Old East Dallas in Dallas County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Wilson Block
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 28, 2020
1. Wilson Block Marker
Swiss native Jacob Nussbaumer, a colonist in the pioneer La Reunion settlement of the Dallas area, purchased this land prior to the Civil War. In 1898 his wife Dorothea and children sold it to her niece Henrietta Frichot Wilson (1864- 1953), the daughter of La Reunion settlers.
Henrietta and her husband Frederick P. Wilson (1863 - 1923) built their residence at this site in 1899 and later constructed six additional homes as rental property. Together the houses were the center of a residential area known as the Wilson Block of Swiss Avenue. The neighborhood was the home of many early Dallas leaders, including Charles D. Hill, who became one of the area's prominent architects, and Dr. Theodore L. E. Arnold, an early Dallas ophthalmologist whose son Charles pioneered in microphotography.
The various architectural styles represented in the historic Wilson Block reflect Victorian and Queen Anne influences. The homes feature similarities in composition, including frame construction, clapboard siding, decorative shingle patterns, gabled roofs and intricate ornamentation.
Today the Wilson Block serves as a reminder of Dallas' rich
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Additional marker:
Entered in the National Register of Historic Places 1978
Erected 1983 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 6922.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 32° 47.323′ N, 96° 47.12′ W. Marker is in Dallas, Texas, in Dallas County. It is in Old East Dallas. It is on Swiss Avenue, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2922 Swiss Avenue, Dallas TX 75204, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Baylor College of Dentistry (approx. 0.2 miles away); City of East Dallas
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 28, 2020
2. Wilson Block Marker
Other markers no longer nearby. Original Site of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Dallas (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been confirmed missing); Continental Gin Company Showroom Building (was approx. 0.4 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 28, 2020
3. House on Wilson Block
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 28, 2020
4. House on Wilson Block
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 28, 2020
5. House on Wilson Block
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 28, 2020
6. House on Wilson Block
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2020, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. This page has been viewed 938 times since then and 57 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on June 28, 2020, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
