ROOTS

LEGENDS UNITE

From left to right: George Sprague, T.F. Jackson, J.B. Adoue Jr., Woodall Rodgers, William M. Holland, Wallace Savage, R. L. Thornton Sr., James R. Temple, George Sergaent. Seated is Henry Kucera.

Dallas’ Wartime Mayor

JAMES WOODALL RODGERS

May 11, 1890–July 6, 1961

story by PRESTON RIOS

Though he was not born, raised, or educated in dallas, james Woodall Rodgers had a profound impact on the city as its mayor from 1939 to 1947. His four-term tenure saw the development of Central Expressway, Dallas Public Library, and Garza-Little Elm Reservoir (now Lake Lewisville), as well as the expansion of Love Field airport. Today, Spur 366 is named Woodall Rodgers Freeway, and a plaza underneath that links Victory Park and the West End bears his name. Born in New Market, Alabama, Rodgers attended Vanderbilt University, the University of Texas, and Columbia University before starting a law career in Dallas—which was briefly halted while he seved in the U.S. Army in WWI. Rodgers returned to Dallas and made a name for himself in oil and gas law. His most notable client was Standard Oil Co. and its Texas subsidiaries. A civic leader, Rodgers continued to advocate for the city’s future by serving on various nonprofits, such as the Dallas useum of Art and the Dallas Council of World Affairs. e also helped organize, and was the firt president of, the Dallas Salesmanship Club.