Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Fort Worth is full of mothballed buildings that look ripe for demolition. But, through another monocle, such buildings may be worthy of salvation. As Historic Fort Worth releases its annual list of Most Endangered Places, nine buildings and properties might get a second chance.
Among the properties nominated is a 1920s building that once boasted a 4,000-seat auditorium. What was the second-largest structure in the city housed the Ku Klux Klan. Designed by Earl Glasgow, its features are hard to miss with a high-peaked parapet and motifs of arches. The building served as the KKK headquarters, housed membership, and is located just across the Trinity from the city’s courthouse.
“Part of historic preservation is recognizing what something was, and what something is, and perhaps recognizing what it might become,” executive vice president of The Projects Group, John Stevenson, says. “It seemed to be falling apart and waiting to be swept aside with the development of Panther Island. But, swiping away this history would be another step in hiding and maintaining systemic racism and oppression. Its demolition could have been used to suggest resolution and closure to the trauma caused and spread by what took place in this building. But letting or making a building fall down does not heal violence.”
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Ku Klux Klan Klavern No. 101
Ku Klux Klan Klavern No. 101 (1924)
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
William Coleman
William Coleman (1930)
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church and Parsonage
Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church and Parsonage (1929)
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Berry Theater
Berry Theater (1940)
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
King Candy Company
King Candy Company (1906)
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Fort Worth’s Convention Center
Fort Worth’s Convention Center (1968)
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Farrington Field
Farrington Field 1939
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Jack A. Billingsley Field House
Jack A. Billingsley Field House (1953)
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Courtesy Historic Fort Worth
Garda Park
Garda Park (1910)
The nonprofit organization, Transform 1012 N. Main Street, purchased the building earlier this year to convert the structure into The Fred Rouse Center for Arts and Community Healing. Its namesake honors the memory of Fred Rouse, a Black meatpacking-plant worker in Fort Worth who was lynched by a White mob in 1921. The new purpose of the building hopes to return resources to the communities that were marginalized and targeted for violence by the Ku Klux Klan. Some features include meeting spaces for equity and membership training, services for underserved communities, and spaces for artists.
Another nominated structure is Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church and Parsonage. The pioneering pastor of the church, Father Narcissus Denis, designed and constructed the church himself in 1929. The Tudor-revival-inspired building’s facade includes red bricks, arched windows, and a bell tower. Today, it’s owned by Sunshine Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Manse, which seeks reinvestment opportunities for restorations.
“When Fort Worth built the interstate, the Sunshine Cumberland Presbyterian Church had to move across the street from the butler,” Michielle Benson says who nominated the property. “We bought the original catholic church and now it’s a presbyterian church. There’s a deep past in trying to save the church.”
There are old buildings seizing the opportunity to be restored to create new memories, but there are also homes that date back to Fort Worth’s beginnings. One such place is the William Coleman House of 1930. Originally, the house was built for the vice president of the Fraternal Bank and Trust, William Coleman. The prairie-style residence is described as having hipped roof stands, tan bricks, and is supported by massive brick pillars. It has survived through two fires and is running on its 10th year of being nominated. An undisclosed buyer recently purchased the property to make the house a home.
“I purchased the house to save it from demolition because the previous owner had approached me to do research on the home, and I fell in love with it,” the current owner says, also adding that she and her family currently live in Austin. “It’s been made difficult to do work on the home as we had planned, but we do appreciate the nomination and look forward to being a resident of Fort Worth.”
Other properties nominated include the Garda Park built in 1910, the Fort Worth Convention Center Arena built in 1968, a candy company factory built in 1906, and the Berry Theater built in 1940. Historic Fort Worth nominated these nine properties, each needing attention and preservation in hopes of continuing their lifespan.
The HFW organization was established in 1969 and is dedicated to preserving Fort Worth’s identity through conservation efforts. They help raise awareness for buildings that need tender care through its annual Most Endangered List, where some historic properties in the city need an extra push. This year, nine monuments in the city seek nominations for the organization’s Most Endangered List.
“I hope that people see the enthusiasm around younger generations that can support a future for the buildings that they can represent,” executive director of HFW, Jerre Tracy, says. “Lots of preservation groups have endangered lists because the conversation is what really changes the future for a building. People are very creative when they know there’s a need.”
