This Winnetka Heights Craftsman Bungalow Is Credit to Brilliant Turn-of-the-Century Developer

When we think about historic neighborhoods like Winnetka Heights, we don’t always consider or give enough credit to the developers. While we give great consideration to named architects, many developers are lost to time. That’s a shame, really, because the developers are the fellows who find the land, secure the financing, and come up with the concept for the neighborhood.

When you see the beautiful block this Winnetka Heights Craftsman bungalow is on, you have to stop and think for a moment about the person who developed it. 

His name was Newton Milwee Harper, and he was quite a prolific builder. The list of real estate transactions in the Dallas Morning News archives is pages long. He was also a world traveler and a philanthropist. When he died in 1955 he left a large part of his estate to the Buckner Orphans Home. The Harper’s residence was at 6915 Lakewood Blvd., and his will provided for it to be deeded to the orphanage once his wife passed away. Having that bit of insight into the man, I believe, offers an idea of the care with which he developed his homes. Harper may not have been as well-known as John S. Armstrong and Thomas L. Marsalis, who are credited with developing Oak Cliff. Still, he certainly deserves recognition and, like all developers, had a vision.

“This house celebrates the charm of the single-story bungalow and is one of a remarkable collection along the east side of this block built between 1910-1920,” Dave Perry-Miller Realtor Diane Sherman said. “The bungalows Harper developed on this block are some of the most enchanting you will find in Dallas.”

Harper’s homes stand out because of their distinctive architectural details. If you look closely, this Winnetka Heights Craftsman bungalow has fluted columns, a distinctive lattice-patterned porch railing, and tapered trim around windows and doors. I write about a lot of historic properties and I’ve never seen this sort of porch railing before. It certainly bears repeating in this century because it’s lovely.

The front bump-out window in the formal living room has a beautiful fenestration pattern, which is repeated in the bump-out in the dining room. A bump out is basically a bay window but with a divided pane clerestory window up high instead of a full window in the middle. It’s banked by two full-size windows on either side. This is a pretty clever concept as you can then use that space under the clerestory window for artwork, which has been done in the dining room here. The formals also feature box-beamed ceilings, a pristine, original pair of handsome French doors, and an arched brick gas log fireplace framed with built-in bookcases. The level of detail is unique for a Craftsman bungalow.

The 1,532-square-foot Winnetka Heights Craftsman bungalow has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a sunny bonus room off the primary offering excellent flexibility. There is also a full-sized utility/mudroom, a spacious detached garage, and a fenced yard.

If you’ve been keeping up with what’s happening in Winnetka Heights you will know about the new Kevin Sloan Park, scheduled for completion this summer. This Craftsman bungalow is only 350 feet from it.  The park is an exciting accomplishment for Oak Cliff. It will knit the neighborhood back together and turn a stretch of four-lane road that divided Winnetka Heights into a park residents can enjoy. The park is named for former neighbor, landscape architect, and rewilding proponent Kevin Sloan, who was instrumental in the drive to create it.

What a splendid opportunity to live in the Winnetka Heights neighborhood in a charming home. Sherman has 310 S. Willomet available for $439,900.

Open House: Sunday, March 16, 2-4 p.m.