History
Bedford Reunion
Bedford Reunion Settlers from Bedford County, Tennessee, came to this area in the 1870s. Weldon Wiles Bobo opened a store and grist mill, and several families established New Hope Church in 1874, also using the building as a school. The post office opened in 1877, and, in 1882, residents established Bedford College, a private college that also served as a public community school.
Architecture
Benton House
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.
History
Beth-el Congregation
The beginnings of a Reform Jewish Community in Fort Worth date to 1879, when the Hebrew Benevolent Society opened a Sabbath School, and early services were held in homes. About 1900, under the leadership of Henry Gernsbacher (1858-1936), enthusiasm began to grow,and in 1902 a call was issued in the area for the organization of a formal congregation.
Architecture
Bidault House
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.
History
Billy Muth
William McKinley (Billy) Muth (1902-1949) made significant contributions to Texas' cultural history. Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Muth was a church organist at the age of nine. Nationally known as "the master of the keyboard," Muth was organist at Casa Manana during the 1936 Texas Centennial, the Worth Theatre, multi-instrument Fort Worth symphony musician and church organist.
History
Birdville Cemetery
The oldest marked grave in this pioneer community cemetery is that of Wiley Wilda Potts (Dec. 20, 1822 - Dec. 15, 1852). The one-acre tract, then part of the George Akers Grant, was legally set aside for burial purposes before 1860. More land was later donated, and by 1910 the site included 3.27 acres.
History
Birdville Church of Christ
On February 26, 1852, soon after Birdville became the Tarrant County seat, 12 charter members attended this congregation's first worship service. After reorganizing in 1882, the members met in the Birdville school building. In 1900, Richard M. Gano, the well-known evangelist and Confederate general, conducted a revival.
Architecture
Blackstone Hotel
The first Art Deco skyscraper in Fort Worth, the Blackstone Hotel was erected in 1929 for wealthy cattleman C. A. "Gus" O'Keefe, who named it after a visit to the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. The St. Louis architectural firm of Mauran, Russell, and Crowell designed the structure. The city's first radio station, WBAP, once occupied the 22nd floor.
History
Booker T. Washington School
SERVING THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS OF ARLINGTON, BOOKER T. WASHINGTON SCHOOL WAS A VITAL INSTITUTION IN THE CITY. IT HAD ITS ROOTS IN ARLINGTON'S FIRST BLACK SCHOOL, WHICH WAS IN PLACE BY THE 1890s. THE SCHOOL SERVED THE GROWING AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY KNOWN AS THE HILL, LOCATED NORTHWEST OF THE ORIGINAL TOWN BOUNDARIES. THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST FURNISHED ADDITIONAL CLASS SPACE AS NEEDED.
History
Bourland Cemetery
Aurelius Delphus Bourland (1840-1904), a North Carolina native and a veteran of the Civil War, bought land here in 1873. A farmer and Primitive Baptist preacher, he first used this site as a family cemetery. The earliest marked grave is that of his grandson A. Delphus White, who died in 1886. In 1899 Bourland sold 2.5 acres, including the grave sites, to the residents of Keller (1.
History
Bransford
A post office with the name Bransford opened in this vicinity in the late 19th century. In 1889 the post office was moved to Red Rock on the route of the St. Louis, Arkansas, and Texas Railroad. Named for pioneer Felix Grundy Bransford (1828-1898), the post office name eventually replaced the name of Red Rock and the town of Bransford became the center of a large farming community.
Architecture
Bryce Building
Leading Fort Worth businessman and civic leader William J. Bryce (1861-1944) built this structure in 1910 to house the offices of his construction company. Bryce erected many of the city's commercial structures and served as Mayor of Fort Worth from 1927 to 1933.
History
Burke Cemetery
The first known burial in this graveyard was that of Mary (Overton) Burke, widow of Evan H. Burke, who came in 1851 with her children and widowed mother to settle this land previously chosen by her husband. Her death on Dec. 30, 1867, was followed two days later by that of her mother, Rachel (Cameron) Overton. On Mar. 12, 1900, this one-half acre of land was deeded as a family burial ground.
Industry & Science
Cable Tool Rig
Drilled the early deep oil wells in Texas. Derrick here is exact replica and has same rigging and tools used in 1920 to drill the Crowley No. 1, a 250-barrel producer at 3500 feet--one of deepest wells up to the time. It was near Breckenridge, in one of great fields in oil empire of Texas. (1966)
History
Calloway Cemetery
The earliest marked graves in this cemetery are those of two brothers, Richard H. Calloway (1832-1874) and Joseph W. Calloway (1829-1877), who owned this land in the 1860s. Richard's widow Catherine (Coble) deeded 1.5 acres here in 1886 for use as a public burial ground. The original site included the family cemetery and graves of several neighbors. The wooden Tabernacle was constructed in 1908.
Military
Camp Bowie Boulevard
In 1917-18, this roadway was the main artery through Camp Bowie, a World War I training center. Narrow strips of asphalt paving flanked streetcar tracks that ran the length of the avenue, then called Arlington Heights Boulevard. After the war, business and residential development spread into this area. In 1919 the street was renamed Camp Bowie Boulevard.
Military
Camp Bowie in World War I
Headquarters, 36th Division, United States Army, 1917-1919. Established to train Texas National Guard and Oklahoma National Guard, after the U.S. entered World War I April 1917. Named for James Bowie (1795-1836), one of the commanders who died at the Alamo in Texas War for Independence, Camp Bowie was occupied in July 1917.
History
Carousel
Made popular in Texas by traveling shows and carnivals. Arrival of a horse-drawn carousel in a town was a great event. Rides to tunes of the calliope helped to celebrate townsite openings, completions of railroads, promotions in boom towns. (1966)
History
Carver Dixon King
Born on May 18, 1843 in Tennessee, C.D. "Uncle Dutch" King was an early leader in Arlington. He moved to Texas in 1873 and became Arlington's first mayor shortly after the town was established in 1876; he again served as mayor from 1899-1900. King also worked as a notary, owned a grocery store and icehouse, and served 13 terms as justice of the peace.
History
Cattle Brands
Proof of ownership since 600 B.C.; in Texas since 1821. Registered in counties and burned on hides of cattle. Every owner has individual brand. In Texas these aggregate several thousand. History of Texas is displayed here in brands of leaders: patriots, soldiers, bankers, rangers, industrialists. (1966)
History
Chapel Cemetery
This cemetery traces its origin to the settlement here in the mid 1850s of the pioneer families of John A. and Rhoda Raibourn Fanning, Mitchell and Eliny Jane Raibourn, and Thomas Raibourn. According to Fanning family tradition the cemetery began with the burial of Eliny Raibourn at this site in 1856 and the subsequent donation of the land for cemetery purposes by her brother-in-law, John Fanning.
History
Chase Court
When E.E. Chase purchased the property that is now known as Chase Court, the area was some distance from the City of Fort Worth. Chase, a business man and investor, built a house in the center of the court and raised horses on his land. In 1900 his home was moved to what became lot No.
Military
Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I
During World War I, the 36th nfantry division included Choctaw Nation soldiers training at Fort Bowie. These men fought bravely. When they deployed, their regiments faced difficult losses in October 1918 on the Western Front in France as Central Powers forces intercepted and deciphered Allied artillery orders.
History
City of Arlington
The city of Arlington developed along the juncture of two distinct ecological regions, the Blackland Prairie and the Eastern Cross Timbers. The West Fork of the Trinity River and its area tributaries flow through the city, and one such stream, Village (Caddo) Creek, was the site of a series of Native American communities.
Architecture
Cobb-Burney House
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.
Elsewhere in Texas
Hear it from the road
Whistlestop tells you this story automatically when you drive past. No searching, no tapping, nothing to ask.
