5 replies to this topic

[fwpcman]

I have recently acquired architectural drawings of a beautiful residence that was being built for a prominent Fort Worth family most likely in the 1930s or 40s. The drawings are by architect Curtis A. McClure and are not dated. The address is listed as 1822 Chester Street, Fort Worth, Texas. It is a two story brick home with four bedrooms and three baths. There is a seperate two car garage and servant quarters in the back.
I have checked several old maps as well as current issues and all I find is that Chester Street runs two blocks south of Lancaster Avenue and runs parallel with South Riverside Drive which is one block to the west. This area is now numbered as the 2300 and 2400 blocks and is zoned commercial.
My questions are the following. The first being, were there ever any nice houses constructed in this area? Did the city of Fort Worth ever change block numbers on city streets? Is it possible that this street actually did cross Lancaster and proceed north to an 1800 block? If that is so, this would put the location close to where the Trinity River was channeled and where the Turnpike was constructed in the 1950s. Does anyone know anything about Mr. McClure? His office in 1955 was located at 2854 West Berry Street.
With thanks in advance, can anybody help me?

[mbdalton1]

I have recently acquired architectural drawings of a beautiful residence that was being built for a prominent Fort Worth family most likely in the 1930s or 40s.

Sounds facinating! I love a mystery. Just curious how did you aquire the drawings? Tell if you can!

mary bess

[fwpcman]

I have recently acquired architectural drawings of a beautiful residence that was being built for a prominent Fort Worth family most likely in the 1930s or 40s.

Sounds facinating! I love a mystery. Just curious how did you aquire the drawings? Tell if you can!

mary bess

My sister got them out of the trash from an estate sale that had been completed and they were throwing all of the leftover stuff away.

[Holden]

I have recently acquired architectural drawings of a beautiful residence that was being built for a prominent Fort Worth family most likely in the 1930s or 40s.

Sounds facinating! I love a mystery. Just curious how did you aquire the drawings? Tell if you can!

mary bess

My sister got them out of the trash from an estate sale that had been completed and they were throwing all of the leftover stuff away.

Dumpster diving at estate sales for blueprints, and I thought I'd heard it all!

[mbdalton1]

Wow! That is truly a find, eh? Very exciting!!

Thanks for letting me know. Very facinating. Good luck with your search.

Mary Bess

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

I thought about this while at the library the other day. Looking through some randomly selected city directories from the 1920s and '30s showed nothing on Chester St. other than those same two blocks.

Surviving members of the McLure family, assuming there are any, might know something if you're interested enough to seek them out. Perhaps a question to "Ed Brice" in the S-T could come to the attention of one of them.