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Page 6 Sunday May 26, 1963 NEWS TEXAN•»**••Ill*»»««,«4MMtKXtim.tl, ii■■■(I ,44..• H •• • 4 | .........««***■•*»»»•*» *1* I * • ,4 % » 4 « )lt;• • • ■lt;••n • • • 04*. , | | MM* II H M »i«i U M «lt;i MiHf Uri I M **a«1 i rr'lt; ..... m k • I i I I I I I I »Mlt;•Ml • I IM»i MiMiiHlllI♦14 I II I»»»IA«II I I iliUMMIUk ♦14 I »»»**«• Ill Mill I|«ail4ll 4i4i♦ • MIM4H A A « ♦ 4 I* I i »n*l| |9|l• I I4VMMM444M1 III I n«v|P Mil 114 IMlliiliMMi llllylMII » - * - - ■I »»4M I I i.« ■ | v • | | A. A A p, v AMMlAAlllMUAM4|*AI|aVi.A4|,v,M II I I MvMk*vi I HI •I A * * * - I■ £•? ? '^MMMMIH♦ *«* lt;• P ►PMI Hi PHU«MM4mIVMMIIa »a«4I1»»*1444II»a ♦♦♦ I HliMI II I lipmHh -i« ri h 11«»II I I II4P4 4MMaf*4il HiHIt♦ ♦ »| HUH |«4*l4«W| | ||«pp4 ■ ,4 I 44 #*aaa ■ 9♦ ♦ ♦♦ ■ i*»«ll 4 a »a »««1 lft*r»*ll » A 4 A A AA a 4 »V«4P|*I ■ III4AI ft aI M«4I4 I fe » A A A A A A ft r»H|I||I»AA.AAM,ItHllllMMAftHiv PIHIIlAMAPAiUa 14414 I 4 A A A A A A I • m m n llllllllAAAAMMflMl I !»■« t ,4 a iMAii V|pVlt; p. ■«44 Hii«p| I A » A A A A . a a H»l I ■ p p I a 4 v lt;*«#«lll t tm1 V ■ I I M Vf 4 I a 4 « ■fc*4 d * AA f 9 I BA « IMfl • 4 I If* ■ I ■A 4 ■ A | A ft ■ 4 f ,P'llltMVH*SUNDAY, MAY 26,1963 SECTION V«ti«iMi»iiiiitiMiilt;» nxiiii.! *“t ill* St I f; jii jjjj■ !! ■;...... «.4lt; ■ ........._ * 4 • H 4 4 «♦« * « i*,,.* • 1 «»..••« « « 4 4 1 I . . , . ... , , . . . 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III.. ■|..liai..l. 114..100 Years of Grand Prairie History * *■ »• 111 1 ..*.»*♦ 1 iiii ► ■ «■•»**.•. n .11 • . .... a. «. 1 , * • *«*•* ft » • i i . • » i, ...... . ... ....... .......r I • I *. ■ I I 4 4 4 •4 t •*»» 4 | 1 • • ■ 4 »» 1 • , III' I I II • I a I I ■ . .44.1411(1111III4I444III4illltll44l4llll1II4II■lt;III - ■.■(••■4lt;«l44li4ii4i4rilki44 II.IH I II' I a il . a I a a 1. . .14 ■••14. 1.441..II4I4III444I4IIMIIII4I ll.4|■ I III I I I I I I I I II II. II III *i| I|I4 III. • ■■al|l I4II4I4I4. «4lt;IIIII44II(|IM • 44114 4 * .• , , • 4*111 IM4I4II 4 4 1 iMli'4-l4|illt;tIIMlt;l»IM »**.., 41. a ■ 4 • 4ll..t.4llli|'llll|(4ltHI.4..llilil,il4ll|.«.4llli|lt;»liM|(09il.4...l.liI lt;1 III • 'iil*Ml4nil a • Hu li.-I.M'a a 444.4.4• ' 1 |*»4 *#»4»I I * I»»* 4 *.- I I »*4 • • I 4 . lIllM.Ifl • la 4.4*• » . I I•III lilallimla• • a I ■ .III III I I4illll • IH»ial|a| 1 ■lllll I. I 1 1 41 II4.4IIII I i4 1 a •«•••••a*a|4f(|1141 ...4 « I4l444ll •-X(Continued from Page 4)was robbed by Raymond Hamilton and Clyde Barrow, A few minutes prior to the robbery Mr. Spears had sent almost all the cash receipts to the main office in Fort Worth which left only small change fo~ t .c robber’s efforts, Interurban service continued until T scomber 24, 1934, at which time the Texas Motor Coache? replaced the services of the former company,Toe Texas and Pacific Railway received a large volume of business from 1915 until the latter part of the 1920’s; however, during the depression and until 1941 this business suffered a decade of below normal business,In January, 1921, L, P, Robertson and W, A, Robertson began the first mtor bus service between Dallas and Grand Prairie, Their partially home-rade bus could accomodate thirty-five passengers. This bus accomodated travelers from Grand prairie to Arcadia Park, Cockrell Hill, and Dallas, About two months after this business began the bus was involved in a collision with a wagon, which brought to an end the Robertson brothers business venture.Few Grand Prairie residents owned automobiles before 1920. However, improvement of the automobile and road facilities stimulated this means of conveyance to such an extent, that by 1925, Grand Prairie had employed a motor policeman in order to curtail the traffic violations of both local and transit drivers. From 1925 until 1941 traffic hazards became one of the major problems for the town of Grand Prairie. This problem was the result of three heavily traveled arteries paralleling one another through the town. Highway 80 transversed the center of the town; one block south of this highway was the Texas and Pacific railroad line; and adjoining the railroad line to the south was Jefferson Avenue.The federal census of Grand Prairie for the years 1920 to 1940 was; 1920, 1263; 1930, 1529; and 1940, 1595. A comparison of the census years showed that from 1920 to 1930 there was an increase in population of 266, while from 1930 to 1940 there was an increase of only sixty-six.The School Tax Office of Grand Prairie revealed that the municipality increased from nine city blocks in 1915 to 126 city blocks in 1940, with the greater portion of this increase being eastward.Following the close of World War I, Grand Prairie had a silo factory, a wheel and body factory, and a cracker factory. The Home Oil Company was formed in May, 1919, with the intent of developing an oil field in this vicinity. Officers of the oil company included J. E. Payne, president; W, G. Liggett, first vice-president; S, A. Mcllhenny, secretary; J, F, Waggoner, treasurer; and N. T, Keith and J. B. Kittrell, trustees. After drilling wells north and south Of Grand Prairie and finding no oil, the Home Oil Company was dissolved.Throughout the period of 1915 to 1940 Dalworth, a community located one mile west of Grand Prairie, made an. attempt to rival Grand Prairie as a potential city. This rivalry sometimes resulted in the communities being uncooperative; however, in the spring of 1923 some of the civic groups began to consolidate their efforts. At the close of the 1915-1940 period Dalworth was still unincorporated. Dalworth’s principal enterprises before 1920 were the Ben-rTra£tor Company, which retailed three sizes of farma ^rSi!r f Cent^nental Tire and Rubber Company employed^/4=.♦•hiH^^0eTTn8•, resigned from the faculty of Southern Methodist University, to be the chemist of the company,Tir^To wL f ’ /s company purchased the Dixie Drug Tire and Rubber Association in Grand Prairie,lu part of 1919 an industry of business was locateda short distance north of the present 1953 site of Hensley FieldThe company was successful in obtaining the financial supportcommunity. Their product was to be called the “Texmobile”a twenty-seven horsepower vehicle which would sell for $350 ’The company erected two production building units, each aboutfive-hundred feet long. This enterprise was too short livedA°no^t- C?K°mic welfare 0f the community, because, inAugust, 1920, the company passed into the hands of receiver-k. L TT ,Te this writinS lt;1953 *e buildings erected py the Little Motor fCar Company were being used by the American Body Company.In 1920 the Dallas Body Company leased the silo buiklintr and began making automobile tops-and bodies; however, this company was absorbed by the Universal Body and Manufactur-mg Company in December, 1920, One of the more progressive establishments in Grand prairie was the Turner Hardware and Furniture Company, owned by G. H. Turner and L.'OtTurner. In 1920 L, O. Turner was the only undertaker in Grand Prairie. Some other business establishments in Grand Prairie during 1920 were the S. S. TulJos Drugstore, Grand Prairie Drug Store, Grand Prairie Cash Grocery, Business Men^s Credit and Collecting Association, Oitv Drug, Hall Brothers Grocery, American Mercantile Company of Grand Prairie, Shaw Tailor Shop, and the Home Bakery.The June 24, 1921 issue of THE GRAND PRAIRIE TEXAN•I4*4f4■ 44* 4..4 I 4,, | i 1,4*4.■ , • , p a * I a a 119 4 *9 I | •fll I I4 H Hf IM H ■ » »• fH ' »T*ilftM«A.AM9|| r rift I1I|||M»I» A* aI «♦. vi M* 1 M • I lt;r ' ♦ » i li I* ' •* H n I i m I'M4 • MAVA«vflf |AMMm««^|MH1 M ■ la 4M rl O HI • HfH ■ A ■ J * « t 1 I • r» • %• .4 14 A« •«ft^MVV.v44MHAMMll|A Hi ■ i ,11 HiM4alt;IHHi4»* *• »*• . I 1 I *»%-♦ ' tH I I Hgave a good summary of the types of enterprises in Grand Prairie and their particular business or service. The businesses listed were: American Body Company, specialized in woodwork and automobile painting and the manufacture of paints and sold lumber, hardware, oils, and,glass; Grand Prairie Automobile Company, specialized in general automobile overhauling, high class painting, top repairing, and upholstering; Continental Tire and Rubber Company, manufactured tires and tubes; Home Bakery Company, supplied Grand Prairie and nearby towns with fresh bread, cakes, and pies; and the Grand Prairie Mattress Company, which renovated old mattresses and manufactured new mattresses.In April, 1922, the Atlas Wood Products Company purchased ; the plant and equipment of the Universal Body Manufacturing ' Company, and began the manufacture of step-ladders, extension ladders, ironing boards, churn dashers, kiddie cars, and swings.About 1920 B, B. Bowen established the “Airdrome” in Grand prairie, which was the town’s first movie establishment. Since it had no roof it resembled a “drive-in” theater with seats. The theater was in operation three nights a week with serial movies being shown on Thursday nights. Mr. Bowen advertised his shows by walking in the street blowing a horn to attract the- attention of potential customers. In 1926 J. S. Walker purchased the “Airdrome” and establishedA1the “Texas Theater”. He continued to operate the “Airdrome when the-weather permitted.A, B. Jolley, Dallas County Agricultural Agent from 1919 until after tne second world war, stated tnat m me ivzu\s the community of Grand Prairie, one of the leaders of the county in sponsoring fairs and livestock shows, was the livestock center of the county. The Grand Prairie farmers raised such livestock as dairy cattle, beef cattle, poultry, and hogs. Their principal crops included cotton, corn, and small grains. These farmers readily accepted the technical advice of the county agent in regard to improved methods of agriculture and participated in terracing, sowing clover, contour farming, and contour pastures. The boys and girls from the communities of Grand Prairie and Florence Hill were a “great strength” to the 4-H Clubs of this county.The Grand Prairie poultry Association was formed in IX*-cember, 1920, for the purpose of the culture of more and better poultry. The first officers of this organization were K.E. Hall, president and Miss Ruth Hale, secretary. Pouim culling demonstrations were supervised by A. B. Jolley The Poultry Club reorganized in 1923 and became the Grand Prairie-Dalworth Poultry Association.In 1921 the Grand Prairie Stock and Poultry Show was founded. This show was the result of a realization of the business men that their interests were very similar to those of the farmers, and stock and poultry raisers of this county. The object of this “show” was to encourage the breeding of pure bred livestock and to encourage the fawners to plant pure seeds. The business men contributed to this project to such an extent that the officials of the “show” awarded eighty-eight cash awards as well as prizes of merchandise, which had been donated by the businessmen. The Grand(Continued an Page 10)
Newspaper Details
Grand Prairie News Texan
Grand Prairie, Texas, US
Sun, May 26, 1963
Page 22
Full Page
Clipped by
James B.
TX, USA 27 Oct 2021
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