This history of the neighborhood plays a vital part in the identity of its residents. If you have lived in the neighborhood for many years, the neighborhood history is a heartfelt reminder of days gone by. If you have just come to call the neighborhood home, it is a way to learn more about the new community you have joined. We would love nothing more than to be able to share the history of neighborhood name with all who reside there. If you are interested in writing a brief history of the neighborhood to share with the community, please contact us! |
- HISTORY OF WOODHAVENWoodhaven is situated in the northwest corner of I-30 and Loop 820E interchange, bounded by the Trinity River on the north and CBS Channel 11 on the West. It is just six miles east of downtown Fort Worth; 30 minutes from downtown Dallas; 20 minutes from D/FW Airport; a quick commute to Mid Cities, Arlington and Irving; minutes from Fort Worth’s Cultural District and Stockyards; a short drive to Trinity Railway Express; and minutes from area schools, amusements and shopping. Legend has it that many colorful characters from Fort Worth’s days as an outlaw haven used the Randol Mill Road environs as a staging ground.
In 1866, pioneer W.J. Boaz, a land trader in Fort Worth, began buying parcels of land in East Fort Worth. Boaz had arrived in Fort Worth in 1859 from Tennessee, established a land company, and became one of the City’s first five aldermen. He sent instructions back home for the rest of the family to sell the tobacco crop, put receipts into gold, and come to Texas. Boaz’ wife helped carry food to those rushing to complete the first railroad to Fort Worth. In 1886 he began buying land for as little as $7.50 an acre as he put together the 740-acre Boaz Ranch Estate. The landmark estate remained in the same family for 103 years as one of the county’s most historic rangelands.
In 1969 this tract was sold to a group of investors including former Governor John Connally, Fort Worth oil man Perry Bass and his son Sid Bass, former Connally aide and Dallas businessman Mike Myers, and J. Fred Landers of Nashville, a publisher of religious books. An announcement was made on April 14, 1969, to civic leaders and the press that construction would begin immediately on a “model community to be known as Woodhaven Country Club Estates.” Perry Bass stated, “We hope to create on this fine old landmark a development that will be in keeping with its rich heritage and our deep affection for Fort Worth.” They envisioned children playing on hilltops where pioneers once kept a wary watch for Indians, and golfers strolling the countryside where cattle roamed for more than a century.
The investors were attracted to the variety of the area’s terrain, with spectacular hilltop views as much as 200 feet above the picturesque valleys below, and its abundance of trees. Their plans for the new community included single-family homes, high-rise and garden apartments, office buildings, retail shopping centers, and a country club. The Fort Worth firm of Carter & Burgess was commissioned to plan and execute the project. Janet Rodman, one of the first female developers in Texas, was hired as the project manager. Development of Woodhaven’s residential section began in the early 1970’s. Oakmont and Country Club Lanes were the first streets cut; and the first six houses were built on Oakmont Lane.
The centerpiece of Woodhaven is the 149-acre Woodhaven Country Club, complete with a championship 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and clubhouse, which opened on July 3, 1973. Leon Howard designed the 6,543-yard, par 71 golf course with assistance from pro golfer Terry Dill. Its clubhouse was designed to retain some of the warm, rustic flavor of the century-old Boaz Ranch Estate from which it grew. An additional two-story clubhouse was later added to service the eight tennis courts. The golf course underwent extensive renovations in 2003, including grass replacement on the greens and fairways, upgrading the sand traps and adding new landscaping. Today the Woodhaven Country Club is operated Intrawest Golf, which has remodeled and upgraded the Clubhouse interior to create a Texas lodge atmosphere.
Surrounding the golf course are executive homes, golf villas, single family residences, apartments and condominiums. The rolling hills and lush wooded terrain of Woodhaven offer a quiet small town feel in the midst of the bustling D/FW Metroplex. Being nestled in the northwest corner of I-30 and Loop 820 East, Woodhaven offers optimum convenience for work, play, education or recreation in Fort Worth, Dallas and the Mid-Cities. Through most of the 70’s, Woodhaven residents had to pay 50 cents on the old turnpike (now I-30) just to go downtown, but the road was paid for and the toll abolished. Construction on additional and redesigned I-30 ramps from Oakland Boulevard to Bridgewood Street was completed in 2003, greatly improving the ingress/egress traffic flow as well as enhancing the economic viability of the commercial corridors into the greater Woodhaven area.
Retail establishments surround the residential neighborhood, offering convenience to the community. While early Woodhaven residents had to travel to Lancaster Avenue or Oakland Boulevard to buy groceries, today two fine supermarkets are minutes away, as well as many other shopping and dining opportunities. The 1990’s saw a flurry of building activity come to the community, with the addition of new restaurants and retail stores as well as the Fort Worth East Regional Library.
The people who live and work in Woodhaven are committed to make their community one of the best in the nation. The neighborhood is a balanced, multicultural, and closely-knit community that works together to maintain its original commitment. Several organizations have been founded over the years to address special interests and needs.
The Woodhaven Woman’s Club was organized in April, 1982 by Woodhaven homeowners for the purpose of friendship and loyalty to Woodhaven neighbors and to promote the community as a beautiful, safe and desirable place to live. The Club meets on the second Wednesday of each month from September through May.
In 1989, residents founded the Woodhaven Neighborhood Association, Inc. (WNA) as a means of dealing with quality of life issues that affect the community. Members of WNA include homeowners, business owners and managers, families and individuals who regularly participate and support special events and projects that include regular Town Meeting Dinners, 4th of July Parade and Picnic, Wassail bowl parties, holiday lighting of the neighborhood, Woodhaven COPS program, Neighborhood Crime Watch and a neighborhood newsletter.
In the spring of 1998, a group of concerned residents and area business leaders formed the Woodhaven Community Development, Inc. (WCD) for the purpose of promoting economic growth in the greater Woodhaven area. While a variety of businesses and restaurants were already conveniently located at Woodhaven’s perimeter, available raw commercial land offered endless opportunities for commercial development. WCD works with investors, Realtors and property developers as it aspires to attract investors, commercial and apartment tenants and residents.
The Woodhaven Benefit Account was established in 1997 to further the education of East Fort Worth residents by providing scholarships to high school seniors who would attend Texas colleges, offering grants to pay expenses in direct support of a local university’s golf program and supplementing special educational needs of the East Regional Library. To date, over $50,000 has been awarded in scholarships and $10,000 in grants. Financial support is received from the annual Woodhaven Benefit Golf Tournament. This event is jointly sponsored by Woodhaven Community Development, Woodhaven Country Club and Woodhaven Neighborhood Association.
In 2003, Woodhaven was designated as a Neighborhood Empowerment Zone by the City of Fort Worth. The NEZ program was created to improve Fort Worth’s central city; it aims to encourage private investment in housing, businesses and services in NEZ areas by offering incentives and tax abatements.
