Winnetka Heights, one of the largest historic districts in Dallas, has long been known for its collection of Craftsman and Prairie homes. With more than 600 residences, it’s rare to find a grand house here with the Italian Renaissance styling usually reserved for Kessler Park Estates and Swiss Avenue.
Built in 1923 for William F. Nicol, this particular estate sits on a gently sloping lot, elevated from the street and facing Stemmons Plaza. Nicol was an architect with the Dallas Telephone Co. and one of those rare talents that both designed and built his home.
Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate listing agent Diane Sherman is an Advanced Historic House Specialist and has long been my go-to for deep historic dives. She always goes above and beyond in her research on the homes she represents and sent me reams of information.
According to records Sherman found, Nicol was a home builder at one point. His son, William F. Nicol Jr., served on the Dallas City Council from 1975 to 1979 and founded Nicol Scale Inc., the largest measuring scale company in the Southwest.
It is interesting to think that a young man who grew up in this house went on to create the first scale to weigh trucks and one that was used during the first moon landing (and left there). He also created a scale my son and his friends used at the old Science Place in Fair Park years ago. It could show your weight on any planet, and the kids loved it!
The Nicol’s family lived here until July 1977, when the home was sold to the current owners. Think about that for a moment — when a house has served a family so well it has only had two owners, we know that means it offers an unrivaled quality of life.
A Stately, Elegant, Iconic Winnetka Heights Home
One of the best things about these large historic homes is the space. Remember, big families were the norm in the 1930s, and so was entertaining at home. Tall ceilings, gorgeous chandeliers, beautifully tiled fireplaces, and multiple French doors offer an elegance that was expected then.
With 3,552 square feet, three living areas, a formal music room, a downstairs guest suite, and four more bedrooms on the second floor, you can imagine this has been a bustling hive of activity over the years. Any home with a formal music room had to be the neighborhood’s epicenter.
“The home also has a large attic that could easily be converted to a third floor, and a detached building on the grounds that has been used as two separate dwelling units,” Sherman said. “These were grandfathered in and can be rented or used as an office, art studio, or nanny’s quarters. We had a preservation-minded contractor, Issac Martinez from River Oak Renovation, look at the buildings, and he was convinced that the area was used as stables at one time. ”
Discoveries are one of the many delights of living in a historic property. When you expand a wall opening, you might find a carpenter’s measurements scribbled on the wood, and when you replace a baseboard, you just may come across a love note that slipped under it 50 years ago. These homes gracefully encapsulate the past while our present unfolds within them.
Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate‘s Diane Sherman has this stately Winnetka Heights Italian Renaissance-inspired home at 1503 W. 10th St. listed for $999,999.
