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6 days ago

ROOTS AND WINGS: Family Trees and Lasting LegaciesPart 1: Carleen BrightThe jewel at the heart of our community is, no doubt, the Carleen Bright Arboretum. More than 16 acres of beautiful gardens, trails, and venues welcome visitors of all ages for stunning events and fun-filled activities. Like the facility that bears her name, Carleen Bright was also representative of all that is wonderful about Woodway, carrying on a family tradition of stewardship, improvement, and growth in the community she was a part of for just over a century. Carleen Evelyn Bright, the only child of Carl C. and Luella K. Bright, was born March 15, 1915, on a farm in the Whitehall Community that had been founded by Captain Kendrick just 50 years earlier. The homes of East Fairway Road now stand on the site of that farm. Her family would move after she was born, first to a home on the corner of Santa Fe and Old McGregor, then to a family farm where the Ridgecrest Retirement Center is now located, and finally, when her father retired in 1936, back to the home on the corner of Santa Fe and Old McGregor Road.Ms. Bright attended Waco Public Schools, graduating from Waco High in 1932 before continuing her education at Baylor University. In 1936, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in math and history, launching a 30-year teaching career that took her to College Station and San Antonio, and through elementary, junior, and high school levels. Her father passed away in 1965, so she took early retirement in January 1966 and returned to Woodway to be near her mother, living with her in that same home on Old McGregor Road.Idleness, however, was not an option. Carleen Bright’s “early retirement" was really just the start of a second chapter in her legacy of service to the community. An ad in the newspaper sought volunteers with time and a love for flowers and old houses, so she attended a meeting and joined the newly formed East Terrace Guild, marking the beginning of five decades of community volunteerism. Even a summary of her service is too extensive for this post, but some of the highlights include a leadership role in the Waco Bicentennial Commission and Festival U.S.A. Division 3, which resulted in the compilation of much of the historical information we have about Woodway and the Waco area today, and a meeting with President Gerald Ford at the Waco Suspension Bridge Restoration Ceremony.Her home still held her heart, though, and her roots in Woodway ran deep. Her parents moved to the Whitehall community with their families when they were teenagers, both attending Whitehall School and Church. Her maternal great uncle, Henry Bletsch, bought, farmed, and raised goats on the property that would later become a country club and then the Lakes at Heather Run development. He was well known in the area for his cabrito barbecues and his home brew, which he stored under the house, and which sometimes caused quite a stir by exploding loudly on hot summer days. Her paternal grandfather, George Washington Bright, built the parsonage for the Whitehall Church, and more than a dozen of her paternal relatives are interred in the Whitehall Cemetery, including both grandparents.In 1973, when the Village of Woodway reached the required population threshold of 5,000, the voters elected a commission to draft a charter that would allow the city to move from general law to a home-rule form of government. Of 15 elected Charter Commission members, Carleen Bright was the only woman. She would subsequently be appointed and serve two terms on the Planning and Zoning Commission before being elected to City Council in 1976. She served unopposed for 30 years, including 20 years as Mayor Pro Tem, and co-founded the Woodway Foundation.When the Arboretum project began in 1997, it was quickly decided that this “jewel of Woodway” should carry the name of the lady who had spent so much of her life polishing the City she loved. If you visit Whitehall Center, the replica of the church that served her family so well, you will see a dedication to her parents printed on the stained-glass window. Still serving others in her 90s, she deeded the home on the corner of Santa Fe and Old McGregor to the City in 2009 to serve, at various times, as a community recreation facility and temporary office space before being sold in 2021. Carleen Evelyn Bright passed away at age 100 on Thursday, October 21, 2015, at St. Catherine’s Center, leaving behind an endowment that continues her legacy by supporting improvements at her beloved Arboretum. Her obituary, which details her exceptional life and many accomplishments, is still accessible on the funeral home website, linked here: www.whbfamily.com/obituaries/carleen-e-bright. To learn more about the history of our amazing community, stay tuned over the next month. Then, on June 20th, come out to the Woodway Sock Hop to help us celebrate our 70th year of incorporation! Tickets are free, but we want to make sure we have plenty of snacks to fuel those dancing feet! Please reserve your spot today at discoverwoodway.com! ... See MoreSee Less

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City of Woodway

1 week ago

Below is a follow-up to the June 9 City Council Meeting.Opening Items1–2. No ActionPublic Comment 3. No Action Presentation4–5. No Action Items for Individual Discussion, Consideration and/or Action 6. ApprovedConsent Agenda 7. A–B. Approved8. Approved City Manager and City Council Reports9–10. No Action Closing Items11. No Action You can also listen to the audio recording of the meeting by visiting woodwaytexas.gov/meetings-agendas. ... See MoreSee Less

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City of Woodway

1 week ago

Don’t miss a beat! This Tuesday, the Carleen Bright Arboretum is kicking off their Summer Concert Series. Grab your crew and join in on the fun. We’ll see you there! ... See MoreSee Less

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City of Woodway

1 week ago

Join us tonight at 5:30 PM for the City Council Meeting! Preview the agenda on our website: woodwaytexas.gov/meetings-agendas/Livestream the meeting from wherever you are: www.youtube.com/@CityofWoodway.Stay informed and be part of the decisions that shape our community! ... See MoreSee Less

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City of Woodway

2 weeks ago

WATERING THE SEEDS OF CHANGE: Supplying Water to a Growing CommunityThe earliest area residents continued to use private wells, source water from neighbors or the Atlas Cement plant, or tied onto the first-to-be-organized Whitehall Water System, which had been established when a local property owner teamed with Midway School trustees to sell water from their newly drilled well. In the early 1950s, as incorporation loomed, area residents began developing property and more organized water systems began to take shape.In November 1950, brothers Raborn and Leland Powell came north from the Texas coast and purchased from Edwin Hodde approximately 325 acres of farmland along Old McGregor Road and about two miles west of what were then the city limits of Waco. After about three years of use as a stock farm, the timing was finally right to implement their original plan – a residential subdivision that would eventually be known as Westwood Heights. In late 1953, County Surveyor and Whitehall community resident Calvin Lemke contracted with the Powells to survey, plat, and record deed restrictions for a portion of the land. The lots were laid out wider than ordinary, so interested parties were already lining up by the time fences along Old McGregor Road were removed for the construction of 1300 feet of street. Over the next few years, Santa Fe Drive would grow to about three times that length, extending from U.S. Highway 84 to E. Fairway Road.Seeing the interest in home construction within their new subdivision as they were constructing the new street, the Powells also decided to drill an artesian well directly across the new street from Captain Kendrick’s original Whitehall homestead to provide good water for the homeowners. Construction on the Santa Fe Well began in October 1953, and the well and Westwood Water Works were operational by the time the first home was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Milton Walter. Their water meter was installed February 24, 1954. Having been born near McGregor in 1916, Mr. Walter returned to the area with his wife, Ruby, after serving heroically in the U.S. Army during World War II. During his service, his regiment would land at Casablanca during Operation Torch in 1942, fight in the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, and land in Normandy in June 1944. They would also help hold the line in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and work their way across the Rhine and into Germany in 1945. For his meritorious service, Walter received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Upon his return, Mr. Walter would serve as a deacon at Westwood Baptist Church, work for 32 years at Owens-Illinois, and enjoy 63 years of marriage with Ruby. The Walters are buried in Whitehall Cemetery, within a few hundred feet of their home.They were quickly joined by a second family, Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Masters. Mr. Masters was a prominent local builder, so he bought additional lots in the subdivision and began building nice homes. Deed restrictions attracted more responsible homeowners and brought on rapid growth that would lead to the addition of more streets: Tallahassee, Spence, Chadwick, Gaywood, Bellaire, Topeka, Catalina, Cranbrook, Delhi, Fresno, and Ranch.The Powells would operate Westwood Water Works, furnishing water to 174 customers, until 1962, when they sold it to Midway Water Company. They would also arrange for Lone Star Gas Company to pipe the area for natural gas, as the homes were initially using butane or propane for fuel. They put up $4000, to be recouped as homes tied into the natural gas lines. This effort to bring natural gas into the area made it easier for the rest of the community to obtain it. The Powells were among the most invested supporters of the movement led by Mrs. A.J. Mehaffey to incorporate the Village of Woodway, and their street and well continue to serve the City today! Other names that will be familiar to our current residents can be traced back to this timeframe too. In 1951, Dr. Jerome Broughton purchased 36 acres of land from Robinson Packing Company and constructed a home, becoming the 22nd family to tie on to the Whitehall Water System, which was still purchasing water from Midway School at $4.00 minimum for 2000 gallons and $1.00 per thousand gallons thereafter. In 1952, Dr. Broughton decided to drill his own well, and the residents on the Whitehall system asked if he would supply them with water. He did, at rates of $3.00 for the first 3000 gallons and $.50 per thousand gallons thereafter. These reasonable rates boosted growth in the area.In 1953, the people of Tater Hill requested that Dr. Broughton supply them with water, so he drilled another well the following year and laid 4” and 6” water lines throughout the addition. Today, the Tater Hill well site continues to operate and houses the shops and maintenance yard for Public Utilities and Public Works employees. Dr. Broughton operated the Broughton Water company until 1971 when he, like the Powells, sold it to Midway Water Company. By then, his system had grown from a single meter to 250 meters.The Broughtons were also heavily invested in the community’s incorporation and development. Aside from his water system, having used only about 3 acres of the land originally purchased for his home, he developed most of the other homesites on the remaining property along Broughton Drive. He did not, however, develop the seven acres fronting the highway, instead setting it aside for the Little League fields that still bear his name. Since Dr. Broughton and his wife were tragically lost in a 1984 car accident, his descendants have continued to set the land aside for that purpose. A sign at the complex reads: BROUGHTON BASEBALL COMPLEXThe Broughton & Jayroe Families have provided this land for Youth Baseball since the 1950sHOME OF MIDWAY LITTLE LEAGUETo learn more about the history of our amazing community, stay tuned over the next month. Then, on June 20th, come out to the Woodway Sock Hop to help us celebrate our 70th year of incorporation! Tickets are free, but we want to make sure we have plenty of snacks to fuel those dancing feet! Please reserve your spot today at discoverwoodway.com! ... See MoreSee Less

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