Stamps Collection - 1911 Skyline

Stamps Collection - 1911 Skyline - Detailed Description by Dalton Hoffman

Beginning at left, the eight-story Flatiron Building is in the extreme distance with the Western National Bank Building to the right. In the mid-background is seen the two-story office of Fort Worth Light and Power Company at East Ninth and Rusk (Commerce). Immediately to its right is the three-story Metropolitan Hotel which occupied the entire block bounded by Main, Eighth, Rusk and Commerce.  Northwest of the hotel is the Wheat Building, with a low gabled roof.  The white rock building also with a gabled roof, in mid-foreground was occupied by the Texas Printing Company, whose imprint is seen on many local publications of the period.  The foreground intersection is East Ninth and Calhoun Streets.  Further north on Calhoun and in the viewer's immediate foreground are seen many wooden buildings dating from an earlier era when many were euphemistically described in published material as "female boarding houses". 

In 1911, many of these premises were occupied by African-Americans, and here we see the beginnings of Fort Worth's African-American business district.  The two-story brick building at the immediate right fronted on Jones Street and was the Grand Lodge Hall of the Free and Accepted Masons. The area was served by Provident Bank and Trust Company, located just out of view on East Ninth Street, and well-known businessman William C. (Gooseneck) McDonald resided in the area.

Returning to the picture, to the right of the Wheat Building is seen the First National Bank Building. Further to the right is the then-new Westbrook Hotel (two wings separated by a ventilation area).  The domed Tarrant County Court House is at the extreme right.

View the Charles Stamps image gallery.