A new historic preservation project in Wichita Falls displays the benefits of a public/private partnership

Wichita Falls is notably made up of beautiful parks and buildings, many of which are historical and hold a piece of the city’s past in their bones. While the historical locations not only make the city more visually appealing and represent the generational legacies present here, they also draw attention from those outside the community. Because of these benefits, the city continues to put effort into fixing up more old buildings and landmarks, and sometimes with the help of dedicated community members.

The Country Club Neighborhood Association (CCNA) is one of the most recent examples of members of the community putting their own efforts toward preservation. The neighborhood itself is home to many beautiful historic homes, many of which have fascinating histories that are unique to the area.

Wichita Falls historic preservation efforts reflect on the past for sake of the future

In addition to the fiscal impact of historic preservation, Montgomery-Gagne shared that it also sets a city apart from other cities to put the stories of its past on display – it demonstrates what makes a place unique.

Dark Roast ReportReanna Gonzalez

Currently, the Wichita Falls Landmark Commission is pursuing a historic district nomination for the neighborhood. This would help maintain the historical integrity of some of the houses in the neighborhood, as well as make them eligible for grants to repair or maintain them.

But the efforts don’t stop at the city’s attempts to preserve the rich history of the location. The Country Club Neighborhood Association has spearheaded a project to raise awareness, raise funds, and fix up the Harrison-Speedway Fountain. After just one year of educating the community about the fountain’s history and raising $200,000* for the project, the construction is finally underway.

While the fountain is owned by the city, it holds particular relevance to the Country Club Neighborhood. The city did have funds designated to repair the plumbing of the fountain, but according to Dr. Louis Wilson, the Vice President of the CCNA, residents of the neighborhood wanted further repairs to really do the fountain justice.

“It’s a special neighborhood with a special history,” Wilson said. “ We’re taking responsibility for it – we promised donors we would make sure it was kept up.”

With the support of residents rallying behind the project, the city agreed to it. Thus the project was approached as a public/private partnership. The CCNA is supplying the plans and funds for the project but the city has agreed to keep the fountain up once it’s complete. 

Wilson said the CCNA originally began as a neighborhood association intended to keep up the neighborhood. He said there hadn’t been a neighborhood association in the area for at least 60 years until the CCNA was formed in May of 2023. The focus of the group began with clean up, as seen through their “Muck for the Ducks” event. Attention then transitioned to holiday decor, and now to the fountain.

“The CCNA’s purpose is partially historic preservation and partially a neighborhood association to connect the residents,” Wilson said.

Wilson said that the CCNA’s hopes for the Harrison-Speedway Fountain project is that it will create a beautiful scenic spot for everyone to enjoy. A CCNA report on the project states that it will include “newly poured concrete and pavers, new pergolas and benches, new trees and plantlings, and the addition of a pole clock.” Wilson said he envisions it being a popular spot for photos. Even more, he wants it to be a symbol of the rich past of the area. 

This rich past is expansive, but one detail in particular makes it a historical treasure. The neighborhood was conceived in the 1920s by Hamilton-Martin, an investment company with the goal of creating the grandest residential neighborhood in the city. Many of the houses built through their efforts are part of the Historic House Tour available through the Kell House. 

From that point, it drew the attention of many, leading to Hare and Hare, a famous architectural company from Missouri, being hired to construct the fountain. Wilson said some residents, including himself, even have the original brochures for their homes which include pictures of the fountain. Hare and Hare’s fountain in the Country Club neighborhood has even drawn the attention of historians from out of town. The Hare and Hare Research and Documentation Team, led by Dr. Carol Grove of Columbia, Missouri, included the fountain in their research. 

A CCNA update on Grove’s research pertaining to the fountain said “Dr. Grove is also working to develop a Historical Narrative for Country Club Estates and a publication article that can be used in magazines/journals or newspapers.” A more recent update shares that Grove, with help from the State Historical Society of Missouri, has completed a review that illustrates how active Hare and Hare were in the Wichita Falls area, based on letters, landscape designs, and drawings. More updates on this research report are yet to come. 

The in-depth historical records associated with Hare and Hare’s work show just how special an addition the fountain really is to the neighborhood. Further, it reflects why residents are so devoted to keeping it up for generations to come to appreciate. While construction for the project has begun, the CCNA is still accepting donations, which are tax-deductible since the CCNA is a 501(c)3. 

For more information on the project or how to donate, visit the CCNA website at https://wfccna.org/.

Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the project raised $300,000. This was according to the documents provided. However, Dr. Wilson clarified that while that was their original goal, they actually raised $200,000.