Fort Worth Club Building - Ken Davis Building, Fort Worth Texas
In 1915 the Fort Worth Club, originally known as the Commercial Club, began construction on a new building to house their activities on the site of their first building, a small 3-story building built in 1887. Fort Worth architect John James Pollard designed the new building, completed in 1916, which exemplifies the 3-part vertical block type with Classical Revival stylistic influences and Arts and Crafts elements, reflecting prominent regional and national trends in early 20th century commercial buildings. In 1937, as the home of Haltom's Jewelers, the building underwent an extensive remodeling and was adjoined to a neighboring 19th century commercial building to increase retail space. The 1916 Fort Worth Club Building, which occupies a prominent corner lot in Fort Worth's central business district, served as the home of the Club for ten years and is associated with several prominent Fort Worth businessmen such as Burk Burnett, Amon Carter, Sid Richardson, and Will Rogers. As the home of Haltom Jeweler's and other retail establishments, the building also played a prominent role in Fort Worth's commercial history for more than 70 years.
The Fort Worth Club
Two generations of Fort Worth powerbrokers are associated with the Fort Worth Club and this building. The first generation established the club, defined its purpose and, later, planned for the construction of this building. This first group of powerbrokers included Khleber Van Zandt, John Peter Smith and B.B. Paddock, all legendary names in local history. These men, according to the Fort Worth Gazette, were members of a club that " … comprising the best men of the city, and their united efforts, properly directed, will result in great benefit to the city." These men and the next generation that took their place would use the club to develop, define and implement their vision for the growth and development of Fort Worth as a city and as an economic force in the Southwest.
In early 1885, several like-minded professionals in the flourishing city of Fort Worth formed a club to promote commerce and economic development in the city as well as to create a place to gather socially. On June 10th, 1885, the Secretary of State of Texas issued a charter for the new organization known as the Commercial Club, forerunner to the Fort Worth Club. The Club's charter states, "The purpose and object of the corporation are declared to be support of any literary or scientific undertaking and the maintenance of a library" As Irvin Farman points out in his book, The Fort Worth Club: A Centennial Story, "the men who built the Fort Worth Club were also builders of the city". Notable charter members included John Peter Smith, Captain B.B. Paddock, Major Khleber Van Zandt, Jr., and Samuel Burk Burnett.
The charter members included men who shaped the economic history of Fort Worth. Khleber Van Zandt worked to bring the first Post Office to the city. He also helped to bring the railroad to Fort Worth that provided an economic boom to the city. Van Zandt worked with others to establish the first public schools in the city. Van Zandt was instrumental in bringing Armour and Swift to the city in 1902. The packing industry was the first major industry to locate in Fort Worth. This industry provided many jobs and pumped millions of dollars into the local and regional economy. He was also partner with John Peter Smith, another charter member of the club, and Tidball in a bank that would later become the First National Bank of Fort Worth.
Captain B.B. Paddock, another charter member, was president of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway. He also organized the first water company in the city. Paddock recognized the economic impact of the cattle industry on Fort Worth. To that end, he worked to organize the Fort Worth Board of Trade and the first stockyards. He was also active in local and state politics, serving as mayor of Fort Worth from 1892-1900 and in the state legislature from 1881-1893 and a second time in 1913-1915.
Other names associated with the Fort Worth Club include John Peter Smith, one of the largest landowners in the county, a partner with B.B. Paddock in the organization of the Fort Worth Board of Trade and for whom the county hospital is named. Marshall R. Sanguinet, a prominent local architect and principal of the firm Sanguinet and Staats, was a long-time officer of the club. The firm Sanguinet and Staats designed several of the most prominent buildings in Fort Worth and surrounding cities.
In 1886, members purchased the original site of the Fort Worth Club (on the corner of Sixth and Main Street) at a cost of $7,000. Several expressed concern that the club could not afford the purchase, but for 28 years (1887-1915), a handsome 3-story building at this site, known as the Commercial Club Building, served as their club house. The building provided a private, comfortable location where members could conduct business deals and discuss the needs of the community and plans for fiscal development. The building's location near the heart of downtown and on a prominent corner lot was ideal for social gatherings including parades and special events on Main Street. In 1889, Governor Sul Ross of Texas, and Governor Thayer of Nebraska viewed the formal opening ceremonies of the Texas Spring Palace from the balcony of the Commercial Club.
The development of the meat packing industry, discovery of oil at the W.T. Waggoner Ranch (1911), and expansion of the railroads created a business and population boom that thrust Fort Worth into the modern industrial age at the turn of the century. On May 19th, 1906, members voted to change the name of the Commercial Club to simply the Fort Worth Club to symbolize their commitment and pride to the city. Burk Burnett and T.J. Powell brought the name change to the membership; they were also working to make the club more responsive to its growing membership and the needs of a growing city. T.J. Powell, former Fort Worth mayor, newspaperman and lawyer, had worked closely with Burk Burnett on numerous civic projects, many which were probably formulated at the Fort Worth Club.
By this time, the Fort Worth Club had grown extensively since its inception in 1885, when established " … to be the medium of advancing the business interests of the city. For many years … the necessity of an organization of this character, which can devise, consider and formulate matters of interest to the place , and by means of which a concert of action may be obtained upon any question of public import (Fort Worth Gazette, Oct. 16th, 1885)." The growing number and prosperity of the club's membership led to the need for a new building that would allow the Club to grow and accommodate more members who would be influential in shaping the economy and history of Fort Worth.
In 1915, Fort Worth Club members, Samuel Burk Burnett and Amon Giles Carter led the campaign for a larger, more prestigious Club home to reflect of the booming economy and accommodate the Club's growing membership. Carter spearheaded construction of the 6-story Fort Worth Club Building completed in 1916 to replace the previous 3-story building at the same site. The club occupied floors three through six and leased the lower floors to commercial tenants. Built at a cost of $180,000, the building housed one of the finest libraries in the state, club rooms, and a dining room on the sixth floor described as, "the most attractive and complete in every respect to be found in the Southwest".
In 1916, the club conducted its annual meeting in the brand new building. The secretary's report described the gain in active members, now numbering 216, an increase of 42 men from 1915 to 1916. Club assets totaled $363,000, consisting of $100,000 for the club lot, $184,334 for the club building, $855.36 in cash, and $177,000 in building bonds.
While the Commercial Club was "off-limits" to women, the new Fort Worth Club Building space allocated space for members' wives to use for bridge parties, small dinner parties and teas. Later in 1916, the Club's Board of Governors passed a resolution that served as an example of the progressive, broad-minded attitudes of the group. They agreed to extend limited membership privileges to women residing in Tarrant County. Specific requirements applied to female members, they could only join if they had no male in their family eligible for membership. Females were required to pay a $25 fee at application, followed by annual dues of $25 due in advance payable quarterly. Any woman's membership could be terminated at will by the Board of Governors. Many prominent women moved into the club after the death of their husbands and continued to lead active social lives as well as being influential in many civic projects. Although restricted, female members strongly influenced the Club by ushering a new era of social and cultural events to the forefront of the Club's activities. Many of the prominent families in Fort Worth used the club as an elegant setting for social soirees. Officers of other clubs such as the Daughters of the American Revolution looked forward to staying at the club or being entertained there).
After the new building was opened, the Fort Worth Club began looking for membership among the newly wealthy oil barons. By 1912, there were two oil refineries in Fort Worth and in 1917, a year after the building opened, the Ranger field had been drilled and was followed by Desdemona and Burk Burnett. There were nine refineries in the city by 1922 and millions of dollars flowing into the local economy. Independent oil men like Thomas G. Shaw (Shaw House), Sid Richardson, J.R. Penn and Floyd Holmes joined the club. R.O. Dulaney who built the Sinclair Building, was also a member of the Fort Worth Club.
On April 12th, 1918, only seven months after their arrival at the hurriedly constructed post here, the men of the 36th Division staged Fort Worth's greatest military parade as a prelude to their impending departure for the battlefields of France. The parade was witnessed by the largest crowd ever assembled in the history of Texas, an estimated 400,000 people, who flooded the city for the sight of the Fighting Panthers. In anticipation of the tremendous throngs who would be congregating, the Fort Worth Club announced that a reception would be held at the club. Seats for many of the guests will be provided on the roof of the Club Building. Taking salutes from the reviewing stand was Governor William P. Hobby. Later, at the dance in the Fort Worth Club, Governor Hobby would speak of the spectacle, calling it, "The grandest crowd I have ever seen in Texas".
Amon Carter, the illustrious civic leader and publisher of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, maintained a suite at the building for many years. He served as Club president continuously for thirty-five years (1920-1955), and is listed on the original Board of Governors of the 1916 Fort Worth Club. Dignitaries often called on him when visiting Fort Worth, their signatures recorded in the leather registry books he kept. Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited Carter on four separate occasions during his presidency. Shortly after the club's relocation, Jack Dempsey, heavyweight boxing champion, signed the contract in Amon Carter's office, taking the first step to the well-known "Fight of the Century." The signing was the culmination of negotiations begun in the building.
During his long tenure as president, Amon Carter also used the club and his connections with other prominent members to implement his agenda for the development of Fort Worth. He was continually promoting Fort Worth as the business center of the Southwest. One of his more infamous plans was promotion of the channelization of the Trinity River all the way to Fort Worth. However, many of his other civic minded endeavors meet with more success. In the setting of the Fort Worth Club, often over poker games, Amon Carter was able to convince influential friends and members to support city projects and economic development plans. Through his connections he brought many famous people to the city, some of who stayed at the Fort Worth Club. These celebrity visits brought a great deal of national press to the city. Probably the best known and loved was humorist Will Rogers, who regularly stayed at the club in Carter's suite.
Fort Worth citizens benefited from the farsighted actions of the members of the Fort Worth Club, a tradition which continues to this day. As stated before members such as John Peter Smith and Burk Burnett had a great impact on the community. Early member John Peter Smith instituted a program to clean the contaminated public water supply which threatened the health of the community. A county public hospital named for him serves Tarrant County and Fort Worth today. Samuel Burk Burnett, a legendary cattleman, donated three acres of land for a downtown city park, named Burk Burnett Park. Other buildings including the Burk Burnett Building and city streets are also named for him. Other members included Joe Sanger of the regionally famous Sanger family. The Sanger Brothers Department Stores were the largest distributors of retail merchandise in the Southwest (Singleton, Sanger Building). Edwin E. Bewley, president and general manager of Bewley Mills, was vice president of the club during 1915 and 1916 and president the following two years. The Bewley Flour Mills began with Edwin Bewley's father and continued in the family until the 1950s. Edwin Bewley was also involved in local banking and civic affairs. W.B. Paddock, son of Captain B.B. Paddock, served as president of the club in 1915-16. There are several instances where families continue their membership and second and even third generations are active in the club. Modern-day member, Jenkins Garrett is known as one of the city's outstanding advocates of quality education. He acted as the first Chairman of the Tarrant County Junior College Board, and "He and his wife Virginia donated to the University of Texas at Arlington the Texas and Southwest library that is named for Garrett".
Membership in the Fort Worth Club grew substantially after moving into the new building in 1916. This substantial increase in size and influence of the Club prompted construction of a new 13-story building in 1925. Located at 306 West Seventh Street, the Fort Worth Star Telegram described the new construction as, "one of the most graceful on the skyline of Fort Worth." To help contain costs, the club again leased the lower floors to commercial tenants utilizing the upper floors for their activities. They moved into the new building on March 1st, 1926, ten years after the completion of the 6-story building. The 1926 Steeplechase Ball became one of the first club events held in the new building.
As Fort Worth moves into the next century, the significance of the Fort Worth Club continues to grow. It is "quite unique in the nation. There simply aren't many other clubs like ours - an athletic club, a downtown businessman's club, and a hotel, all in one package". In the Federal Writers' Project, written during the Depression, the club was described as "exclusive society mainly of newly rich and second generation of wealthy pioneer families … " (Federal Writers' Project, p. 772) As well as being the oldest private continuous membership club in Tarrant County, it is one of the oldest clubs in the country.
The Fort Worth Club Building (1916)
When the Fort Worth Club members decided to build a new club home to replace the Commercial Club Building, they selected a locally prominent architect and contractor, John James Pollard and William Bryce to design and erect their vision. Both architect and builder contributed significantly to the development of the city, and are associated with the industrial, commercial, and political progress of Fort Worth.
The City Directory (1905-1906) lists Pollard as a draftsman for the renowned Fort Worth architectural firm, Sanguinet & Staats. Born in Portland, Maine, he came to Fort Worth through the Sanguinet & Staats office in Galveston. By 1916, Pollard headed his own architectural firm, Mueller & Pollard. A few of his important works remain including the Knights of Pythias Club Building (1920), part of the Sundance Square Project, and the Forest Park Gates (1917-18). Pollard also designed Carroll M. Peak Elementary School (1914) and D. McRae School (1917). The schools are similar Tudor Revival design constructed of brick with large entrance porticos and pointed arch openings.
Contractor of the 1916 Fort Worth Club Building, William Bryce, was a native of Scotland. He began his career as a brick mason developing his business to a large construction firm that erected many of the city's older business buildings. Well-known historic buildings by Bryce include the Armour Company, The Livestock Exchange, the old Texas Brewing Company, the Bryce Building, the Worth Building, and of course, the 1916 Fort Worth Club Building. Bryce was a noted civic planner and served as Mayor of Fort Worth from 1927-1933.
It was during this time that the city and the Chamber of Commerce embarked on a five-year program of work for the city known as the "One Hundred Million Dollar Construction and Improvement Program" which radically changed Fort Worth (Electric Building).
In addition to being a local civic and business leader, he played a large role in the development of Fort Worth's south-side residential district. The neighborhood developments that he was involved with include Trinity Heights, Fairmount and Park Hill. For the Park Hill subdivision, he hired the prestigious Kansas City firm of Hare and Hare as consulting planners and landscape architects. He maintained a home at 4900 Bryce Avenue, a street named for him.
Sequentially known as the Fort Worth Club Building, the Holmes Building, the Mid-Continent Supply Company, and the Ken Davis Building (1916-1989), the building housed not only the Fort Worth Club but also notable commercial tenants. The club occupied floors three through six of the building and leased the lower floors as retail space to a variety of commercial tenants. While Haltom's Jewelers enjoyed the longest tenure in the building, it was not known locally as the Haltom's Building.
George W. Haltom, an important local merchant, founded Haltom's Jewelers in 1893. Fort Worth's oldest family-owned jewelry store, the business was known as "The House of Diamonds," and pioneered the manufacture of such jewelry items as the first "boy and girl charm bracelets." Haltom's first occupied the ground floor of the 3-story Commercial Club Building beginning in 1914. Following construction of the Fort Worth Club Building (1916) on the same site, Haltom's Jewelers continued their occupancy at this location until 1960, for almost half a century. It is noteworthy that the historic Haltom's clock was first placed at the corner of the Fort Worth Club Building (Sixth and Main), following their occupancy in 1914. The ornate cast iron clock remained at this location until May 5th, 1973, when Haltom's relocated their business one block west. The clock was a street corner landmark for 59 years.
An oil man and member of the Fort Worth Club, Floyd J. Holmes, purchased the Fort Worth Club Building in 1922. Thereafter, the building became known as the Holmes Building. The Fort Worth Club continued occupancy of the fourth and fifth floors until 1926 when it moved to the present and larger Fort Worth Club Building at 306 W. Seventh Street.
Another notable tenant, Ken W. Davis, Sr. acquired a small oil field supply company, Mid-Continent Supply Company, and leased space in the building in 1929. During the next few decades, Mid-Continent grew into an international company. On August 10th, 1949, Mid-Continent Supply Company purchased the building from the Holmes family and the building became known as the Mid-Continent Supply Building. By the latter part of the 1970s, the small oil-field supply company developed from a single company into a worldwide industrial power known as Kendavis Industries International Incorporated (KIII). Ken Davis Industries continued their pattern of growth and became one of the world's largest privately owned groups of companies. The building became the headquarters for their international company. The building remained vacant since the company closed in 1989.
The Winfree Building Annex (1890)
The annex received its name from it original owner, C.V. Winfree who died in 1902. Real estate developer, Winfield Scott acquired title to the Winfree Building Annex in 1908 for $25,000. One of our city's prominent pioneers, Scott believed in the future of Fort Worth and invested heavily in the downtown real estate market. The building remained in his family from 1908 until 1997, when the present owners purchased it from the family estate trust.
In 1908, when Scott acquired the building, it became known to locals as "the White Elephant Building." The White Elephant Saloon is a legendary establishment in Western history because of a famous 1887 "shoot out" at the site between former town Marshall, "Longhair" Jim Courtright, and the flamboyant Luke Short. The City Directory shows the White Elephant Saloon occupying the Winfree Building Annex from 1896 until 1907.
The Winfree Building's first high profile tenant was actually the "second" home of the famed Texas White Elephant Saloon. While occupying the Winfree Building, The White Elephant Saloon entered its "golden age" as a first class establishment offering gambling, drinking, and fine dining. The elegant saloon interior and local custom mandated the doorman opened the door only to the right kind of gentleman.
After the saloon moved to the Winfree building it was no longer managed by a gunslinger, but by the smooth talking William "Bill H." Ward. A respected businessman, he moved easily in the city's elite circles and served as city alderman from 1892 to 1907, while managing the White Elephant Saloon. Ward also brought baseball to Fort Worth in 1888, and retained a close interest in local baseball for many years.
The Winfree Building became associated with the 1916 Fort Worth Club Building in 1937 when Haltom's remodeled, connecting the two buildings and occupying the entire ground floor. Haltom's leased the building continuously for 36 years. In 1973, Haltom's relocated to make room for the Ken Davis family empire. Ken Davis Industries was the last tenant housed in the building and continued the tradition of using the Winfree Building as an annex for their Fort Worth-based international oil company.
Building Description
The Fort Worth Club Building (1916) was designed by local architect James J. Pollard and constructed from 1915-16 by William Bryce of the Bryce Building Company. The building follows the 3-part vertical block building type and displays Classical Revival stylistic influences with Arts and Craft detailing. The first floor of the 6-story building is clad in granite (added in 1974) with the upper five floors retaining the original window openings, red brick, cut stone and terra cotta tiles capped with an ornate cornice and parapet. The original rooftop balustrade has been removed. The Winfree Building Annex (built 1890; joined 1937) was originally a Victorian era commercial building now clad with a stucco storefront acting as a base from a second-story stucco facade. Today, the Fort Worth Club Building (1916) and its annex, the Winfree Building, function as a single commercial unit. Despite the loss of the original storefront and the replacement of the east and south facades, the building retains a moderate degree of integrity, particularly in the upper floor detailing, with missing elements restorable or replaceable.
The Fort Worth Club Building (1916) occupies the northwest corner of Main and Sixth Street, originally described as Lots 9 and 10 of Block 97, Original Town of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Exclusive of the basement and penthouse areas, the building consists of approximately 30,000 square feet and is known locally as the Ken Davis Building.
The Fort Worth Club Building (1916) is within blocks of many of Fort Worth's other historically significant buildings. Some of these include the Blackstone Hotel (1929), the Kress Building (1936), the Lerner Building (1946-47, now demolished), the Fort Worth National Bank Building (1921), the Sinclair Building (1921), the Wolf and Klar Jewelry Building (1889) and the Burk Burnett Building (1914).
The 6-story Fort Worth Club Building (1916) is flanked on the north by a 2-story annex that served as expansion of the street-level retail function of the building. The 1916 building design displays characteristics of the Classical Revival style, seen in the original columned storefront and the ornate cornice, while the delicate iron-railed balconies on the sixth floor and the cornice brackets reflect modest Italian Renaissance stylistic characteristics. The colored mortar and tile window surrounds reflect an Arts and Crafts influence.
The 3-part vertical block building type is characterized by a division between the base and shaft, and the upper zone. These divisions are evident in the difference of materials and fenestration patterns between the upper, middle and lower sections. The first story storefront forms the base while the upper three stories form the shaft, giving the building a vertical emphasis. The upper two stories with the balconies, decorative tile elements and ornate cornice form the top zone.
The primary (east) facade along Main Street and the secondary (south) facade along Sixth Street reflect similar design and detailing. The first story features a red granite cladding, installed in 1974, with large vertical store front openings suggesting the building's original first story column spacing. The continuous second story window sill forms the upper border of this alteration. A deep red brick clads the main portion of the building relieved by a vertical but uneven window pattern decorated with brick patterning, cut stone, inlaid terra cotta tile and wrought iron balconies along the sixth floor windows. The area above the windows contains a heavily articulated cornice with a decorative metal soffit and a brick and cut stone parapet. The original roof balustrade, evident in a c. 1916 photograph, appears to have been removed in the 1937 remodeling, as it does not appear in a c. 1939 photograph.
The public entrance to the building is on the west end of the secondary (south) facade that is the original entrance to the elevator lobby of the Fort Worth Club. The entrance to Haltom's, once in the center of the primary (east) facade, has been closed.
The 1916 window openings remain intact although the original window sashes have been replaced with a fixed glass, bronze aluminum storefront. Part of the uniqueness of the primary sashes and secondary facades is the varied window pattern. The original sashes remain intact on the north and west facades. The corner windows of the building give a verticality to the facade by their rise from the continuous second-floor stone sill to the double-wide window opening capped by the cornice and stone panel in the parapet wall above. The area between these windows consists of a variety of window opening sizes and configurations with a vertical accent which is subtly interrupted by a fifth-floor continuous window sill and a sixth-floor wrought iron balcony.
The Fort Worth Club Building (1916) has been remodeled twice. It was first remodeled in 1937, when a limestone facade, aluminum lettering and decorative metalwork were installed on the ground floor, giving the storefront more of a streamlined moderne look. However, this facade was removed in 1974 when the existing granite storefront was installed. Significant alterations were made to the interior of the building during these two remodels, with the 1974 remodeling adapting the retail space for office use, leaving very little of the historic interior intact.
The Fort Worth Club Building (1916) exhibits some loss of its historic fabric but a significant amount of the upper floor exterior detailing remains intact and requires only the replacement of the fixed glass windows with windows and sashes equal in design to those evident in historic photos and still extant on the north and west facades of the building.
In addition, the original first floor cut stone columns and storefront, awning race, and the Fort Worth Club marquees have been photographically documented providing solid evidence for the restoration of the storefront to its 1916 appearance.
The restoration of the Fort Worth Club Building's exterior will be based on historical photographic documentation. The first floor, as well as the windows, will be replicated as closely as possible to the original condition. The interior is presently divided into office spaces on all six floors and any evidence of surviving historic interior fabric will be carefully documented as work proceeds on the building. Although not yet designed, the interior will be done in a manner respectful of the building's 1916 architecture and will convey a sense of quality, luxury, and character.
The Winfree Building, Annex (1890)
The Winfree Building annex is a 2-story brick and wood frame building constructed in 1890 and containing approximately 8,740 square feet. It is legally described as Lots 11A and 12, Block 97, Original Town of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. The Winfree Building (1890) occupies the site immediately to the north of the Fort Worth Club Building (1916). The first-floor facade consists of an aluminum storefront at the first floor. This part of the facade acts as the base for a simple second-story, undetailed, flat stucco facade covering. The original upper story fenestration and windows remain intact underneath.
The Winfree Building annex at 608 Main has been physically joined to the Fort Worth Club Building since Haltom's remodeled the Fort Worth Club Building in 1937. At this time, Haltom's expanded their business to include the ground floor of the Winfree Building, and an internal passageway, still in existence, connected the rear of the Winfree Building to the 1916 Fort Worth Club Building. From 1937 until 1989, the two buildings shared a history of integrated use.
South and east elevations (1916)
South and east elevations, including east elevation of annex (1950)
South and east elevations (1997)
