Fort Worth’s historic Thistle Hill mansion, originally the home of cattle baron A.B. Wharton and ranch heiress Electra Waggoner Wharton, has served many citizens in its nearly 120 year history – and its work is far from done as its focus now shifts to helping children.
Historic Fort Worth (HFW), which has owned Thistle Hill since 2006, has donated the property at 1509 Pennsylvania Ave. to Cook Children’s Health Care System, and Thistle Hill’s 12,000 square-foot main house, tea house, pergola, and rare carriage house built for horses, cars and carriages will soon be utilized for meetings and programs to enhance the quality of life for patients and their families at neighboring Cook Children’s Medical Center (801 7th Ave.).
The donation recalls the health system’s 1918 roots: a founding gift from ranch owner I.M. Cook.
Rick W. Merrill, president and CEO of Cook Children’s Health Care System, said, “We appreciate this unparalleled opportunity to reconnect to our ranching heritage by preserving Thistle Hill for generations to come.”
The triple-landmarked mansion’s long history began in 1904, when it became the Wharton home. In 1910, another cattle baron, Winfield Scott, purchased the house but died before he could move in. His wife, Elizabeth Simmons Scott, and their son, Winfield Scott Jr., moved in and Elizabeth Scott lived there for 26 years.
After his mother’s death in 1938, Winfield Scott Jr. sold the mansion to the Girls Service League. In 1968, the League put the mansion up for sale.
In 1974, with many other nearby mansions abolished to make room for development, a group of concerned citizens formed the Save the Scott Home Committee. They raised $260,000 and borrowed $40,000 in order to purchase the mansion for $300,000 in 1976.
The committee, which changed its name to Texas Heritage Inc., donated the property to Historic Fort Worth in 2006 and dissolved right after the gift was made. Several of the group’s board members joined the HFW board.
HFW raised funds to restore the mansion’s interior, the pergola and the 1,500 square-foot front porch terrace. Also, the attic was stabilized with a steel beam, the HVAC system was replaced and the west-facing service porch was rebuilt. A new restroom was added along with a gently-sloping ramp that wraps around two sides of the building. The mansion is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For the past 16 years, HFW has been conducting tours for the public to learn more about the mansion.
HFW Executive Director Jerre Tracy said it only makes sense that Cook Children’s should be the next owner of the legendary property.
“With parking garages on either side of Thistle Hill, they have become the logical user and owner. Their staff and families loved our food truck park and these groups were often seen walking off stress around our 1.5 acres of park-like grounds. When we were on-site we kept the back gate open for that very purpose,” she said.
The Tarrant Appraisal District lists the value of the property at approximately $1.3 million.
Timeline of Thistle Hill ownership:
- 1904-1910 Electra and A.B. Wharton
- 1911-1938 Winfield Scott, Sr., Elizabeth Simmons Scott and Winfield Scott, Jr.
- 1940-1968 Girls Service League
- 1968-1976 Vacant, with Save the Scott raising funds to buy from GSL for $300,000. They raised $260,000 and took out a loan for the rest.
- 2006 Thistle Hill given to HFW by Texas Heritage Inc.
- 2022 HFW gives Thistle Hill to Cook Children’s