Kennedale. A small town with a big heart. That’s the feeling you get as you stand here, ready to explore its rich history. Kennedale, Texas, nestled southeast of Fort Worth, traces its origins back to the 1860s and 1870s. It began around a mineral-water well, a source of life and community. In 1884, Kennedale received its official stamp with the opening of a post office. The townsite was surveyed a couple of years later in 1886. It was named after Oliver S. Kennedy, a visionary who not only platted the town but also donated land to the Southern Pacific Railroad. He hoped to bring the railroad through Kennedale, and his gamble paid off. The railroad built a station and a section house, solidifying Kennedale’s place on the map.
Kennedale’s growth story is intertwined with the growth of the defense industry in Fort Worth. Starting in the 1940s, the burgeoning industry provided jobs and fueled a population boom in the surrounding areas, including Kennedale. The town, which had a population of 325 in the late 1940s, grew to over 1,000 by 1955. This growth continued steadily, reaching almost 6,000 by 2000. Kennedale’s history isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the people who built this town, brick by brick. Literally. The Kennedale Brick Works, established around 1886 by K. M. Van Zandt and E. C. Schneider, was a cornerstone of the community. The brickyard, located near the railroad line, produced high-quality bricks that were used in many early structures in Kennedale, even water wells. One notable figure in the brickyard’s history is Lucy Sargent, who acquired the business in the late 19th century. The brickyard, often referred to as “Mrs. Sargent’s brickyard,” employed generations of Kennedale families, like the Coopers.
The railroad played a crucial role in Kennedale’s development. The Fort Worth & New Orleans Railway, later absorbed into the Southern Pacific and then Union Pacific, built a line through Kennedale around 1886. This line connected Fort Worth to Waxahachie and opened up Kennedale to trade and commerce. The railroad also constructed three section houses in Kennedale to house the workers responsible for maintaining the tracks. One of these section houses, a unique structure with three gables and sunburst ornamentation, survived into the 21st century. It was tragically damaged by fire in 2008, but the city salvaged materials and rebuilt a replica in TownCenter, now home to the Kennedale Chamber of Commerce. As you walk through Kennedale today, you’ll see a blend of old and new. The city has become increasingly suburban, but it still retains the spirit of its rural past. From the mineral well that drew the first settlers to the brickyard that built its foundations and the railroad that connected it to the world, Kennedale’s story is one of resilience, community, and growth.