Grapevine in Tarrant County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Benjamin Richard Wall
1876 - 1955
Grapevine Mayor: 1912-14; 1916-17; 1919-20; 1933-46
Benjamin Richard (B.R.) Wall was born in Grapevine on May 7, 1876. He attended the Grapevine free school, and continued his education at Grapevine College and at Baylor University where he studied law. In 1915, the State Bar Association issued him Card No. 1, which he carried all his life. In 1912, he became Mayor of Grapevine and served intermittent terms until 1946. He was Mayor of the city during World War I and World War II, and through his weekly newspaper columns in the Grapevine Sun, which he established in 1895, he kept the citizens of Grapevine motivated and optimistic about their future. In 1913, B. R. Wall went to New York and brought back the No. 7 Boy Scout Unit Charter, giving Grapevine one of the first Boy Scout troops west of the Mississippi. In 1900, as a young man, he went to Galveston to help with disaster aid following the great hurricane that struck the island. He was extremely thoughtful of others who were less fortunate, an attribute that led him to initiate an international relationship with the citizens of Pitcairn Island. Beginning in 1912, he challenged Grapevine citizens to place items for Pitcairn Islanders in a box which he kept in his office. When the box became full, the shipment was made. B. R. Wall was a dynamic man of vision. His legacy of leadership continues to serve as a model for Grapevine and its citizens.
City officials not transcribed
Sculptor - Archie St. Clair
Erected 2004.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.
Location. 32° 56.385′ N, 97° 4.708′ W. Marker is in Grapevine, Texas, in Tarrant County. Marker is at the intersection of South Main Street and West Wall Street, on the right when traveling south on South Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 S Main Street, Grapevine TX 76051, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Grapevine (within shouting distance of this marker); Torian Log Cabin (within shouting distance of this marker); "The Prairie Windmill" (within shouting distance of this marker); The Wallis Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); Palace Theatre (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Wall Drug Store (about 500 feet away); Grapevine I.O.O.F. (about 600 feet away); "Walking to Texas" (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grapevine.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 19, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 17, 2022, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 240 times since then and 127 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 17, 2022, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.