Here are the first twelve houses (all centenarians, built 1911-1915) on Elizabeth Boulevard in Ryan Place. Their total age is a millennium and pocket change:
1030, Long, 1915. Andrew Jackson Long was a cattleman and banker. Designed by Wiley G. Clarkson.
1100, Chase-Meacham, 1912. Ira Chase was dean of Fort Worth Medical College. Henry C. Meacham was a department store owner, mayor, and the namesake of Meacham Field. Designed by Clarkson.
1101, Ross, 1911. Elizabeth Ross was the widow of attorney Zeno Carl Ross. Designed by Clarkson.
1111, Armstrong, 1913. George W. Armstrong was an attorney and banker.
1112, Fry, 1911. This was the first house built on Elizabeth Boulevard. Note the hitching post. Whitford Trawick Fry was a merchandise broker.
1208, Clark, 1912. Eugene W. Clark was a cattleman and banker.
1209, Peak, 1913. Howard Peak, son of Carroll Peak, Fort Worth’s first doctor, was the first male born in Fort Worth. Howard Peak owned a store that sold stoves and safes.
1215, Sparks, 1911. John N. Sparks was president of Stockyards National Bank.
1302, Ryan, 1914. John C. Ryan was the developer of Ryan Place, of which Elizabeth Boulevard (named for his wife) was the showcase street. Designed by Clarkson.
An ad in the February 17, 1914 Star-Telegram said John C. Ryan, then living on Quality Hill on Pennsylvania Avenue, would build a new home in his new subdivision.
1309, Spears-Stone, 1913. Alexander Spears was in real estate. Designed by Clarkson.
1021, Couch-Sanders, 1914. Burr W. Couch was president of Mutual Cotton Oil Company.
1306, Harrison-Shannon, 1915. William M. Harrison was a teller at American National Bank.
This photo spread on construction in Fort Worth in the December 13, 1914 Star-Telegram shows three Elizabeth Boulevard houses: Ryan, Long, and Couch.
By 1916 the city directory shows that one more house had been built on the boulevard’s forty-four lots: 1502. Alden Coffey was a physician.
