Fairview_The William J. Bryce House
Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas
Marker Inscription
A native of Scotland, William J. Bryce (1861-1944) moved to Fort Worth in 1883 and developed a successful brick contracting business. In 1893 he constructed this house, which was designed by the prominent architectural firm of Sanguinet & Messer. The Mayor of Fort Worth from 1927 to 1933, Bryce lived here until his death. One of the rare examples of a Chateauesque dwelling in Texas, Fairview features Richardsonian arches and gabled dormers. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1983.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
William J. Bryce left Scotland for Fort Worth in 1883 and turned a brick-contracting trade into both a fortune and a political career, serving as the city's mayor from 1927 to 1933. In 1893 he commissioned the noted firm Sanguinet & Messer to design this home, one of Texas's few Chateauesque houses, with Richardsonian arches and gabled dormers. Bryce lived at 'Fairview' until his death in 1944.
Why it matters
The house embodies the ambitions of a Gilded Age immigrant-turned-civic-leader and preserves a rare high-style architectural moment in a booming Texas cattle-and-rail city.
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Related people
- · William J. Bryce
- · Sanguinet & Messer
Themes & tags
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