The Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 9, 1953 Page: 22 of 31
thirty one pages : ill. ; page 22 x 16 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
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LOOKING NORTH AT K1L-
LiEEN This aerial shot was
By BEA HEATHERLY
There's a rythmic beating in
Killeen—something you can feel
and can't see.
It's the pounding of the piston
of civic enterprize the engine of
growth chugging steadily forward
invisible day by day but determ
ined and effective and full of re
sults.
Three years ago the modern
housing developments which dot
the city were non-existent—the
Top Improvements
For Killeen's
Streets Planned
The major city streets in Killeen
are expected to be the best in the
area when the city completes its
current $350000 improvement pro
gram.
Plans and specifications are be
ing drawn for the improvements
now and money for the program
already has been appropriated.
Present plans call for complete
improvement of all major thorough
fares as well as reconstruction of
all downtown streets.
Some of the streets that are to
be completely rebuilt are Gray
Street Fort Hood Road Fourth
and Eighth streets Avenues and
D Dean avenue and numerous
others.
While this major program is go
ing on the usual curb and gutter
and paving program will also con
tinue. Under it property owners
along other streets and the city
cooperate in paying curb gutter
and paving construction costs.
FIRST POSTMASTER
The first postmaster of Killeen
was E. M. Spencer who had a
small office in a building facing
the depot.
I
taken from a few hundred feet
above U.S. 190 where it turns
into the main part of Killeen.
fully equipped high school and new
elementary schools are both less
than two years old—almost every
church in the city has built or is
planning a new and expanded
building to take care of the in
creased population.
Killeen began its bean-sprout
growth in the eai'ly '40's when Fort
Hood then Camp Hood came into
being.
Civilian workers flooded the city
overnight and housing was scarce.
The business district couldn't hope
to handle the influx of money.
The people realized that things
had to be done and done quickly.
Schools were needed. More busi
nesses were needed. A permanent
fire department and enlarged po
lice force were necessities.
Money was raised to pave
streets to extend street lights to
take care of garbage disposal to
provide water.
The town began to grow up.
And young men came to Killeen.
They say "I came here because
I saw Killeen as a city of oppor
tunity—a growing thriving place
where a young man can get a start
in business and make a name for
himself while he is still in his 20's
and 30's."
They believed. They accomp
lished.
They built a city park that keeps
improving every day. A three-year
street lighting program was begun
and a nationally recognized gar
bage disposal system set up. A
continuing street development pro
gram was started and plans were
made for a swimming pool.
The Chamber of Commerce was
newly organized two years ago
and for the first time a permanent
manager was secured. Thirty-year-
old Arnold Mathias took over the
reins of the undeveloped group
and through his work and the work
ADVERTISEMENT
The Santa Fe station is at lower
right. At upper right just on the
edge of the picture is Castle
Killeen Has Blossomed In 3 Years
of his helpers the CC became the
center of activity in the city.
Through the organization's work
Killeen was recognized as a criti
cal defense area and the campaign
which erected hundreds of living
units through the city was insti
gated.
They were instrumental in the
establishment of the Luther serv
ice lounge and local USO. A dollar
day was begun through the CC re
tail trade committee.
At pi*esent plans are underway
for beautification of the communi
ty through improved recreational
facilities the building of a library
as yet just an idea—and ever
Heights addition. Killeen's resi
dential section stretches far to
the north and east past the bor
important more water so that
lawns may become green instead
of brown and the city park can
become a real playground for
young people of the city.
President of the Chamber of
Commerce is R. C. Adams Jr.
another man who has made a place
for himself in the city at the age
of 32.
Adams expects the population of
Killeen to reach the 20000 mark in
the next five years with great ex
pansion of the city's business dis
trict to meet the needs of the in
crease.
Killeen boasts five complete de
partment stores 23 grocery stores
THEY THOUGHT IT UP These Killeenites got their heads together and planned to give away
$10000 at the April 12 open house. They are seated left to right Mrs. Allen Hamilton Carl Curlee
Arnold Mathias and Soy Reynolds. Standing left to right are Iiavley Kern and Weldon Goodnight.
PAGE 7
^—=—i
WillPilli
ders of this photograph and to
the left until it runs into the
military reservation.
16 service stations and a multitude
of specialized establishments.
It is no longer a boom town but
a stabilized city—and the men who
operate the city's business estab
lishments do not expect another
boom.
Said one "Once we depended
entirely on Fort Hood. Now that it
has been deactivated we find that
we can get along without it if we
have to. The city would not fold up
if the fort disappeared altogether."
This is Killeen—a city of oppor
tunity a city of hope a city with
such prospects that one resident
predicted one day it would be "an
other San Antonio."
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The Armored Sentinel (Temple, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 14, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 9, 1953, newspaper, April 9, 1953; Temple, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254326/m1/22/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Casey Memorial Library.