Welcome to Ryan Place
The stately Ryan Place gates at Elizabeth Boulevard and Eighth Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas.
Back in 1911, John Ryan looked out at the stretch of grassland and envisioned that it could be a neighborhood with scale and distinction that would rival the Victorian mansions along the Trinity River and Summit and Pennsylvania avenues.
By 1926, Ryan Place was at the height of glory, with homes ranging from Mediterranean stucco and stone to Georgian brick. Many of Fort Worth's most prominent families lived in the landscaped mansions that featured luxurious amenities: balustrade verandahs, beveled-glass doors, Palladian windows, imported marble columns, even underground ballrooms and futuristic gas dryers.
The Great Depression ravaged Ryan Place, leaving many of the mansions empty and deteriorating. Construction stopped and did not regain momentum until after World War II.
By the early 60's, Ryan Place stretched south to Berry Street, but neglect and migration to Fort Worth's new suburbs left many homes in a state of disrepair. In 1969, 150 residents came together to oppose the city's plan to widen Fifth and Sixth avenues to provide arterial access to downtown. They established the Ryan Place Improvement Association and won the battle against the city. Slowly the neighborhood began the return to Ryan's early vision. In 1979, Elizabeth Boulevard joined the National Register of Historic Places, making Ryan Place the only residential historic district in Fort Worth.
In 1983 a group of residents gathered to brainstorm a way to bring back the iconic gates at Elizabeth Boulevard and Eighth Avenue. The city had destroyed the gates in 1955, considering them traffic hazards. The group came up with the idea for an annual home tour, A Candlelight Christmas in Ryan Place, to raise funds to reconstruct the gates. Today, the beautifully restored gates and neighborhood homes, both grand and modest, show the pride and dedication of Ryan Place residents.
Vist the beautiful Ryan Place neighborhood:
