Historic Berkeley Place Home Offers The Best of Old And New

The Berkeley Place neighborhood is the historic area nestled among the well-known neighborhoods of Fairmount, Ryan Place, Mistletoe Heights, and University Place in Fort Worth. It is a magical area where many beautiful homes were built in the 1900s to 1930s. It is near just about everything in Fort Worth — including the TCU campus and the Fort Worth Zoo.

Things to Know About Berkeley Place

Did you know that Berkeley Place was part of the 1850 Mexican Government’s Peter Colony that was described in an 1866 land survey as “…from whence a Pecan tree 15 inches in diameter bears North 40.5 degrees East, three Pecans from the same root bears South…”?

Did you know that in 1907, a “worthless ravine” in the Berkeley Place area was purchased by the City of Fort Worth for $17,000 and subsequently was turned into Forest Park and the world-renowned Fort Worth Zoo?

Did you know that the Berkeley Place neighborhood was a “planned professionals neighborhood” and annexed by the City of Fort Worth in 1922?

A few years after the area was annexed into Fort Worth, a charming two-bedroom home was built at 1932 Chatburn Court, which is the subject of today’s Tarrant County Tuesday.

Raise Your Hand if You Know What a Batchelder Fireplace is!

This home at 1932 Chatburn Court is definitely not your typical 1920s build. In 2017, the owners took the dwelling from a two-bedroom home and added and updated it and now it’s a stunning four-bedroom, four-bathroom home of 3,245 square feet.

The home still holds many of the original elements that highlight the charm and character that was originally instilled, including a Batchelder Fireplace. The concept for Batchelder fireplaces was created in the early 1900s by Earnest Batchelder. The unique features of a Batchelder fireplace include neutral colors and intricately carved tiles prominently displayed along the hearth. These fireplaces are extremely rare and valuable and owners should NOT paint over the tiles. You’ve been warned!

Thankfully, the owners who have lived in 1932 Chatburn Court have not committed that sin and the beautiful tiles are prominent in the entry sitting area of the home.

New Features Mixed With The Old

It’s always a tricky task to merge a home nearly 100 years old with the desire to have a spacious, open, and updated home of the 21st century. We’ve seen it get really ugly over the years and it’s never pretty. What’s really sad is that sometimes the old is gone forever and costs a fortune to correctly restore.

This home is a wonderful example of merging the old with the new so that it feels comfortable and not a cacophony of styles, materials, angles, and ideas.

Let’s be honest — we might like the look and sometimes the feel of an older home, but does anyone really like a home that costs a fortune to heat and cool because of the lack of energy efficiencies and insulation? While a tiny bathroom in the primary suite might look quaint, trust me, you’re going to love a spacious closet and big shower and all the amenities out there.

Check out the primary suite of 1932 Chatburn Court. The original house was probably the size of the room!

The bedrooms, bathrooms, floors, cabinets, kitchen … they’ve all been updated beautifully. What you really need to see is the covered patio with fireplace, sitting area, and TV area.

If you still need an added layer of privacy, and like many Berkeley Place homes, 1932 Chatburn Court has an iron gate to park behind with easy access through the “friend’s entrance.”

Opportunities to own in Berkeley Place don’t happen often. Many homes are sold word-of-mouth or from neighbor to neighbor and there are always waiting lists for possible buyers on certain homes. This is your opportunity to own a beautiful, spacious, updated, and yet still quaint, friendly, and charming home in a coveted Fort Worth neighborhood.

Carley Moore of League Real Estate has listed 1932 Chatburn Court at $1.225 million.