Wilson Block (Dallas, Texas)
The Wilson Block is an historic neighborhood located in east Dallas, Texas. The Wilson Block was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 because of its Victorian/Queen Anne revival style architecture and historic value as one of the first residential developments in Dallas. The Wilson Block Historic District comprises 4 single-family dwellings on Swiss Ave., 20 acres, and 6 buildings. The Wilson Block itself encompasses a city block, 95,000 square feet (8,800 m2), bounded by Swiss Avenue, Floyd, Oak, and Liberty Streets. It is owned and operated by The Meadows Foundation (Dallas), a private philanthropic institution.
The houses that became the center of the Wilson Block were constructed in 1899–1902, the first being the Wilson home at 2922 Swiss Ave., a 1 1⁄2-story residence. The construction of the additional 6 rental houses followed, 3 of which still remain at 2902, 2906 and 2910 Swiss Ave. Each house is unique in layout and character, but all share some of the common characteristics of the revival styles of the late 1800s, including irregularly shaped roofs that are steeply pitched and dominant front-facing gables. The homes are 1 1⁄2-story single-family dwellings constructed of wood with milled details. The siding comprises textured shingles and clapboard. Some were built with front porches, while others wrap around to the sides. The back of some of the houses had rear screened porches on both levels. Upstairs porches were commonly used for sleeping, while the porches downstairs provided an open space to conduct household chores. The Wilson Block houses all had cisterns on each porch.
J.B. Wilson (1847–1920) and his younger brother Frederick P. Wilson (1863—1923) immigrated from Canada, and established themselves as successful cattlemen and entrepreneurs of the 19th century. In 1898, Frederick P. Wilson acquired the land from his wife's uncle, colonist Jacob Nussbaumer, who was one of the original Dallas La Reunion settlers. Prior to the Civil War, Nussbaumer acquired the land which was originally patented in 1838 to John Grigsby, an Illinois native. A year after their acquisition, the Wilson's built their residence on the plot known as 2922 Swiss Avenue. Wilson later decided to construct six additional homes as rentals, which now comprise the Wilson Block Historic District.
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