A Colony Called Dalworthington

On our way to Pantego we briefly passed through Dalworthington Gardens. This pretty little 

Dalworthington Gardens City Hall

community was a surprise, because I had thought it disappeared years ago with the growth of Arlington. There are no restaurants in this community, but it’s so near Arlington that this creates no issue if you get a bit peckish when you’re out exploring. The name, Dalworthington came from conjoining parts of the names of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington. The lot sizes in this suburb are quite large and harken back to the Great Depression. At that time people were being encouraged to supplement their food supply and increase their standard of living by combining part-time industrial employment with nearby subsistence farming.



Under the National Industrial Recovery Act and as part of the Subsistence Homesteads Division, Dalworthington Gardens was created as a homestead program, one of five such

View of the original park and lake

projects in Texas and the only one still in existence. Eleanor Roosevelt, who was visiting the Fort Worth family of her son’s fiancée, suggested that this area be included in the group. Of the 593 acres of land in the ‘colony’, 43 were set aside for a park and community house. The rest was divided into small to relative large tracts which were sold to applicants who could pay 10% down and prove they could repay their loans. The community began with about 250 members has grown continuously since then. The town was incorporated in 1949 with the original zoning regulations still in place. Even today there are very expensive homes sitting on acreage next door to lots supporting livestock. It was a pretty, although hot, day and we enjoyed seeing the area and exploring the park.

Another part of the park with common wildlife

©2016 NearNormal Design and Production Studio - All rights including copyright of photographs and designs, as well as intellectual rights are reserved.