Wedgwood puts its history on display screen

If you grew up in Fort Worth from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s, the area of Wedgwood loomed big. If good friends weren't moving there, it appeared like the neighborhood would never ever stop adding street names that started with the letter "W"-- and building more houses. It didn't feel like it was history in the making.

Now, almost 70 years after the first home was constructed, numerous Wedgwood residents are recalling at the neighborhood's history, hoping to maintain a few of the original character and style of the areas.

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In March 2021, the not-for-profit Wedgwood Historical Association was formed, and neighborhood homeowners-- consisting of some of the original homeowners-- started work to maintain the history of the area and its homes. Two years back, the association held its first Parade of Homes and the third is arranged to happen on Sept. 16.

" We've learned so much since our first year," said Heather Todd, president of the Wedgwood Historical Association. "We're truly excited to invite people on the house tour this year and we've got some terrific homes to show."

Wedgwood is a neighborhood in the southwest part of Fort Worth developed from 1950 to 1970 by E. L. Baker, Irwin Krauss and S. G. Payte. It is bounded by Granbury Road on the northwest, Altamesa Boulevard on the south, McCart Avenue and Westcreek Drive on the east, and Interstate 20 on the north.

The addition was planned around access to schools, Benbrook Lake, and the new highway, along with nearby public areas such as the Wedgwood Country Club, Wedgwood Shopping Village, and Wedgwood Bowl, Todd said. If you're questioning the country club and the bowling street, they are no longer there.

Most of the general public areas were or are midcentury modern-day structures created by the local architectural company Kneer & & Hamm, which closed in the '70s. Your homes in Wedgwood were developed and developed utilizing a range of home builders, Todd said. He notes that, as far as he understands, all the homes in the area have central air, which was a fairly brand-new feature for mid-priced homes in the mid-1950s.

Among the sponsors of the Parade of Homes is realtor Amanda Pittman, who is likewise one of the creators of the Wedgwood Historical Association.

" I've given that moved from the area, however I loved it there," she said. "I just thought that, like me, numerous individuals moved (there) and didn't know the history, which I kind of discovered since of my job."

The location still has a few of those very same qualities that the original designers visualized for the area, Pittman stated.

" It still has shopping, little organizations in the area, it still has schools in the area. "It has a neighborhood feel that you do not have in numerous newer areas.

The organization has partnered with students and professors from the UTA College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs to choose most sections of Wedgwood to the National Register of Historic Places.

Architectural history aside, another differentiating function of the area is that the majority of the street names in the older part begin with a "W," a reality that can be puzzling to new locals.

" The initial concept, from what I heard, is that the 'W' names was a way for all the homes to be linked to Wedgwood," stated Todd.

As the location grew, the "W" idea, along with the curving streets, proved confusing for newbies and-- possibly more significantly-- for emergency situation services. "I've heard it simply became too huge a burden for cops, ambulance and fire (services) and they were asked to stop," she stated.

While the location has lots of ranch-style houses, there are other architectural styles in the area, Todd stated. On this year's trip, there will be 4 homes, one ranch style, one Asian-inspired, one rustic contemporary and one beautiful contemporary.

The Third Annual Wedgwood Parade of Homes is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 16. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time ($ 20) on the website https://wedgwoodhistoricalassociation.org/parade-of-homes-2023 or personally ($ 25) the day of at 3525 Wharton Avenue. Todd motivates guests to use classic clothes.

Crystal Springs Hideaway taking shape

A current filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation shows plans for a new restaurant and bar called the Crystal Springs Hideaway at 113 Roberts Cut Off Road, near Heim Barbecue and Salsa Limon places in the Riverbend district.

According to the filing, the owners plan to make about $500,000 worth of renovation to a 2,700-square-foot house and garage to develop a dining establishment at the place. The approximated conclusion date for the task is March 2024.

The owner of the website is J.D. Granger, previous executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority, who resigned from the company in 2015 after leading the job for 16 years.

The Crystal Springs location was when home to the Crystal Springs Dance Pavilion, a casino at 5653 White Settlement Road, a popular spot from 1916 up until it burned in 1966. Lots of credit the dance hall with being the birth place of Western Swing, as progenerators of that design, Milton Brown and Bob Wills, frequently dipped into the site.

Wallet-friendly weekend getaway right here

Visitors to Fort Worth get some bang for their bucks-- 693 bucks, to be precise.

Travel info site Scott and Yanling examined the 50 most-populated American cities to identify the typical trip expense for 2 people. After collecting data for hotels, public transport, taxi flights, theater tickets, cinema tickets, alcoholic beverages, and lunch break and dinnertime menus, the information combined costs to reveal the most affordable weekend vacations in the country. Wichita, Kansas, was No. 1 with an expense of $519, while Fort Worth can be found in No. 6 at $693, just listed below Oklahoma City.

Those are great numbers to hear, according to Bob Jameson, president and CEO of Visit Fort Worth.

" Fort Worth's inclusion in the leading 10 of America's Most Wallet-Friendly Cities for Weekend Getaways highlights our city's dedication to using an enriching yet economical travel experience," he stated. "From world-class museums and unique Western heritage to a dynamic food scene, Fort Worth supplies a varied selection of activities without breaking the bank."

Do you have something for the Bob on Business column? Email Bob Francis as bob.francis@fortworthreport.org

Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.

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by Bob Francis, Fort Worth Report.
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