Reeves Henry Site Dedication
On June 10th, 2023, to start the Founders’ Day event, the city held a site dedication for Reeves Henry. There will be a new historical marker placed at the site in the future.
"On October 5th, 1899, Edward H.R. Green, president of the Texas Midland Railroad purchased a 2-cylinder, 6-horsepower vehicle from the St. Louis Gas Car Company. The trip was from Terrell, Kaufman County, to Dallas, passing through Forney. While in Forney, the water tank was damaged, and they had to stop for repairs. Tradition says that a local African American blacksmith named Reeves Henry was able to make the repairs quickly and Mr. Green was on his way again. This resulted in Reeves Henry being the first automobile mechanic in Texas.
Known throughout Forney as a mechanical genius and a great inventor, Reeves Henry was an accomplished blacksmith and philanthropist whose business interests made him one of the wealthiest residents in Forney during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
On June 10th, Reeves Henry and his family will be honored with a site dedication for a new marker that will credit his name for the contributions he made to Forney and its residents. This dedication will take place at Bell Park in Downtown Forney at 10 a.m. We invite all residents and members of the community to kick off our Founders’ Day event with this significant dedication."