Page 93 - CityofSouthlakeFY26AdoptedBudget

Worried that the City of Hurst might annex the area, residents voted 30-24 on September 25, 1956, to
incorporate. The original Town of Southlake contained 1.62 square miles, had a population of just over
100, and was located between FM 1709 and SH 114 (both two-lane roads) and near the intersection of
Carroll Avenue. “Southlake” was chosen from names suggested by its residents.

The Southlake Fire Department was launched in 1965, and the first piece of fire equipment was a 1950
Diamond T-Military unit with a tank capacity of 1,000 gallons and an auxiliary pump. The first chief of City Profile
police was hired in 1966, and the city purchased its first patrol car in 1967. 1974 saw the second big
change in the area: Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport opened its doors, and Southlake became an
attractive place for airport and airline employees to buy property and build their homes.

In 1986, Southlake’s population reached 5,000, making the City eligible to consider adopting a home
rule charter. The following April, residents voted in favor of home rule, establishing the council–manager
form of government that remains in place today. In the early 1990s, another pivotal milestone, the
installation of water and sewer lines in the City’s southern area, fueled Southlake’s transformation into
the premier community it is today, offering residents an exceptional place to live, work, and play.

Historical Markers in Southlake:
– Absalom H. Chivers Cemetery, near SH 114 & Carroll Avenue, on private property
– Thomas Easter Cemetery, on Southlake Boulevard, west of Gateway Drive
– Thomas Hood Cemetery, in the Coventry Manor subdivision near North Peytonville Road & Coventry
Lane
– Site of Jellico community at the corner of Southlake Boulevard & Davis Boulevard
– Lonesome Dove Baptist Church, on Lonesome Dove Road
– Lonesome Dove Cemetery, next to Lonesome Dove Baptist Church
– White’s Chapel United Methodist Church, Southlake Boulevard and White Chapel Boulevard
– White’s Chapel Cemetery, Southlake Boulevard and White Chapel Boulevard
– Monument to Troopers Edward Bryan Wheeler and H.D. Murphy, who were murdered by Bonnie
and Clyde on Easter Sunday in 1934, Dove Road just north of Highway 114, placed by the Texas
Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol Division

Future
Preserving the past while planning for the future has long been the cornerstone of Southlake’s
commitment to comprehensive planning. More than forty years after adopting its first comprehensive
plan, the City’s most recent version encompasses key elements such as Land Use, Mobility, Economic
Development and Tourism, Water and Sewer, Water Conservation, Parks, Community Facilities, and
Sustainability.

The City regularly reviews and updates these elements to ensure the plan evolves with emerging trends
and community needs. Serving as a blueprint for the future, the comprehensive plan guides Southlake
in maintaining its tradition of high-quality living while preserving its distinctive small-town charm.

FY 2026 City of Southlake | Budget Book 93