HISTORy

The history of Fort Worth's Near Southside dates back to just a few decades after the city was founded in 1849.

Although commonly known today as home to Fort Worth's Medical District with five major hospitals, the area originally was much more of a neighborhood than an employment center.

At the city's founding, the Trinity River formed a natural border to the north of Downtown, causing development to head south in the late 1800s, with Fairmount becoming Fort Worth's first-tier streetcar suburb.

The Near Southside soon developerd into a mixed-income community with neighborhood-supporting stores, offices, and institutions.

Early on the neighborhood was the home to doctors, lawyers, railroad workers and educators.   It was conveniently located near Downtown, and trolley lines carried residents along streets such as Magnolia Ave., College Ave., Fairmount Ave. and Hemphill St.

A traditional urban street grid created a very walkable district, and the neighborhood consisted primarily of frame bungalows, with larger homes and apartment houses comfortably intermingled.

After World War II, residential growth shifted to outlying areas, leaving the Near Southside vulnerable to industrial development, which replaced houses and many local businesses. Over the years, the neighborhood began to decline due to isolation, disrepair, and suburbanization.

In addition, misguided roadway expansion projects within the district removed the wide sidewalks and street trees along the Near Southside's major streets, as traffic engineers focused only on moving vehicles through the area as quickly as possible.The hospitals and medical clinics continued to operate and expand, but by the 1980s they saw the need to work with the City and a local group named Historic Southside, Inc. on a collaborative revitalization program for the district. 

Fort Worth South, Inc. was created in 1995 to spearhead this program. The organization's major priorities from the beginning have included neighborhood safety, residential and mixed-use development, and general promotion of the Near Southside.

As a result of the combined efforts of hundreds of businesses and neighborhood leaders, the Near Southside has enjoyed an impressive renaissance over the last decade.  The district has retained its eclectic and diverse character while attracting new businesses and residents that are looking for an exciting urban environment and an alternative to the suburbs.

Property owners have banded together to improve building facades and streetscapes, transforming the appearance of the district and creating value for investors.

Progress can now be seen all over as new businesses continue to relocate to the Near Southside and new residents recognize the advantages and appeal of urban living.

Things are definitely looking up, and the next decade promises even greater progress.