If my memory does not fail me, Forney was one of the teams in a Regional or Quarterfinal Football game in the Birdville Football Stadium. I am pretty sure that when games were that close, we were on our own to eat before we came back to the gym to get our gear and board the bus for the trip—and that after we arrived, we lay on mats in the dressing area to “get our minds right” for the big game! For some reason, Birdville always remained in my mind. I guess it is the funny name— a village or city for a “bird.”
Well, last Friday night, Forney met Richland Hills High in a State Regional Semi-Final play-off game in Birdville I. S. D. Stadium. And, I started to wonder…..???
From what I learned from the nice lady ticket-taker at the gate to the stadium, Birdville was once a town but is no longer; however, it is still an Independent School District.
In 1841, the 1st settlement in the central Tarrant County area was named BIRDVILLE in honor of or remembrance of a FORT BIRD settlement, named for Captain Johnathan Bird. Early cattle ranchers and farmers were the 1st settlers and by 1848 had set up a fairly functioning community.
When Tarrant County was actually legally established in 1849, the State Legislature designated Birdville as the County Seat. Opening in 1851 was a Post Office (local), that served as a mail distribution point for many communities farther west.
But…..in 1856, a November election saw Ft. Worth defeat Birdville by a slim 7 votes to become the new County Seat.
By 1870, Birdville had at least 1 blacksmith shop and at least 4 general stores.
By 1896, public education was moving along, and Birdville had two schools—one Black (14 registered pupils and 1 employed teacher) and one White (77 pupils officially registered and 2 teachers in employment).
1906 saw the closing of the Post Office and a reported population of only approximately 110, which remained the “reported” population for the next 34 years.
The population had exploded to 200 by the late ‘40s, and 5 businesses were registered as operating. The explosion continued with a reported 400 residents by the mid-‘50s.
However, and a BIG HOWEVER for the town of Birdville— 1990 came, and so did ANNEXATION by Haltom City.
BIRDVILLE ceased to exist as a “named community” in the early 2000s—but it still had its own named school district—Birdville Independent School District.
2009 bought another major change! The district’s elementary school was changed to “Major Cheney Elementary School at South Birdville.” This honored Major Cheney, an African-American Land Grant Owner, who had helped to settle the area—and had donated land for the 1st school for Blacks back in 1891. Most information for this article was gleaned from the Texas State Historical Association Handbook, and it appears to me to be from a “general entry” by a Brian Hart, published 1952, and updated in 2020. Official citation: Brian Hart, “Birdville, TX,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed November 26, 2023. https://www.tshaonline. org/handbook/entries/ birdville-tx.
Richland High School opened in 1961 as the 2nd high school in the Birdville Independent School District. In July of 2020, the new Richland mascot became the ROYALS. Two other high schools are Birdville and Haltom.
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