Kit Community Plaque

Across the bustling lanes and towering structures of Irving, Texas, lies a whisper of the past: the Kit Community Plaque. This plaque, a sturdy aluminum sentinel against time, stands as a testament to a forgotten town, a community swallowed by the relentless growth of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. The Kit Community Plaque, erected in 2003 by the Texas Historical Commission, isn’t just a metal sign. It’s a portal, a key to unlocking the story of a town that once thrived where now only a highway intersection exists. The Kit Community, originally known as Gorbit, was a settlement centered around the farm of John W. and Jestine Gorbit, Virginian transplants who arrived in the area around 1850. Gorbit, a stop on a pre-Civil War postal route, saw the arrival of another family in 1855: Jonathan Story and his wife, along with their thirteen children, from Illinois. One of Story’s sons, Isaac “Ike” Story, would play a pivotal role in the community’s evolution. Ike opened a store and in 1889, established a post office, with his wife, Mary Elizabeth, serving as the first postmaster. However, postal authorities weren’t fans of duplicate names, and with another Gorbit existing in Texas, the community was renamed Kit in 1894. The Kit Community Plaque tells us that the origin of the new name remains shrouded in mystery. The arrival of the Rock Island Railroad in 1903 proved a turning point for Kit. The railroad bypassed the town, drawing businesses and residents westward to the newly founded Irving. Kit’s post office followed suit in 1904. The community’s schools, including the Lively School which also served as a church, were integrated into the burgeoning Irving Independent School District in 1909. By the 1940s, Kit’s agricultural identity had been absorbed into the growing city of Irving. Only the Kit Cemetery, a poignant reminder of the community’s existence, remained. The Kit Community Plaque stands near this cemetery, its aluminum surface reflecting the modern cityscape while whispering tales of a bygone era. It invites us to remember the Gorbits, the Storys, and the other families whose names are etched not only on tombstones but also on the fabric of Irving’s history. The Kit Community Plaque is more than just a marker. It’s a tribute to the resilience and spirit of a community that, though vanished, continues to live on in the stories we tell.