A.H. Belo House
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Prominent newspaper publisher Alfred Horatio Belo (1839-1901) was born in North Carolina. He attained the rank of colonel in the Confederate army and came to Texas at the close of the Civil War (1861-65). He went to work for the "Galveston News" and bought out the operation in a few years. In 1885 he opened a "News" branch here, which grew into the prestigious "Dallas Morning News". Looking for a homesite suited to their position, the family selected Ross Avenue, then the city's most elegant address. Belo's wife Nettie (Ennis) (d. 1913) bought a home here in 1888 from A.W. Childress. It was replaced in the 1890s by this Classical Revival residence. Designed by Herbert M. Greene, it reflects influences of the Belo family home in North Carolina. After their marriage in 1900, A.H. Belo, Jr. and his bride Helen (Ponder) came to live with his parents. Members of the Belo family resided here until 1922. Additions were made to the rear and side of the house during the nearly 50 years it was used as a funeral home. Recorded Texas Historical Landmark - 1979
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Alfred Horatio Belo, a North Carolina–born Confederate colonel, came to Texas after the Civil War and rose through the Galveston News to build a publishing empire, launching the Dallas Morning News in 1885. Seeking a home worthy of their standing, the Belos settled on Ross Avenue, Dallas's most fashionable street, and by the 1890s raised this Classical Revival residence echoing the family's North Carolina roots. The family lived here until 1922, after which the house served for decades as a funeral home.
Why it matters
As the home of the founder of the Dallas Morning News, the house is tied to the rise of the Texas press and the growth of Dallas into a major American city.
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Related people
- · Alfred Horatio Belo
Themes & tags
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