairie News Texan
Grand Prairie, Texas, US
Sun, May 26, 1963
Page 24
Full Page
Clipped by
Thomas C.
TX, USA 19 Jul 2018
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