HISTORY

Because of similarity of homes, close proximity to each other, and connected history, the Colonial and Bellaire neighborhoods, located four miles southwest of the Central Business District, are grouped together.

The Colonial Hills addition is set around Country Club Circle, and is part of the 1856 Anthony B. Connor Survey. Between 1856 and the mid-1930's, much of this land was used as a dairy farm. In 1936, J. M. Leonard, one of the well-known Leonard brothers of Fort Worth, took much of the land he had acquired in the area, and built the Colonial Country Club. Some of the land east of the country club had been platted in 1929.

South of Colonial Hills, and west of Texas Christian University, is the Bellaire neighborhood. Originally part of the 1870 H. H. Edwards Survey, most of the land was divided into lots in 1926 and developed by Bellaire Estates. Some of the owners of this land at the time included Marvin and O. P. Leonard, as well as U. M. Simon, for which the street Simondale is named.

As part of the 1868 Wade Hudson Survey, the land along Bellaire Drive North was owned by Fred Hammond in 1926. This land was inherited by Hammond from Edwin T. Phillips, and was originally platted into small lots in 1926, but was replatted in 1929 to become the T.C.U. football stadium.

In 1923, the City of Fort Worth developed the Worth Hills Golf Course in this area. In 1962, needing more campus space, T.C.U.'s President, Dr. M. E. Sadler, made a trade with the city. He agreed to pay a large sum for the golf course so that the city could buy land near Benbrook Lake for a municipal course, if the city would pay an equal sum to make a boulevard around the new campus. This boulevard is now part of Stadium Drive and Bellaire Drive South.

Both the Colonial and Bellaire neighborhoods were surveyed for platting by Brookes Baker, a surveyor in Fort Worth since 1880.

NEIGHBORHOOD DESCRIPTION

Large two-story Colonial, Spanish and Tudor style homes dominate the Colonial and Bellaire neighborhoods. These styles mix with ranch-style homes along Simondale and Alton Road. At the southern end of these neighborhoods, these designs are set among prairie cottage style homes. Many of the homes in this area are made of stucco or brick, and many also have tile roofs and basements.

The streets are curving, following the contours of the land. On Simondale, bluff lots overlook a spectacular view of the river valley and Fort Worth's west side. Much of Colonial Parkway lots have views of the club golf course.

SCHOOLS

Elementary
Tanglewood, 3060 Overton Park W., 817-922-6815

Middle
W. P. McLean, 3816 Stadium Dr., 817-922-6830

High School
R. L. Paschal, 3001 Forest Park Blvd., 817-922-6600

OTHER INFORMATION

Nearest Fire Station: 3501 South Hills Ave., 817-871-6800, emergencies 911
Nearest Medical Facilities: Baylor All Saints Medical Center, 1400 Eighth Ave., 817-927-6102
Nearest Post Office: Trinity River Station, 4450 Oak Park Lane, 817-926-3497
Nearest Grocery Shopping: Westcliff Center
Nearest Mall: Hulen Mall
Nearest Park: Forest Park
City Council District Number: 9
School District Number: 5
Voting Precinct Number: 4095 (Colonial area), 1081 ( Bellaire area)