Tanglewood

HISTORY

The Tanglewood neighborhood consists of land in the low areas along the branch of the Trinity River and is approximately five miles southwest from the Fort Worth Central Business District.

The Tanglewood area lies within two surveys. The western part of the addition being part of the 1854 Felix G. Beasley Survey, and the eastern part, along the branch of the river, the 1876 James Howard Survey.

Lemuel J. Edwards owned some land west of these surveys in 1846, and later bought most of the present Tanglewood area which was known as the "Edwards Ranch" until it was sold by the Edwards family for development.

Lemuel Edward's son, Cass Overton Edwards, was born on the ranch in 1851. In 1868, he was given 500 head of cattle which he drove to Tahoka, an area just south of Lubbock, Texas, to establish the T-Bar Ranch. Cass Overton Edwards and later his children, Cass Edwards and Crawford Edwards, continued ranching in Tarrant County with extensive land holdings extending almost to the Central Business District. They sold a portion of the land in 1913 to the city of Fort Worth which later became Trinity and Forest Parks.

The original approach to the Tanglewood area consisted of a two-rut dirt road which is now Bellaire Drive South. Up to the time of development, children enjoyed swimming in the river in a deep hole which was located where the bridge is now on Bellaire Drive South near the Tanglewood Center. The Edwards ranch houses were located along the dirt road off of what is now Hulen Street and the Edwards still live there today. An area was designated as the Edwards Ranch School Site which is now where Tanglewood Elementary School is located.

The portions of Tanglewood which are now Bellaire Park Court, Marquette Court and Autumn Court were originally a dairy farm which the owner had purchased from the Edwards. In the early 1930's, the dairy farmer sold four lots on the bluff at the east edge of the property. The Edwards insisted that the deed restrictions on these four lots stipulate that the homes were to face west so the Edwards family would not have to look at back doors. These homes have their back entrances on the lane at the end of Westcliff Road South. In 1941, Dr. J. M. Lyle purchased the remaining 14 acres of the farm, gradually selling it off for development. The lake in Bellaire Park Court was his stocked tank where he fished and raised Japanese deer in the park-like area.

The Edwards family created the Cassco Land Company to help sell and develop the land they owned. Development began in 1955, with most of the Tanglewood property sold by 1957.

Land use restrictions filed on the Tanglewood addition stipulate that all houses must be brick or stone, and have at least a two-car garage attached to the house. Even though this was ranch property, it also stated that no cows, horses or other livestock would be allowed on the property after development.

NEIGHBORHOOD DESCRIPTION

The heritage of the ranchland shows in the typical architecture of Tanglewood, the predominant being ranch style. Most of the homes are single story with a few two stories here and there. The streets wind around generally following the contours of the river and the trees tower over all. This is good bottom land and very fertile. In heavy rains the area flooded before measures were taken to control the Clear Fork and branches of the Trinity River which run through the area. The bicycle-walking trail which meanders through Tanglewood is well used and enjoyed because of the shade and park setting. It typifies the relaxed atmosphere of this executive neighborhood.

SCHOOLS

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

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

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

OTHER INFORMATION

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

WILLIAMS TREW

FORT WORTH REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE

Williams Trew is a Fort Worth real estate brokerage specializing in residential real estate and offering some commercial real estate properties throughout Tarrant, Parker and Johnson Counties and serving the following cities: Aledo, Azle, Arlington, Benbrook, Burleson, Crowley, Fort Worth, Hurst-Euless-Bedford, Haltom City, Keller, Kennedale, Mansfield, Mid-Cities, North Richland Hills and Watauga.