Bell Boulevard honors city’s first water supplier

Bell Boulevard honors city’s first water supplier

Written by Amy Stansbury Friday, 07 July 2006

The stretch of US 183 in Cedar Park called Bell Boulevard honors Kenneth Earl Bell, who was instrumental in developing the little town into a city.

In 1966, just a few years after relocating from Oklahoma to Austin, Bell moved his family to Cedar Park as the small community was beginning to grow.

Within months, Bell began collaborating with Cedar Park Postmaster, Don Webster, to establish a central water system. Most residents used well water, but this would not sustain a growing community.

They secured a loan from the U.S. government on behalf of the Cedar Park Water Corporation to install a four-inch water line that would connect to the City of Austin’s water system.

Bell served as president of the board for the Water Corporation for several years, but in the late 1980s, the City of Cedar Park assumed responsibility for the water system.

Bell and Webster continued their commitment to the city by leading the effort to incorporate the city in 1973. Bell was elected the city’s first mayor.

However, he quickly realized he could not juggle both his mayoral duties and obligations as water board president.

Bell’s son Daniel recalls, “It was just too much, so [Bell] had to make a choice. I remember him saying, ‘I’ve been the president of the water corporation a whole lot longer than I’ve been mayor.’” A few months after being elected, Bell resigned as mayor.

Through his company, Bell Building, Inc., he had several real estate investments, including approximately 30 acres near the present-day YMCA on US 183 and East Little Elm Trail. He also developed a 200-acre subdivision off FM 1431 east of the new 183A.

“Each lot was about five acres because back then,” Daniel said, “when someone moved to Cedar Park, it was because they wanted a house on a few acres of land.”

The first shopping center in Cedar Park, North Park Circle, was the result of Bell’s commercial interest. The center included a grocery store, a Western Auto, and several other small businesses.

Bell passed away Jan. 25, at the age of 82. His passion for the Cedar Park community was inherited by Daniel, who served on the city council from 1980-1984 and the Planning and Zoning commission 18 years from the mid-1970s through the late 1990s.

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