HISTORY

The neighborhood known as Stonegate is approximately five miles from the Fort Worth Central Business District, and is part of the 1854 Samuel C. Inman Survey. The area is bordered on the north by the Clear Fork of the Trinity River, on the east and south by the Tanglewood neighborhood and the west by Hulen Street.

One of the early owners of the 304 acres was Matilda F. Burford. Mr. and Mrs. John W. Burford owned land and built a home in what is now the Tanglewood area, in 1893. The records show that Mrs. Burford owned the Stonegate property in 1918, and was by then a widow. A house and barns were built on the property in 1925. The value in 1939 shows to be $9,000.

In 1927, 10.24 acres were sold to the T & P Railroad, along the northern edge of the area, by the river. Cass Overton Edwards owned, in 1927, 87.5 acres adjoining the Burford property, along the western edge. The Edwards land was part of the much larger Edwards Ranch, much of which is now Overton Park, Overton Woods and Tanglewood.

The present day Stonegate property was sold in judgment to Kenneth W. Davis in 1940. In 1968 the ownership transferred to Kenneth W. Davis, Jr., Thomas Cullen Davis and William S. Davis. Cullen Davis built the mansion, the centerpiece of the property, in 1972.

As all of Fort Worth remembers, two high profile murders took place at the mansion the night of August 2, 1976. They were never solved. The property was sold to the Cambridge Development Co. of Dallas in 1983. As individual lots were purchased, protective covenants were imposed for their use. Each lot is to be for single family residential purposes only, cannot be subdivided, and each dwelling constructed there must have at least 2,400 square feet or 2,000 square feet on the ground floor for a two story structure. The Stonegate property not already sold to individuals was foreclosed on in 1988, and then bought by members of the Fort Worth Bass family in 1991. Some of the acreage on the west side of Hulen was sold in the 80's to the U.S. Postoffice, the Texas Boys Choir, and other developers.

Building began in earnest in the mid 1990's, both commercial and residential.

NEIGHBORHOOD DESCRIPTION

This former ranchland has a circular drive around the former Davis mansion. Gated entries lead into the posh developments or "villages". Many of the homes are "North Dallas" style, both one- and two-story. Homeowners Associations own the private streets, walls and common areas in the villages and take care of the landscaping, etc. On the northern edge are apartment complexes and along Hulen Street on the western edge, where the bluebonnets once stood, is now a fully developed retail area. Trees have been saved wherever possible and others are being planted. Even though the area is on the Trinity River, only the apartments abut the river.

SCHOOLS

Elementary
Tanglewood, 3060 Overton Park Drive West, 817-922-6815

Middle
W.P. McLean, 3816 Stadium Drive, 817-922-6830

High School
R. L. Paschal, 3001 Forest Park Blvd., 817-922-6600

OTHER INFORMATION

Nearest fire station: 3501 South Hills Ave., 817-871-6800, emergencies 911
Nearest Medical Facilities: Baylor All Saints Medical Center, 1400 8th Ave., 817-927-6102
Nearest Post Office: Trinity River Station, 4450 Oak Park Lane, 817-926-3497
Nearest Grocery Shopping: Tanglewood Center
Nearest Mall: Hulen Mall
Nearest Park: Tanglewood Park
City Council District Number 9
School District Number 5
Voting Precinct Number: 4182