Our Legacy

Our story begins with two men: Arthur Bird and Jack Kultgen. Arthur Bird was a businessman who set up supermarkets during the time when there were still many “mom and pop” shops. Jack Kultgen was a WWI veteran from Michigan, who was sent to Ellington Field in Texas for flight training, and after the war ended, decided to stay when he met his future wife, Reba. Jack started selling cars, and his first hurdle was teaching prospective customers to drive the model T. Jack and Arthur joined together and purchased Duncan-Smith Ford, which Jack would run. In October 1936, Bird-Kultgen Ford officially opened its doors on 5th Street – a building that today is used as a garage for the McLennan County Record Building.

Business coming out of the great depression was tough for the first several years, but Jack and team fought through it. Jack continued to run the dealership when his two sons went off to fight in WWII. The war brought on economic difficulty when car production halted, but we made it through. When the war was over business boomed, and we soon outgrew our facility. In 1947, Bird-Kultgen Ford moved to its second location on Franklin Avenue. The state-of-the-art building was one of the first in Waco to have air conditioning, and thousands came just to “feel the refrigerated air!” The business continued to grow, and through the years Jack gave much of himself to the city of Waco, the state of Texas, and the automobile industry.

Who is Jack?

Jack's Endeavors Include:

First President of The Brazos River Authority
Chairman of the Baylor Stadium Drive Fund
Chairman of capital campaign to help save Providence hospitals
Chairman of capital campaign for Hillcrest hospital
Chairman of the Texas State Highway Commission
Driving force in construction of LaSalle, Valley Mills, Waco Drive, I-35
Leader for building of the Waco Dam
In charge of sugar and other rations for the state for WWII
First Caucasian board member for Paul Quinn College
Helped charter TSTC, first chairman of the board of regents
Jack’s legacy was honored in this video for the Waco chamber Legacy Award.

Adding Value to Waco

From the beginning, Jack Kultgen and the three generations that have followed have been dedicated to making Waco a better place for everyone. We have continued to evolve to meet the desires of generations of Waco Ford buyers, while never losing sight of Jack's Legacy. If you've been a patient at Providence Hospital, driven on Waco Drive or I-35, studied at TSTC, gone to a football game at Floyd Casey Stadium, enjoyed boating on Lake Waco or received assistance from one of many of our area social service agencies, your life has been touched by Bird Kultgen Ford. Bird Kultgen Ford and Waco, TX have a rich history and the shared promise of a bold and exciting future.

BK Ford trusted since 1936.

Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, and license charges. ‡Vehicles shown at different locations are not currently in our inventory (Not in Stock) but can be made available to you at our location within a reasonable date from the time of your request, not to exceed one week.