Dalworthington Gardens – Dalworthington Gardens TX

Description

Dalworthington Gardens (named that for its proximity to Dallas, Fort Worth, and Arlington) was established in 1934 as a subsistence homestead project by the Resettlement Administration:

“In early 1934, the federal government allotted $250,000 to buy 593.3 acres of land south of Arkansas Lane near Arlington, Texas.  It would contain 80 sites for development (U.S. Plat and Dedication).  In June of that year, Civil Works Administration workers arrived to remove all fences and clear out the woods except in the extreme south end of the project.  On July 13, a local contractor, F.A. Mote was awarded the contract to build the houses with John T. Orr as project manager.  Mote had to promise he would complete the project in 120 days at a cost of no more than $140,000.  The smallest lot was 3.749 acres while the largest was 24.436 acres.   In the center of the project, forty-three acres were reserved for a park and community house.  Six unpaved gravel roads provided access through the project; three ran north and south, and three ran east and west (Groves “History,’ Antley 78).  On August 5th construction began (Antley 78)…

On May 15, 1936, the subsistence homestead program ceased to exist and was replaced by the Resettlement Administration in Washington, so the “colony” was incorporated into its management division…

Summer of 1937 brought the first harvest of crops to the homesteaders.  Production improved markedly after a new water pipe system and sewerage systems were installed, but only about 50 per cent of the residents participated in the gardening…

The Farm Security Administration held authority over the homesteads from 1937 to 1942 with Dalworthington Gardens functioning well locally (Congressional 19 May 1942, Antley 134).  On June 29, 1949, a majority of the residents of the colony voted to submit a petition to have the “Gardens” incorporated into a town.”   (https://cityofdwg.net/history.html)

Unfortunately, the settlement has been a victim of the teardown trend and most of the small little houses have been replaced with McMansions.  There may be less than ten original houses. But it still has a very rural feel (note the windmill in photo #8 and the girl on horseback in another).