Fort Worth's efforts to preserve its past are taking a concrete form, with two buildings within the Butler Place public housing community and an adjacent school earning historic designations. In decisions aimed at acknowledging and safeguarding the city's African American heritage, these structures will now enjoy the protections and opportunities that come with being marked as Historic and Cultural Landmarks.

According to the City of Fort Worth, the City Council's nod of approval for these designations aligns with proposals from Fort Worth Housing Solutions— the current owners of the properties. The city's Historic and Cultural Landmarks Commission had previously given these designations a green light in February.

The historic school at 1201 E. 13th St. that was originally I.M. Terrell High School and then became Carver-Hamilton Elementary School, along with buildings at 1715-1750 and 1801-1825 Stephenson St., form the crux of this preservation effort. These properties aren't just any old buildings, they are testaments to bygone eras and community cornerstones within Fort Worth's Black community.

There's something at stake here beyond nostalgia. With the historical labels sewn onto its bricks, the site is now eligible for a 10-year property tax freeze, subject to substantial rehabilitation. Moreover, "having the designation means the property will be eligible for a 10-year property tax freeze if a substantial rehabilitation project is undertaken on the structures," reported the City of Fort Worth.

Peeling back the layers of this story reveals a few figures. Built to combat housing crises amid the Great Depression, Butler Place originally consisted of more than 400 apartments when it was erected in 1939. The chapter closed for its residents a couple of years ago, in 2020, and Fort Worth Housing Solutions called the school building its home between 1995 and 2022. The 42-acre slice of history sits sandwiched between I-30, I-35, and Hwy. 287, a stone's throw from downtown in Council District 8.