History

When Henrietta Frichot Wilson and her husband Frederick Wilson decided to build their Victorian mansion on Swiss Avenue, they acquired the entire city block from Henrietta’s uncle, Jacob Nussbaumer. Nussbaumer was a settler from the La Reunion colony, an ill-fated attempt to create an agrarian utopian community of artists, musicians, scientists, intellectuals and philosophers on the banks of the Trinity River.

The Wilsons built six additional houses on the block as rental properties, so they could choose their neighbors from among their friends. Early in the 20th century, children played in the lot next door, deliberately left vacant for that purpose. Neighbors could stroll in Central Square Park to the east - the second public park to be built in Dallas. And as more people moved into the neighborhood, houses began replacing farmland across Swiss Avenue.

As the years passed, the city of Dallas grew, and families began to move away from the area. Commercial buildings replaced many of the Victorian houses and others were converted for commercial use. The Wilson Block was the exception. Laurence Wilson, Henrietta and Frederick’s son continued to live in the Wilson house until the late 1970s. And though many of the houses needed repair, the Wilson Block survived.

Fox and Jacobs, a developer of large suburban tract communities, made a decision in the mid-70s to build a neighborhood of new homes in the inner city. While acquiring land for the development, the Wilson Block came into the company’s possession. Recognizing its cultural value, the developer made it available to the Historic Preservation League, the organization that later became Preservation Dallas. The League restored the Arnold House, named for a distinguished Wilson Block tenant, and then enlisted the support of the Meadows Foundation for the restoration of the remaining structures.

The Meadows Foundation saw the potential of the Wilson Block as the nucleus for a unique campus of non-profit organizations. After restoring Wilson Block, the Meadows Foundation and the Historic Preservation League identified and moved endangered Victorian houses in other parts of town to an adjacent block of Swiss Avenue. The Meadows Foundation also added building for meetings and other support facilities, and built a large new facility nearby to house its own operations. Central Square Park was restored for the City of Dallas, and once again became a site for picnics and strollers. And, in 1993, the Historic Preservation League moved into the Wilson House and established the Preservation Center and Intown Living Center. Today the Meadows Foundation properties house about 30 non-profit organizations on a rent-free basis.

About the Architecture

Visitors to the Wilson Block are captivated by the two blocks of stunning Victorian architecture. Common characteristics include steeply pitched, irregularly shaped roofs and dominant front-facing gables. Textured wood shingles were used in conjunction with clapboard siding. Many of the houses have porches that are generally one story and commonly extend along one or more of the outside walls. Queen Anne houses also feature multicolored paint schemes. It was customary to use three or more different colors on the exterior of the houses to accentuate the elaborate trim work.

Originally, the rear of most of the houses had screened porches both up and downstairs. The upstairs porch was a sleeping porch - many Victorians believed in the beneficial effects of abundant fresh air. The back downstairs porch was an open space for household chores such as washing, ironing, and food preparation. All of the houses had cisterns on each porch.

Tour Information

Visitors are invited to take a self-guided tour or a 45 minute guided tour of the Wilson Block. The tour begins with an 11-minute video, "Echoes History of the Wilson Historic District" in the Wilson Carriage House near the Floyd Street parking lot. A guided tour around the two blocks of Victorian buildings follows. Please feel free to bring a sack lunch to enjoy in nearby Central Square Park.

Visitors may tour the Wilson Block Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tours are free and no appointment is necessary, however groups are encouraged to make advance reservations. For more information or to schedule a tour, please call Preservation Dallas at (214) 821-3290.