Everyone has a story. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what you do, everyone has a story to tell and we at Bird-Kultgen Ford are no different. We want to spend some time in this blog mini-series telling you our story, how we came to be, and how we want to serve you.
Our story begins with two men: Arthur Bird and Jack Kultgen. Arthur was a businessman who set up supermarkets during the time when there were still many “mom and pop” shops. Jack was a WWI veteran who found work at a car dealership after he came back from the war. The two joined together and purchased Duncan-Smith Ford. In October 1936, Bird-Kultgen Ford officially opened its doors. Having bought an already established dealership, Bird-Kultgen Ford was well on its way to success.
Business went “as usual” for the first several years. Jack continued to run the dealership, even after his two sons went off to fight in WWII. The war brought on economic difficulty as it halted car production. But like many other dealers Bird-Kultgen made it through, and when car production resumed after the war, we soon outgrew our facility. In 1947, we moved to a new location; the old location now being used as a garage by the McLennan County Record Building.
When Jack’s two sons returned, they decided to pursue other career interests. Jack Kultgen, Jr. became a philosophy professor, and David Kultgen became an attorney. But that didn’t mean the dealership was about to leave the business.
In 1987, David’s son Peter, Jack Kultgen’s grandson, took over the business, and under him the dealership continued to flourish. In 1993, we moved again, to the location in which we are currently residing. This building was formerly a factory which we converted into a dealership, and recently remodeled in 2015. This location was special because we were the very first dealership on the “Motor Mile”—the long stretch of road that consisted of several dealerships.
To find out more, you will have to come back to hear the continuation of our series. Although this blog emphasized our history, stay tuned for the next installment to find out how the history of this dealership truly affects you as the customer today. Feel free to visit our website, or stop by our historic location to see what Bird-Kultgen Ford is all about.
Connect with us
Recent Blog Entries
- 2026 Ford SUV Lineup Breakdown: Which Model Fits Your Life in Waco, TX?
- What Ford Handles Texas Backroads Best? Our Top Picks for Rural Driving in Waco, TX
- Best Restaurants To Celebrate The New Year’s at in Waco, TX
- 2026 Ford F-150 vs. The Competition: How the F-150 Stands Out in the Truck Market
- Local Eats: Top BBQ Joints in Waco You Can Drive to Today