Historic Dallas, Volume 2, Number 1, Winter 1981 Page: 1 of 4
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NNWVol. II No. 1 A quarterly publication of the Historic Preservation League 1980 Winter 1981
On November 8, 1980, the Texas State
Board of Review approved the Winnetka
Heights Historic district for listing on the
National Register of Historic Places. The
nomination was then sent for final approval
by the Department of Interior.
The nomination was prepared by Alan S.
Mason, a city planning consultant, who was
working on behalf of the Old Oak Cliff
Conservation League. The Conservation
League had commissioned Mason to com-
plete an historic and architectural survey of
Oak Cliff. The survey would serve as a
valuable tool for the Conservation League
and the city of Dallas in setting future pri-
orities for landmark designations and for
establishing guidelines for neighborhood
revitalization.
The Winnetka Heights District nomina-
tion was the first action taken as a result of
Mason's survey which was completed in
October of last year.
"There was no real inventory of Oak
Cliff's historic resources," stated Mary
Griffith, founder and past president of the
Old Oak Cliff Conservation League. "Re-
search had been fragmentary with isolated
structures and districts receiving primary at-
tention. We needed a comprehensive study
and plan for preservation and revitalization
of our historic structures and neighborhoods.
"Alan Mason, a former preservation plan-
ner for the city of Dallas, had the expertise
and experience that was particularly appro-
priate for our needs", explained Mrs. Griffith.
The project began in 1979 and was funded
in part by a grant from the Texas Historical
Commission, National Register Depart-
ment. The survey was divided into two
phases. The first phase was to be an over-
view of Old Oak Cliff, documenting the
architecture of significant structures and
the distinctive features that identify a neigh-
borhood as a cohesive district. The first
phase also included researching the history
of the area and evaluating future actions.
The second phase involved a detailed re-
port on Winnetka Heights including the
nomination listing on the National Register
of Historic Places.
The Winnetka Heights neighborhood as
presented by Mason's survey, represents anintact and well maintained Dallas sub-division
of the early Twentieth Century.
The predominant construction in the area
is of wood frame, evenly divided between
one and two-story structures.
The development firms of Thomas S.
Miller, Jr. and Leslie A. Stemmons platted
the Winnetka subdivision of December 17,
1908. They named the area after an exclu-
sive Chicago suburb.
Although large homes had begun to ap-
pear in various locations throughout the dis-
trict in the years just prior to the 1908 plat-
ting, it was not until the 1912-1915 period
that the first extensive construction began
and the street pattern was developed.
Development proceeded over the next
several years, with many of the earliest struc-
tures located in the southwestern area and
later construction filling in and moving
east. Generally the streets, including Willo-
met, Winnetka and Clinton, were developed
several years after the construction along
Rosemont, Montclair, Windomere and
Edgefield. The area was essentially fully
built by 1930.
The types of homes built can basically be
broken into three categories: the Prairie
Box, the bungalow, and the cottage. The
Box predominated during the first years of
development, and homes of this type are
concentrated generally in the Rosemont,
Montclairand Windomere sections, espe-
cially south of Jefferson. The bungalows
were built at about the same period, but
continued to be used as a design choice for
a much longer time. Bungalows are found
in large numbers throughout the district.
The third type, cottages, are a latter adap-
tation. These are randomly scattered through
the district, but are found in increasing num-
bers on the later streets, Winnetka and
Willomet.
"The inclusion of Winnetka Heights on
the National Register will further comple-
ment the planned development zoning (PD
NO. 87) approved by the City Council in
1975", stated Mrs. Griffith.
"The Register listing will help us in get-
ting a City of Dallas Historic District desig-
nation and will certainly put us on a com-
petitive level with other inner city
neighborhoods".Elizabeth Chapel, a long standing black
church that has been in continuous use since
1889, has just been designated a City of
Dallas Historic Landmark. The church, a
prominent structure in the neighborhood,
has been an integral part of the growth of
the area. It serves as a visual landmark and
is a stabilizing influence in the community.
The Colored Methodist Episcopal
Churches were founded after a break be-
tween the Methodist Episcopal Church
South and its black members in the years
following the Civil War. Elizabeth Chapel
CME began around this time in the early
1880's in a brush arbor owned by Anthony
Boswell, a businessman.
The congregation soon moved from the
arbor into Anthony and Elizabeth Boswell's
house. Finally in 1889, Rev. Spencer P.
Johnson, a blind minister, organized the
CME congregation. Land was purchased at
1302 East 10th Street from Beulah Smart, a
congregation member. A simple frame
church was built and completed on Septem-
ber 14, 1890. The church, sometimes known
as Sunshine Elizabeth Chapel, was named
after Elizabeth Boswell, a prominent church
leader and wife of Anthony Boswell.
In 1910, Norman Smart, a teamster and
congregation member, helped to move the
existing church to its present location at
1026 East 10th Street.
Between 1911 and 1926, the church con-
tinued to grow from a church started by a
few families to a church that served the
whole community. In 1926, the deed for the
church was finally paid off. The final cor-
nerstone was laid and a brick facade put up
at this time.
Elizabeth Chapel which is now used by
Jonelle Missionary Baptist Church is still
owned by the CME congregation.Elizabeth Chapel CME church, which is
presently located at 1026 East 10th Street,
was originally built in 1889. In 1910, how-
ever, the church was torn down and re-
erected at the current site. The timber from
the original church was used to build the
present church. The style of the church is
Gothic revival. The building was originally
frame and looked much as it does today.
The interior of the building is a simple
meeting house style. The pulpit and choir
area are slightly elevated. There is an up-
stairs seating area that was added as the
congregation became larger. To the left of
the pulpit is an office area and the pastor's
study. To the right of the pulpit is a dressing
room for the choir with a separate entrance.
The pews in the church are solid oak. An-
other interesting feature is that there are no
internal braces, columns, or cross ties to
brace the large expanse of the ceiling.
Elizabeth Chapel has a large basement
with a ceiling height of 9 feet. This area
contains a large open meeting area, another
pastor's study and a kitchen.
Griffon Awards
The Historic Preservation League's
Fifth Annual Griffon Awards Ceremony
will be a gala evening affair to be held on
Friday, March 27 at the Belo Mansion.
Highlighting the ceremony will be the
presentation of the 1981 Griffon Awards
and election of new Board members for
the coming year.
Invitations will be mailed in February.
Tickets may be purchased from the HPL
office at $12.50 per person. The seated
dinner will begin at 8:00 p.m. and a cash
bar will open at 5:30.1'
/I
Winnetka Heights Receives
National Register Listing{
Elizabeth Chapel Designated
City of Dallas Landmarkw- - .w. ..
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Dallas Historic Preservation League. Historic Dallas, Volume 2, Number 1, Winter 1981, periodical, Winter 1981; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth888065/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Preservation Dallas.