The Brettonwoods Neighborhood: History
Prior to the 1950's the place now known as Brettonwoods was farmland and woods nestled along Crow Creek. The area's rich history includes being home to Col W.M. Crow who in 1891, as both attorney and area landowner, represented Oak Cliff when the legality of it's incorporation was challenged. Brettonwoods also play a significant role in early north Texas energy development by providing right of way to one of the first interstate natural gas transmission lines in the United States. From 1926 until it was formally decommissioned in 1999, the historic Magnolia Index #1 pipeline fueled power plants and manufacturing for generations throughout Dallas and Tarrant Counties. Another interesting tidbit: The modern wheeled luggage carrier was patented by an inventor living on Gladiolus in 1963. Much of Brettonwoods was originally part of the Overton farm. In the early 1950's, the Overton family began to sell tracts of land along the woodlands of Crow Creek and the open farmland to the north of the neighborhood. Despite the growth surrounding it, Brettonwoods has maintained its country and eclectic lifestyle with Crow Creek and its environs still providing home to numerous farm animals, including chickens, goats and even silkworms. The winding streets & the towering trees in the southern sector of Oak Cliff is home to a variety of houses built mostly in the 1950's, which include ranches, traditional and mid- century moderns. Boundaries are South: Ledbetter, East: Hampton, North: Kiestwood Trail, & West: Boulder. There are about 500 households, with most structures ranging from 1950 to 1960. The Neighborhood started as a Nextdoor community in May 2012, & became a Neighborhood Association in September 2014. Brettonwoods has a very active Neighborhood Association, and still has a VERY active Nextdoor community as well as four years of successful crime watch and National Night Out gatherings. Most of the neighbors say that their favorite part of the neighborhood is the trees.
