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Ken Craven, Leander

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Written by Katherine Kennedy Wednesday, 07 February 2007

Ken Craven says he has lived in Leander longer than dirt, and that’s pretty long. His family was one of the early settlers of the area, moving here in the 1850s. Craven remembers the town when it had no traffic lights, just stop signs at the RM 620/ US 183 intersection. Drivers worried more about animals on the roads than other cars.

Craven has held several important positions in Leander, from a city councilman to mayor to a member of the historical society to an employee of the public library. His involvement in, love for and belief in a better future for the city has earned him recognition as this month’s Community Icon.

“When I was a kid, I despised Leander because it was so small that everyone knew me and I couldn’t do anything without getting in trouble,” Craven said. “Now, our community has grown. We have a wonderful mix of people and cultures from all over. We have great potential for further growth.”

Craven enjoys his work at the library because it enables him to provide residents with historical information about the city.

“The first place people come when they move here is the library. I get to tell them about our community’s history, which is very important,” Craven said.

He hopes people in the future will be able to look back and see Leander was a good community, but he feels this will happen only by preserving its history.

“We are working with the city to turn the Old Mason House into a historical museum. The Bagdad Cemetery Association is trying to restore the Old Tabernacle to help preserve and maintain the cemetery,” Craven said. “We are looking to restore old homes and turn them into businesses rather than destroying them. People need to know about the history of our buildings.”

Craven admires the older generation who came back home after the wars and survived the Depression to make their community a great place to live.

“They believed in Leander and worked hard to make it and keep it a great town,” Craven said. “Because of them, the churches and schools kept going even with little money. They are the true icons; they did what they could to make their community better for future generations.”

His strong belief in his community keeps him going. He plans to always live in Leander and to continue working to preserve its history. He hopes to be remembered for doing his best to make Leander a great place to live.

“We are making such great progress in the city and exciting times are ahead. Remembering our history is important for the future,” Craven said. “We are working to make Leander the best place it can be. It should be a real home in a real community for people, not just a house.”

Ken craven’s ties to leander