Page 20 - CITY OF AZLE, TEXAS

AZLE, TEXAS

HISTORY

The area in and near Azle was initially settled by a group of pioneers from Tennessee,
Arkansas, Missouri, and Kentucky. Records are not clear on when the first settlers
came, however, Dr. J. G. Reynolds was one of Azle’s first settlers and he first came to
the area in 1846. The community was first known as Elizabeth Town but was later
changed to Mooresville after the owner of the only store in town. There was at that time
no post office and there were only 664 settlers in all of Tarrant County.

As time went on, more settlers came and more homes were built. In 1891, a man by
the name of O’Bar came to the area and was instrumental in getting the first post office
established in the community and the settlement’s name was changed to O’Bar. Dr.
James Azle Steward, one of the few doctors in the area, owned much of the land where
Azle now stands. Dr. Steward was a great benefactor of the community. He donated
land for a variety of purposes that served the local settlers, including land for
businesses, schools, and churches. Dr. Steward deeded enough land for a town site
and the name was changed from O’Bar to Azle.

Interesting facts highlight Azle’s rich history. The first plank home in Azle was built of
lumber hauled 280 miles from Houston, Texas in an ox-drawn wagon. Also, the Ash
Creek Baptist Church, organized in 1872, was the first church to be organized in Azle.
It is said that one of the early ministers of the church “preached with a six-shooter on
each side of his Bible” while the men in the congregation “rested their rifles across their
knees as a precaution against a surprise attack from the Comanche Indians” whose last
raid in the area took place in 1873.

While nearby Fort Worth grew rapidly in population and commerce, becoming the
largest stagecoach terminal in the southwest between 1856 and 1880, Azle’s population
remained virtually static. For many years Azle continued as a sleepy village, its
population growing very slowly. Growth has occurred in rapid spurts in some years but
has typically been slow and steady over time.

Azle became an incorporated city in April of 1957 as a general law community. In 1969,
the population of the City reached 5,000 and was then eligible to become a home rule
city, which allows the City to have more control over its own affairs. At that time, the
Council-Manager form of government was adopted. The current City Charter was
adopted in 1971 and has been amended over the years to meet the changing needs of
the City.

Today, Azle is a suburban community with a rural quality of life. Azle is just 14 miles
northwest of Fort Worth, which provides the conveniences of the big city without losing
the appeal of a small town. The City is 25 miles from Alliance Airport and 35 miles from
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The City encompasses 8.9 square miles and
has an estimated population of 14,298 residents.

City of Azle FY 2023-2024 Budget 10