8 replies to this topic

[John T Roberts]

Over the weekend, I wrote an article to the Editorial Staff of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram regarding the demolition permit taken out for the historic Bomar-Carter House at 1220 Broad Avenue in Rivercrest. Surprisingly, the paper printed the entire column. http://www.star-tele...eservation.html

[cberen1]

Nice write-up, John.  Can you disclose who the current owner is?

[John S.]

Nice article but horrible news. Let's see...built over a century ago and attributed to FW's premier architectural firm of Sanguinet & Staats;  inspired by the Greene Bros. iconic Gamble House in Pasadena; former residence of Fort Worth legend Amon G. Carter; Presidential guests; strong historical connections to the origins of Rivercrest. With such an illustrious history and provenance it's soon becoming a museum house, right? No...its being bulldozed into oblivion. Way to go, Fort Worth!

[John T Roberts]

This is one house that should have been landmarked years ago. I do know the owners, but we do not give out this information on this forum. There is actually enough information in the article to find them.

[Volare]

Must not be big enough to keep up with the McMansions nearby. It's tough to be a 1%-er!

[Zetna]

That is terrible. I will say that as Fort Worth gets more urbanized we will see a lot more demolition like this. It's a shame people don't understand the historic value of what is left in Fort Worth. When I used to live in Dallas I lamented all the historic structures coming down in Highland / University Park.....when I left Dallas many old houses were coming down in the M Street area and in Lakewood. It's weird that Dallas has conservation areas, but houses listed for sale many times are described as "tear-downs". As John S. had mentioned the provenance of this house is amazing, but when the city, most of its population and the owners don't care there doesn't seem like a lot can be done.

[RD Milhollin]

"When the Circle made forays into contemporary narratives, they centered on their own bohemian lifestyle. Their escapist sensibility is illustrated in three early works - a gouache, a pastel, and an oil - depicting melodramatic tableaus inspired by a single evening's revelry in October 1943. A Halloween costume party set in the stately Fort Worth home of Bill Bomar's parents provided a colorful subject for three female artists associated with the Circle. Emily Guthrie Smith's "The Halloween Party", Veronica Helfensteller's "The Host in the Coffin", and Sara Shannon's "Ballet on the Stairs" (http://www.cartermus.../artworks/12891) depict their friends as self-conscious poseurs...

Intimate Modernism: Fort Worth Circle Artists in the 1940's; Scott Grant Barker and Jane Myers


The stairs in the doomed house were the setting for these paintings.

[Dylan]

Are there any pictures?

[John T Roberts]

The Star-Telegram has one picture in the article online.  You might check Historic Fort Worth's website.