SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 576
WHEREAS, Proud residents of Kennedale gathered in Austin
to celebrate Kennedale Day at the State Capitol on March 30,
2017; and
WHEREAS, Set among the rolling grasslands of southeast
Tarrant County, the site of Kennedale was originally inhabited by
Native American tribes who hunted and fished along Village Creek;
the Republic of Texas signed a treaty with the tribes in 1843, and
settlers began moving into the area over the following decades; and
WHEREAS, In 1882, John D. Hudson, C. B. Teague, and Oliver
S. Kennedy bought land around a mineral well; a post office was
opened on the land two years later, and in 1886, a town was laid
out and named Kennedale, after Mr. Kennedy; that same year, the
Fort Worth and New Orleans Railway Company built a line through
the town to connect Fort Worth and Waxahachie, along with a
passenger depot and several section houses as residences for its
employees; during that era, the town became known for its
brickworks, and Kennedale brick was used in several structures in
Fort Worth; and
WHEREAS, Today Kennedale is an attractive and comfortable
community with easy access to the amenities of Fort Worth and
Arlington; residents and visitors alike enjoy the opportunities
for recreation available at Rodgers Farm Park and Sonora Park,
and a replica of one of the original railway section houses
stands at TownCenter Park to provide a colorful reminder of the
city's history and a backdrop for the annual Brickworks Art in
the Park festival; and
WHEREAS, The Kennedale TownCenter shopping area is
expanding with the construction of two new retail/restaurant
buildings, and the area is experiencing further development with
a new hotel project and new restaurants moving into the city; and
WHEREAS, The people of Kennedale may also take special
pride in the Kennedale High School girls soccer team, which won
state championships in both 2015 and 2016; and
WHEREAS, The city continues to thrive under the leadership
of Mayor Brian Johnson, Mayor Pro-Tem Kelly Turner, and city
council members Liz Carrington, Frank Fernandez, Charles
Overstreet, and Mike Walker; also contributing to the community's
growth and prosperity are the members of the board of the Kennedale
Chamber of Commerce, including Chair Becky Carlton, Tom Hala,
Monica Collier, Fred Moore, James Mulroy, Joe Taylor, Carl Hall,
Monty Johnson, Mike Johnson, and Mark Biondi; and
WHEREAS, Preserving the city's small-town charm while
working to build an even brighter future, the citizens of
Kennedale are justifiably proud of their community, and it is
indeed fitting to honor them and their contributions to the story
of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
Legislature, hereby recognize March 30, 2017, as Kennedale Day at
the State Capitol and extend to the citizens of Kennedale sincere
best wishes for the future.
Burton
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 4, 2017.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate