Birdville, Texas

1. Birdville, Texas

2. A Long Time Ago • Before there was a city, buildings, cars, and schools where we live, there were Native American Indians who lived right where you are sitting!

3. Indians Who Lived In Our Area • Indians who lived in the Birdville area were the Tonkawas, the Caddo the Comanche, the Kiowas, and the Wichitas.  Tonkawas Texas Indians Caddo Texas Indians

4. Comanche Texas Indians Wichita Mother and Baby Kicking Bird – Kiowa Texas Indian

5. Settlement begins… • Settlers came to NE Tarrant County during the 1830s • The area had good sources of water, good land for growing crops, and large trees • Texas was known as the Republic of Texas • The Native Americans were pushed off their land to make way for the settlers

6. Bird’s Fort was built in 1841 by Major Jonathon Bird • Bird’s Fort offered settlers protection

7. Peters Colony • The Republic of Texas hired the Peters Colony in 1840 to attract settles to Texas • Settlers were suppose to receive land, housing and supplies from the Colony • The deals between the settlers and the Colony did not work out • Peters Colony failed, but did bring people to the area

8. A Tarrant County Monument honoring Peters Colony can be found in Grapevine, Texas • It reads: “In 1841, W.S. Peters of Kentucky and Associates contracted with the Republic of Texas to bring immigrants to this area. By 1848, Peters Colony land covered nearly two million acres in north central Texas, including all of Tarrant County. Speculation in unlocated land certificates was rampant. About 150 colonists and their families, most of who were American-born farmers of meager means, settled in Tarrant County. As the most extensive impresario enterprise undertaken by the Republic, The Peters Colony helped open this area of Texas to settlement.”

9. Statehood • The United States Congress passed a resolution in February 1845 to annex the Republic of Texas • President Tyler signed the resolution March 1845 • Texas would sell some of its land to pay debts, but get keep much of its public land • Republic of Texas congress approved resolution • Texas became a state on December 29, 1845

10. Tarrant County • Tarrant County became a county in 1849 “The county seat would be located within five miles of the center of the county, the the location would be chosen by the electorate, and that the said location would bear the name of Birdville, in honor of Major Jonathan Bird, who had established Bird’s Fort in 1841.” • By 1841, Bird’s Fort had a few families living inside and outside its walls

11. By 1849, a second settlement became known as Birdville, the county seat of Tarrant County.

12. A New Courthouse… • A new courthouse was required for Birdville • Money collected from the sale of lot (land) around the town square paid for the courthouse’s construction • The square was located near Carson Street close to the courthouse • A blacksmith’s shop, café, and barbershop surrounded the courthouse

13. Fort Worth • In 1853, the military post of Fort Worth was disbanded • People living in the settlement of Fort Worth didn’t like Birdville being the county seat • An election was held in 1856 to move the county seat to Fort Worth • Fort Worth won and became the county seat

14. Citizens in Birdville were angry with the elections results. Four people were killed during arguments about the results • The elections results were thrown out and a new election held in 1860 • Fort Worth won the second election and officially became the county seat

15. Pony Express • The Pony Express was a group of people who delivered the mail from place to place on horseback • Riders carried up to 10 pounds of mail • George Mulkey of Waxahachie was an Express rider

16. Large amounts of mail came to Birdville, then riders would deliver it out to people • Rain, Indian raids, and bad roads made delivering the mail a difficult job • Stagecoaches carried mail as well as people from place to place

17. Postmasters • The Postal Service had a station in Birdville from 1851-1906 • All mail to the Fort Worth area was sent to the Birdville station • Birdville’s station had the first Postmistress. Her name was Alice Barkley

18. Newspaper and Telephones • Western Express and The Union were Birdville’s two newspapers in 1855 • The editors of both papers got into a shootout over the results of the county election and slave’s rights. The Union’s editor was killed

19. Birdville had the only phone east of the Trinity River • People had to come to town to make a phone call • To receive a call from someone, you had to arrange a date and time to be in town to take or make the call. Arrangements were made by writing a letter to the other person

20. Communities • Settlers found land cheap and rich in resources • Water and timber resources were abundant which allowed communities to grow quickly • Schools, churches, and cemeteries were included in the communities

21. Over time, the small communities began to merge together to form these present day cities: • Haltom City - Richland Hills • North Richland Hills - Euless • Bedford - Hurst • Keller - Grapevine • Colleyville - Southlake - Watauga

22. Schools • In 1855, Professor William Hudson taught in the first tuition based public school in Birdville • The school began with one room, but later expanded to three rooms • The first public school in Birdville started in 1822 • The Birdville school system officially started in 1896

23. George Akers Judge Benjamin Barkley Sanders Larkin Barnes Jonathan Bird Elizabeth Chancellor David Odum Henry Clay Daggett Alfred Madison Hightower Archibald Franklin Leonard Cynthia Ann Parker Early Settlers

24. Watuaga

25. City of Watauga

26. Where is Watauga? Watauga

27. Where is Watauga?

28. The First People • Cherokee Indians were the first people to live in the area.

29. Where does “Watauga” come from? • “Watauga” is the Cherokee word meaning village of many springs

30. Why Are We CalledBirdvilleSchools • Along time ago, when the Native American Indians lived around where we live, a man named Caption Jonathon Bird built a fort. • Finally, the Native Americans, Mr. Bird, and his men made a peace agreement. • This area became known as Birdville, Texas and in 1882, the first school was builthere. Birdville School, later, in 1932

31. But Birdville did not stay its own city forever. • Later, cities sprang up in the Birdville area. • One city, Haltom City took the city of Birdville into its city. • Another city that was formed in the Birdville area was Watauga. • This is how it happened.

32. Mid 1800’s • Watauga was a small group farmers and ranchers. • Watauga was not even considered a community until 1880.

33. Texas and Pacific Railroad • The small town started to grow when the Texas Pacific Railroad put in a depot in Watauga. • This was followed by Watauga’s first Post Office in 1883

34. The Great Watauga Train Wreck • The "Great Watauga Train Wreck" occurred in 1918. According to Marie Cade Wathall, who was working as the telegraph operator that night, a Katy freight train had stopped on the tracks near Big Fossil Creek Bridge. Dispatchers at the Cotton Belt Crossing sent a warning down the line that there was a train standing near Big Fossil Creek and for all trains to wait. A Katy passenger train did not heed the warning, and the two trains hit head on. A fireman was killed when he jumped from the train down a steep embankment in an effort to avoid the collision. Both trains were knocked off the tracks. All of Watauga, young and old, came to help in any way possible. They searched for injured, called for assistance, and brought buckets of water to put out the grass fires started by the wreck. Several authentic photos still exists of the train wreck cleanup showing cranes lifting damaged engines from the embankment. You can see the towns folk, in their early 20th century clothes, watching the progress in the pastures. • Courtesy of http://www.ci.watauga.tx.us/development/history.htm

35. Businesses of Watauga Target

36. Population of Watauga 1940 1964 1976 1990 2005