The Remains of Quality Hill, Fort Worth

My sincere interest in U.S. history started in Angela Geiger's 8th grade class. She was tremendous teacher and continues to be one of my mentors. I gave her a copy of my new Sallie Capps book! We had a terrific discussion on the history of Sherman and Fort Worth, including Quality Hill.

A couple of days ago I visited one of my former teachers, Angela Geiger. Geiger is an 8th grade U.S. history teacher and was one of the inspirational educators I named in my book's acknowledgments. She was, and continue to be, a fantastic teacher! She, too, enjoys collecting little historical treasures and displaying antiques on her desk and in the classroom. I was gracious when she gave me a old Dolph Briscoe lunchbox from the 1970s as a souvenir. We had a very pleasant conversation about my graduate studies, her future retirement, and my new book (which was published on March 26!). Since Geiger is considering spending her retirement years at a museum in Grapevine, she is currently educating herself on local history. I thoroughly enjoyed discussing the history of Sherman and Fort Worth with her (two Texas towns that Sallie Capps once called 'home'). An interesting topic that was touched upon in our insightful chat was Quality Hill, an elitist community of affluent individuals in Fort Worth at the start of the twentieth century.

I visited Sallie Capps's house in summer 2020. The beautiful residence features a chimney with a distinct stained-glass window (seen at far right). The house was designated as a state landmark in 1977. 

Fort Worth's wealthiest bankers, lawyers, businessmen, doctors, physicians, and publishers lived along a secluded street called Penn Street, north of the West Lancaster Avenue Bridge and overlooking the Trinity River fork, at the beginning of the Progressive Era. According to an independent scholar, "if the board game of Monopoly had a Fort Worth 1900 version, the board would have Penn Street, and putting a house on Penn Street would cost you a wad of play money." Quality Hill was meticulously lined with luxurious Victorian-styled residences, including the renowned Queen Anne's House, the home of William and Sallie Capps. This home was built in 1898 and designed by British-born architect Howard Messer. William Capps, a distinguished attorney and real estate developer (and known as a 'Maker of Fort Worth'), purchased the house (officially styled as 1120 Penn Street) for a whopping $25,000 from Dr. Joseph R. Pollock, a aging homeopathic physician, in early 1910. The Pollocks were known to host large, lavish parties at the house, according to the Fort Worth Register. After extensive renovations, the house's property included a small golf green, tennis courts, and a barn (the Capps had a collection of horses and cows). Sallie loved her home and enjoyed its proximity to the downtown shops and Trinity River (prior to air conditioning, the residences on Penn Street were kept cool during the hot summers by the river's snappish breezes). Sallie and her doting husband raised three children in this house- Alba, Mattie Mae, and Count Brooke. Today, the Queen Anne's House is home to the Dent Law Firm and one of the two magnificent Quality Hill residences still standing (more information on Sallie's house is found in my book).

Today, the two remaining Quality Hill residences on Penn Street are surrounded by office buildings and churches. Imagine, this street was a hub of activity in the 1910s and 1920s...

Besides the Capps' old residence, the remaining Quality Hill home is the Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House. This handsome structure was built in 1899 for a stupendous $36,000 for George Ball, a noted Weatherford banker. W.H. Eddleman, another celebrated banking tycoon, purchased the mansion from Ball in 1904 for a 'meager' $25,000 (about $700,000 in today's money). Eddleman and his wife, Sarah Conger, expanded the property to includes servants' quarters, corrals and a barn. Like their neighbors, the Pollocks, they were known to lead an aristocratic lifestyle and host many opulent galas and parties on their wide front porch. The Eddlemans would often travel east during the summers to avoid the horrific Texas heat and visit family. They doted on their only child, Caroline Aurelia (Carrie), who later went against her parents' wishes and married Frank Hays McFarland, a humble rancher, when she was very young. Air conditioning units were installed at the house in the 1950s after Carrie's friends refused to come over and play poker in the stifling-humid games room. Following her parents' and husband's deaths in the 1930s and 1940s (F.H. McFarland peacefully passed away in his sleep on May 7, 1948, according to The Eagle, a newspaper for the City of Bryan), Carrie lived a simple life during her twilight years, wearing pink dresses and avidly supporting her favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys (she went to her first Cowboys game at age 96!). Moreover, she frequently volunteered at Fort Worth's St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Sallie Capps also attended this church) and donated a large sum of money to schools. She lived in the family house on Penn Street until her death in 1978. Today, the Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House is home to the Fort Worth Historic Inc. archives and is open to public tours/special events.

The Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House was built with Edison's electric lights (one of the first residences in the area to be constructed with such a novelty). As claimed by local historians, a sign was later found in the attic with explicit instructions on how to use the light switch: "Do not attempt to light with a match. Simply turn key on wall by door."

According to local archivist Brenda S. McClurkin, Fort Worth's Quality Hill street was also home to prominent lawyer "Major" K.M. Van Zandt, orthopedic surgery specialist Dr. William Crawford, award-winning banker Otho S. Houston, opera singer Katherine Weaver Rose, and land investor Charles Herbert Silliman, among other prosperous North Texas celebrities. The Quality Hill residents enjoyed a comfortable, snobbish, European-styled lifestyle. Yet, they worked hard to provide for their families in a dusty, and sometimes financially-dangerous world. Although many of the residences have since been razed and replaced with office buildings, the two remaining homes gives us a unique inside window on what life was like for Cowtown's most admired families.

I enjoyed "walking with the ghosts" when I visited the remains of Quality Hill.

Ornate woodwork is the most outstanding feature of both houses on Penn Street. The exterior features are attractive and the floors in each room are made of pleasing ebony, mahogany, and pine.