Civic League & Incorporation

The common assumption among Jones and the residents of his subdivision was that their little village would be quickly annexed by Richland Hills. In fact the Star Telegram at the time referred to the area as Richland Hills North. However, after a petition for annexation went untouched by Richland Hills a new plan was developed. Clarence Jones, Herbert Arnold (co-developer), and George Henry met in February of 1953 to begin talks on the merits of incorporation vs forming a private organization to deal with community issues or perhaps both. By March 6^th a meeting of citizens was called to vote on what route to take. The meeting was held at Arnold’s construction company with participants seated on make shift benches formed from boards laid across nail kegs. The decision to form a Civic League passed 28 to 8.

Jones was evidently a proponent for incorporation as only just over a month later he announced that an election would be held on April 25, 1953 to decide on incorporation. In order to vote residents would be required to have their poll taxes paid and have lived in the addition for six months or more. If incorporation failed the plan was to wait for annexation by one of the several surrounding cities.

In the run up to the election information about it was virtually non-existent for fear that incorporation would not pass. State law required at least two public notices to be posted for such elections. The Civic League complied but strangely enough one of the signs was found face down in mud, while the other was on the back of the Arnold Construction Company door. When the door was opened the sign was hidden. By a vote of 24 to 23 the City of North Richland Hills was officially incorporated.

Green, G. N. (1999). The History of North Richland Hills : Where Families Live, Work, Worship, and Play. North Richland Hills: Smithfield Press.