This historic Winnetka Heights Arts and Crafts-inspired charmer is an excellent example of how and why historic preservation takes a village. Uncovering the history of a home can be as challenging as ensuring it has appropriate updates.
We have so many great tools to discover our history, from the Dallas Public Library’s newspaper archives and Sanborne maps to Preservation Dallas and the University of North Texas, The Portal to Texas History.
However, In many situations, neighbors and former owners are the best resources on a home’s history. Such is the case for this sweet historic Winnetka Heights home, and kudos to eXp Realty‘s Evan Downey, of the Evan Downey Real Estate Group, who got the dirt for us!
One of the things we often find inaccurate is a home’s construction date. In this instance, the tax records have 1925 as the build date, but digging reveals it was actually built in early 1912 for Nancy and Willard Ballard. There are myriad reasons for this, but that’s another story!
Over the years, this home has had at least 20 owners and multiple boarders. At one point, it was even split into four different apartments. This change resulted in the Arts and Crafts patchwork mix of eclectic styles on the facade.
There’s a bit of Prairie, a bit of Foursquare, and some Victorian influence on the home’s exterior.
Update After Update in Historic Winnetka Heights
Silas and Susie Fuller lived here for 23 years. Silas was a retired construction foreman for the Austin Bridge Company. Although Silas died in 1948, Susie continued to live in the home until 1963.
An addition in the 1940s, likely prior to Fuller’s residency, created a half bath downstairs and a back porch. A full bath was added upstairs to the primary bedroom, and an addition was made above the lower porch to the sleeping porch, where the primary closet is now located.
A more extensive second addition in the 2000s included enclosing the original back porch, adding a family room, and a more expansive back porch.
In 2018 this historic Winnetka Heights charmer underwent a significant renovation with a new kitchen, an open concept family room, and updated bathrooms.
A ventless fireplace was added as well as all the things you cannot see, but are so essential, like new plumbing and a new electrical panel.
Between 2018 and 2020, the exterior landscaping was updated, and an oversized garage with storage space was added. The 2,645-square-foot home now has three bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms.
“It’s such a charmer,” Downey said. “They did such a good job keeping the integrity of the historic home and updating it appropriately.”
Thinking back to that 1912 build date, it’s a testament to the village of folks that saw this home’s value, appreciated the eclectic character, and went on to update it for the way we live in a home today.
It’s also a testament to why historic and preservation districts matter. Keeping the integrity of our neighborhoods intact means our history is preserved for future generations, and value remains unchanged.
Downey has this historic Winnetka Heights charmer at 117 S. Montclair Ave. listed for $839,000.
