8 replies to this topic

[Austin55]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm looking to compile a list of fun and interesting facts about Fort Worth that might not be well known, a bit more obscure than common knowledge. Does anyone have any good leads? 

An example - the Drumstick was invented here -> https://www.star-tel...e188446364.html

[JBB]

As the article mentions, the Lemon Chill was developed for Six Flags by a Fort Worth restaurant owner. It was eventually sold off to mass producers.

[wtd67]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm looking to compile a list of fun and interesting facts about Fort Worth that might not be well known, a bit more obscure than common knowledge. Does anyone have any good leads? 

An example - the Drumstick was invented here -> https://www.star-tel...e188446364.html

 

 

Not sure is this is the same business, but here is a picture of Drumstick, Inc from the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries, Special Collections:

 

https://library.uta....cf138a2f79c.jpg

[ramjet]

The first laundromat in the U.S. opened in Fort Worth in 1934:

 

https://www.laundrys...of-laundromats/

[FunkyTownTay]

I like this idea! Would you want to include stuff like scandals/murder mystery type stuff? Or is that too dark for a 'fun facts' list? I'm interested in learning more about a few things like that:

1. Stonegate Mansion murders
2. I heard that the Park Place apartment tower was built by a cattle baron to hide his mistress from his wife. More info on that would be interesting.
3. I read somewhere that there was some sort of shady house in Arlington where a murder or murders were committed and that this house AND a building on Lancaster in Handley were built by the same guy with the same stone. I think both are still standing. There were other interesting facts, but I don't remember where I read about it.
4. H H Holmes, the Chicago World Fair Killer, coming to Fort Worth and looking into building another 'murder mansion' in our downtown.

5. On a lighter topic, if you included facts about Frank Lloyd Wright Bass house and the I M Pei house in Westover Hills, that would be cool. I was surprised to learn that the guy who designed the Louvre's glass pyramid also designed a house in Fort Worth.

[ramjet]

I like this idea! Would you want to include stuff like scandals/murder mystery type stuff? Or is that too dark for a 'fun facts' list? I'm interested in learning more about a few things like that:

1. Stonegate Mansion murders

​Are you referring to the Cullen Davis murders?  There are lots of fun facts on that one.  I happened to meet Priscilla Davis in a bar in Dallas many years ago before she passed away and heard lots of fun information.

2. I heard that the Park Place apartment tower was built by a cattle baron to hide his mistress from his wife. More info on that would be interesting.

I've heard that a woman jumped out of the window of that building and now haunts the place.  Don't know if it's the mistress, though.

3. I read somewhere that there was some sort of shady house in Arlington where a murder or murders were committed and that this house AND a building on Lancaster in Handley were built by the same guy with the same stone. I think both are still standing. There were other interesting facts, but I don't remember where I read about it. ???

4. H H Holmes, the Chicago World Fair Killer, coming to Fort Worth and looking into building another 'murder mansion' in our downtown.  ???

5. On a lighter topic, if you included facts about Frank Lloyd Wright Bass house and the I M Pei house in Westover Hills, that would be cool. I was surprised to learn that the guy who designed the Louvre's glass pyramid also designed a house in Fort Worth.

The Fort Worth Business Press recently had an interesting article about the Tandy's home that was designed by I.M Pei.

[John T Roberts]

FunkyTownTay, I have information on some of these items.  There is a lot of ground to cover here, so I doubt I can tell you everything in just one post.  I could also see myself typing a response to these all night long. 

 

The easiest one is #5 and that has a tie in with where I was this morning.  I was in Westover Hills today and I was in front of both houses.  First of all, we have a policy to not post addresses of homes here on the forum; therefore, I will not be giving out the location of these homes here, except that I will say that they are in Westover Hills.  Some of your information is not correct.  Frank Lloyd Wright did not design any structure in Fort Worth.  His only building in the area is the Kalita Humphreys Theater in Dallas.  The Bass House in Westover Hills was designed by Paul Rudolph and the project was commissioned in 1970 by Sid and Anne Bass.  Anne was Sid's first wife.  Sid's architect of choice was Paul Rudolph, since he designed the Sundance Square Towers in the late 1970s and they opened in the early 1980s.  The early portions of Sundance Square were done under Sid Bass' guidance. 

 

I.M. Pei passed away on May 16, 2019 at the age of 102.  He designed many famous buildings around the world, including the Louvre pyramid.  He designed several commercial buildings in Dallas, including the Dallas City Hall.  Pei did not design very many residences, and in 1969, his last one was completed in Westover Hills for Charles and Anne Tandy.  This is the only I.M. Pei structure in the Fort Worth area.  If you are a fan of Pei's projects, you see that many of his designs feature a triangle or a pyramid.  The Tandy House was no exception.  Without giving too many details on their location, it is interesting to note that these two residences, designed by world famous architects sit on the same block.

 

#1.  I graduated from Paschal in 1976 and the Stonegate Mansion Murders are indeed, the Cullen Davis Mansion Murders.  The tragic event happened on August 2, 1976, so I was spending my summer vacation between high school and college.  This is a very long, and involved story, and I will have more details later.  A few of my classmates are also here on the forum and they may have something to say about this.  Back when I was in high school, the house had a reputation of being a party place.  I never attended any because of my age and all of the bad things that probably took place there.  Cullen and Priscilla Davis were going through a divorce and Priscilla was already seeing someone else.  She and Stan Farr had been out and they were attacked by an intruder.  I believe the intruder was dressed in black clothing and a wig.  He killed Stan Farr, and Priscilla's 12 year old daughter Andrea Wilborn.  He shot and paralyzed Bubba Gavrel.  He also shot Priscilla, but she recovered.  Cullen Davis was arrested and put on trial for murder.  There was a change in venue to Amarillo, and he was acquitted.  It was a big circus.

 

#2.  I'm not real sure about that claim, but I had heard Ramjet's story before.

 

#3.  I've also heard about this, but I'm not real clear on the details.

 

#4.  H.H. Holmes didn't just come to Fort Worth to look into building another Holmes Castle, or "Murder Mansion", he actually built it.  You should come to the Downtown Fort Worth Walking Tours on the Second Saturday of the Month at 9:00 AM.  When we do "Murder Most Foul", the Holmes Castle is covered in the tour.  The building he built in Fort Worth resembles the Holmes Castle in Chicago, but as far as we know, he did not commit any murders in the building.  Supposedly, it did have secret passageways and hidden rooms.  However, he did gain access to the property here in Fort Worth to build his building through sinister means.  This property was located on the southeast corner of 2nd and Rusk.  Rusk is now Commerce Street and the building sat behind the Plaza Hotel where Waters Patio and the Flying Saucer Stage now sits.  The building was demolished in the 1940s.  Back in 2015, the Fort Worth Business Press had an article on the Holmes Castle by Celestina Blok.  Below is the link, where you can read more information, including how Holmes gained control of the downtown property where he built the castle and how the building did not become a "Murder Mansion".

 

http://www.fortworth...38a3202fd5.html

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

#3 sounds like O.D. Stevens and the Texas & Pacific station robbery of February 1933. This is as detailed an account as you are ever likely to find: https://hometownbyha...nRQvTL4FYTFMJSE

[FunkyTownTay]

Thanks for the responses! Theres some fascinating information here, for sure.