Historic 1903 Home in Fort Worth Offers Unique Opportunity

Imagine Fort Worth in 1903.  From grainy photos I’ve seen, there was a lot of dust, cows, and not much else.  There certainly were not any charming homes that would last 114 years and become historic properties, right?  Wrong.

The 1900 census of Fort Worth showed 26,668 residents, which was up from 1880 when there were 6,663 people living in Cowtown.  The largest building in 1903 was a seven-story building that cost $400,000 to construct. Cowtown in 1903 was a “rail town” — cattle drives and meat packing were the main industry before World War I, World War II, and the oil boom.

And 1903 was also the year Dr. Richard Decatur Talbott and his wife, Elizabeth Holman Talbott, built a Dutch colonial revival home at 915 Samuels Avenue — a parcel of 10 acres overlooking the Trinity River.

Earlier this year, this historic home was picked up and moved two blocks away to 1102 Samuels Avenue in order for the San Antonio-based Embrey Development Co. to start construction of a 353-unit apartment complex.

Instead of destroying the home, it was donated to Historic Fort Worth with expectations of having historic and cultural designations granted on the property.

Now at its new location, 1102 Samuels Avenue is listed for sale and ready for the right owner to return this stellar home to its previous glory.

New Life for Talbott-Wall Home

The home is 2,098 square feet and has a new concrete pier and beam foundation.  On the first floor there is a foyer, three rooms, and a kitchen.  On the second floor there are three rooms.

Today, this property could be a residence or commercial building.  There is a pending zoning request to have 1102 Samuels Avenue zoned MU-1, which provides areas in which a variety of housing types exist among neighborhood-serving commercial and institutional uses.

Still, the home oozes historic charm and character from every angle. As you walk through it you can almost hear Dr. Talbott and Mrs. Talbott sharing stories of Fort Worth in 1903.

Don’t believe me?  Go and listen for yourself — 1102 Samuels Avenue is listed for sale for $300,000 by Karen Holcomb of Northern Realty Group. Please contact Karen directly for a private tour of this property.

Well that’s all from Tarrant County this week, Dirty Readers. Remember, if you have comments, questions, or ideas for future stories – I’m always here to listen!  Bring it.

Seth Fowler is a licensed real estate sales professional with Williams Trew Real Estate in Fort Worth.  Statements and opinions are his own.  Seth has been involved in the home sales and real estate business in DFW since 2004.  He and his family have lived in the Fort Worth area for over 14 years.  Also, Seth loves bow ties.  You can reach Seth at 817.980.6636 or [email protected].