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Fort Worth-Dallas Interurban
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Located at 6604 E. Rosedale, Fort Worth.
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In 1901 the Texas Legislature authorized the Northern
Texas Traction Company of Fort Worth to extend rail
service to Dallas. The interurban system, powered by
overhead electrical lines, was completed one year
later. The thirty-five mile trip took just over an
hour. Passengers could flag the train and board at any
point on the route. Each car held up to forty
travelers. Rail traffic began to decline in the 1930s
when paved roads were constructed between the two
cities, and the last train made the interurban run on
Christmas Eve, 1934. (1980)
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Fort Worth-Yuma Mail (Star Post Route
No. 31454)
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Located on Spur 520, 1.1 miles west of IH 820, Fort
Worth.
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By the 1870s remote areas of the frontier not served
by the railroads needed mail delivery routes. In
response the U.S. Post Office Department, in 1873,
began establishing Star Post Routes. On Aug. 15, 1878,
Star Route No. 31454 was opened between Fort Worth and
Yuma, Arizona Terr., under contract to J.T. Chidester.
Stagecoaches carried the mail along much the same
route used by the Butterfield Overland Mail in the
late 1850s. Fort Worth to Yuma mail was discontinued
after completion of the southern transcontinental
railroad in 1881. (1976)
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Freese & Nichols, Inc.
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Located at 4055 International Plaza, Fort Worth.
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Engineer John B. Hawley, designer and builder of Fort
Worth's first city water system in 1892, was joined by
Simon W. Freese in 1927 and Marvin C. Nichols in 1930
to form Hawley, Freese, and Nichols. The firm designed
the nation's first dual-purpose reservoirs and
pioneered the use of environmental engineering
concepts in water treatment. One of Texas' oldest
engineering firms, Freese and Nichols, Inc. is noted
for developing water for West Texas by designing
regional supplies to serve several cities and
industries. It continues to play a vital role in the
development of Texas. (1994)
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Majestic Theatre
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Located at 9th & Commerce Streets, Fort Worth.
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At the turn of the century Ft. Worth's live
entertainment consisted chiefly of saloon, dance hall,
church, and school presentations. Matters changed in
1905 when Karl Hoblitzelle founded the Interstate
Amusement Company and chose Ft. Worth for its
Southwest Vaudeville Theater Circuit. One of
Interstate's famous "Atmospheric" Majestic Theaters
was built at Tenth and Commerce streets (one block
south) in 1910-11. The Majestic's lavish interior
included Turkish rugs, French doors and mirrors, plush
Spanish leather upholstery and a lobby with marble
floors, hand-painted walls ,and 18 karat gold leaf
ceilings. The 1,356-seat theater reportedly contained
the country's first indirect stage lighting system and
the country's largest concrete arch, an 80-foot
balcony support beam. Performers on Ft. Worth's
Majestic stage included Will Rogers, Walter Huston,
Tallulah Bankhead, and Fred Allen. The Theater added
feature movies to its Vaudeville program in 1922 and
in 1932 discontinued its Vaudeville presentations.
Thereafter strictly a motion picture theater the
Majestic fell on hard times and closed in 1953.
Despite efforts to restore it, the Majestic was razed
in 1970 to make room for the new Tarrant County
Convention Center. (1993)
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Mansfield Mill
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Located at 100 East Broad St., Mansfield.
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Julian Feild (1825-1897) and Ralph Mann (1825-1906)
became acquainted in Harrison County, Texas, about
1850. About 1854 they built a mill near the Clear and
West Forks of the Trinity River. The two business
partners came south of Fort Worth in 1856 and at this
site found the ruins of a mill that had ben
constructed by Charles Turner. With the help of local
settlers and brickmaker S.W.A. Hook (1836-1917), Mann
and Feild built a three-story steam-powered wheat and
corn mill during the winter of 1859-60. The mill
attracted business from San Antonio to the Oklahoma
Territory. The community that developed around the
mill was given the name "Mansfeild" (now Mansfield).
During the Civil War, The Confederate Government
collected for its use a certain proportion of the
mill's output. After the War, Government contracts
were secured to supply flour for Federal forts. Julian
Feild sold his interest in the mill in 1874. The mill
continued in operation until the early part of the
20th century. The site has been used since that time
as a Memorial to World War I veterans and for
municipal offices. It is a historic site as the
beginning of the City of Mansfield. (1985)
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Randol Mill
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Located at the Precinct Line Road crossing of Trinity
River; 100 yards west of bridge, Fort Worth.
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In 1856 Archibald F. Leonard (1816-1876) built a dam
and grain mill at this site. Hiram Crowley became a
partner. The mill became a community center and county
voting place. During widespread abolition violence in
1860, Leonard's Mill was burned. It reopened by 1862
and operated during the Civil War. Owners after 1867
were H.B. Alverson and J.H. Wheeler. In 1876 R.A.
(Bob) Randol (1850-1922) acquired Wheeler's Mill. A
water-driven turbine powered the mill, a circular
saw,and a cotton gin. Randol Mill played an important
role in the area economy and closed after Randol's
death.
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Site of Fort Worth's First Telephone
Exchange
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Marker is set into sidewalk at W. 2nd & Houston,
Fort Worth.
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[text not given]
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Six Flags over Texas
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Located inside the main gate, 2201 Road to Six Flags,
Arlington.
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Flags of six different countries have been raised over
Texas. In 1519 the land was claimed for Spain, whose
explores came later in search of silver and gold, but
found buffalo, Indians and mirages. They planted the
red and gold banner of Spain, with its lions and
castles, beside the cross of the missionaries intent
on converting the Red Men. The gold and white standard
of France arrived in 1685 with the expedition of La
Salle, the first resident Governor of Texas. Around a
fort built near the Lavaca River, La Salle tried to
establish a permanent colony for his King. He failed
and in 1687 was killed by his own men. French activity
in Texas caused Spain to renew her interest. Finding
the fort of La Salle in ruins, the Spaniards in 1689
began to build missions and presidios, and grant land
for ranches and colonies. Smoldering rebellion in 1821
brought an end to Spanish rule. Afterward the green,
white and red flag of Mexico--with its eagle, serpent
and cactus--flew in Texas for 15 years. The settlers
joined together in building towns, farming, fighting
Indians. Then the policies of dictator Santa Anna
provoked revolution. On March 2, 1836, the Texas
Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed at
Washington-on-the-Brazos. The Republic of Texas was
born in the dark era of the fall of the Alamo, Goliad
Massacre and "Runaway Scrape" of settlers fleeing
before the coming of Santa Anna and his army. The
glorious victory of the Texans at San Jacinto on April
2, 1836, established the sovereignty of the Lone Star
Flag. As a nation, Texas built towns and mills;
developed strong commerce; fought against the Indians
and foreign raiders; established patterns of justice,
with Homestead Acts and other laws; and won the
respect of all the world. However,after nine yeas as a
Republic, the people voted in favor of annexation to
the United States. On February 16, 1846, the Lone Star
banner became a state flag and Texas took her position
as the 28th star in the United States flag. Until 1861
no other state adopted a flag, but the Lone Star has
been the pride of Texas through all the years since
1836. For 4 years, 1861-1865, the stars and bars of
the Confederate States of America flew over Texas.
90,000 Texans served the South. The state supplied
large amounts of cotton, food and other goods. At the
end of the Civil War, Old Glory with its stars and
stripes again was raised. Some other flags have flown
somewhat briefly over parts of Texas, but the six
national banners shown here are those of enduring
history. The exhibits associated with the Six Flags
over Texas make vivid the colorful history of the Lone
Star State.
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Swift & Company
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Located at Packing House Plaza, 500 block of E.
Exchange Street, Fort Worth.
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A leading national meatpacking firm by the 1880s,
Swift & Co. adopted a practice of opening branch
plants nearer the source of supply. Attracted to Texas
by the State's vast livestock herds, the Company chose
this site for a new operation as a result of efforts
by the Fort Worth Stock Yards Company. The plant
opened in 1903 and soon had a dramatic impact on the
economy of the City and the State. It also spawned
several support businesses, including a railway
company and publishing firm. The Swift plant remained
in operation until 1971.
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The Grapevine Sun
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Located at 332 S. Main St., Grapevine.
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Benjamin R. Wall (1876-1955) started the Grapevine Sun
in 1895 at the age of nineteen. It was sold in 1897 to
James E. Keeling (1847-1925), a native of England. His
son Ed took over as editor in 1912 and published the
paper with the help of his wife Grady. The weekly
printed mostly encouraging news for its readers. When
Ed died in 1953 his daughter Zena Keeling Oxford
became editor and her husband Gene was typesetter. The
sale of the Sun following her death (1976) ended the
family connection which lasted 80 years and spanned
three generations. (1980)
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The Handley Power Plant & Lake Erie
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Located at 6604 E. Rosedale, Fort Worth.
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The Northern Texas Traction Company built the original
plant at this location to generate electrical power
for the Fort Worth-Dallas Interurban. Lake Erie
provided water for plant operations. The area
developed as a park and became popular for local
outings and social events. A two-story auditorium
extended over the edge of the lake. When interurban
traffic declined the park was closed. The power plant
was expanded to meet increased electrical demands. In
1956 Lake Arlington became the new source of water for
the Handley Plant, and Lake Erie was drained. (1980)
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WBAP-TV - Channel 5, First Television
Station in Texas
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Located at 3900 Barnett St., Fort Worth.
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Founded by Amon G. Carter, noted publisher of the
"Fort Worth Star-Telegram", the first progam--a public
appearance, Sept. 27, 1948, by President Harry
Truman--made Texas the sixteenth state in the nation
to open a commercial station. Among other "Firsts" of
WBAP-TV are the first live entertainment in Texas
("Flying X Ranchboys"), and first Texas colorcast via
NBC-TV, 1954. Today Channel 5 serves aproximately 60
counties in Texas and Oklahoma. Since its birth,
television has made many advances. In Washington,
D.C., 1927, Herbert Hoover (at that time Secretary of
Commerce) appeared on the first major telecast in the
nation. In 1931, H. & W. Corset Company in New
York conducted the first experimental use of
closed-circuit television to display its models to a
buyer and sold $5,000 worth of merchandise. Modern
commercial telecasting did not begin, however, until
10 years later, when New York opened the first station
in the country. After a slow start, major strides were
made in 1947 and 1948. As of July 1, 1967, the U.S.
had 628 commercial and 128 educational stations, with
224 under construction. Of these, Texas had 49
commercial and 5 educational.
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Baldridge House
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Located at 5100 Crestline Rd., Fort Worth.
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This property was part of the original
Chamerlain-Arlington Heights development of the 1890s.
Earl and Florence Baldridge built this elegant
residence in 1910-13. Designed by the architectural
firm of Sanguinet & Staats, it was a showplace of
the time. Massive limestone columns line of the line
facade. Carved oak woodwork decorates the interior.
The home was occupied for many years by W.C.
Stonestreet, a prominent Fort Worth clothier. Recorded
Texas Historic Landmark - 1978.
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Benton House
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Located at 1730 Sixth Ave., Fort Worth.
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Victorian Gingerbread Cottage. Erected by pioneer
businessman Meredith A. Benton in 1898, when the 4-lot
site was "out in the country," and young Mrs. Benton
(formerly of St. Louis) feared the Wild West. Designed
by builder's father, house has central hall, six
rooms, tiled fireplaces. Mrs. Benton, an active civic
worker, helped plant rose beds that now are part of
famous Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. Benton family lived
here until 1942. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-
1971. Marked by Junior League of Fort Worth.
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Bidault House
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Located at 1416 Glade Road, Colleyville.
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Constructed of molded concrete blocks, this house was
designed and built by French native Anthlem Bidault
(1862-1951), a farmer and wine maker. Started in 1905,
the house was completed six years later. Bidault's
farm became noted for its orchards, berry fields, and
vineyard. During World War I French soldiers stationed
at Camp Bowie near Fort Worth were entertained in the
house. The Bidaults and their unmarried children
returned to France in 1920. Recorded Texas Historic
Landmark-1980
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Cobb-Burney House
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Located at 1598 Sunset Terrace, Fort Worth.
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Prominently sited along the bluff of the Clear Fork of
the Trinity River, this home was built in 1904 for
mortgage company president Lyman D. Cobb and his wife,
Emma. Emma Cobb sold the home in 1919 to Judge Ivy
Burney, a lawyer whose special field was the cattle
industry. The low-pitched roof, wide overhanging
eaves, and use of multiple casement windows reflect
influences of the Chicago Prairie School style of
architecture. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1985.
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Douglass-Potts House
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Located at 206 W. North St., Arlington.
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Built in 1907 by local contractor Joe O. Crawley, this
was the home of city marshall (later chief of police)
Wilson M. ("Bud") Douglass and his wife Clara
(Ramsey). The cottage was constructed on land formerly
owned by Clara's father, Arlington pioneer Seth
Ramsey, and his family. W. A. and Clara Potts
purchased it in 1919 and it remained in their family
until 1987. A classic example of vernacular
architecture, the house features a steeply pitched
roof over a central hall with intersecting gables and
side bay. The home is typical of the period, with
restrained wood trim. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
- 1999
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Dr. Clay Johnson House
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Located at #3 Chase Ct., Fort Worth.
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Completed in 1912 for Dr. Clay Johnson, this house was
designed by the Fort Worth architectural firm of
Waller and Field. The Prairie School influence is
visible in the home's horizontal roof line and broad
cornices, while more Classical detailing appears in
the semi-circular windows and the balustrade around
the roof. Dr. Johnson, Chief Surgeon for the Fort
Worth and Denver City Railroad's Wichita Valley Line,
lived here until his death in 1948. Recorded Texas
Historic Landmark-1983.
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Dr. George M. Munchus House
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Located at 1130 E. Terrell Ave., Fort Worth.
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This Craftsman style house was constructed in 1922 for
Dr. George Murry Munchus (1887-1952) by locally
prominent black contractor George Powell. The son of
former slaves from Alabama, Munchus was founder,
manager, and physician for Fort Worth's Negro
Community Hospital. The Munchus home is a two-story
wood frame residence featuring wide overhanging eaves,
stick brackets, and prominent gables.
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Eddleman-McFarland House
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Located at 1110 Penn St., Fort Worth.
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Designed by Howard Messer, this Victorian house was
built in 1899 for Sarah C. Ball (1825-1904), widow of
Galveston banker George Ball. William H. Eddelman
(1850-1932), a local banker, bought the home in 1904
and in 1921 gave it to his daughter Carrie
(1877-1978), wife of cattleman Frank H. McFarland
(1869-1948). She lived here 75 years. The finely
crafted interior retains most of the original woodwork
and fixtures. The exterior features marble, sandstone,
brick, and copper. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-
1980.
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Fairview, William J. Bryce House
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Located at 4900 Bryce St., Fort Worth.
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A native of Scotland, William J. Bryce (1861-1944)
moved to Fort Worth in 1883 and developed a successful
brick contracting business. In 1893 he constructed
this house, which was designed by the prominent
architectural firm of Sanguinet & Messer. The
Mayor of Fort Worth from 1927 to 1933, Bryce lived
here until his death. One of the rare examples of a
Chateauesque dwelling in Texas, Fairview features
Richardsonian arches and gabled dormers. Recorded
Texas Historic Landmark-1983.
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