Where I Live: I lived near Westover Hills and couldn't wait to come back

I lived near Westover Hills in 2020 in the height of the pandemic and moved out. I’ll be honest — I did not handle it well.

I had a lot of sentiment for the downstairs duplex unit I was renting; a pink stucco house over a century old with a fair amount of lovable quirks. It felt silly to cry over the dark hardwood floors, the big kitchen I had grown to love, or — maybe more reasonably — the backyard that my dog would so miss having free reign over. But I cried the hardest over leaving the neighborhood.

In May, I moved back into the exact same unit off of Camp Bowie that I left in 2020. The original departure was an effort to be more financially responsible and the startling rent increase that my box apartment presented me with made returning to Westover Hills a no-brainer.

Two years later, there’s even more to love — more on that later.

Walking the neighborhood is worth the price of rent alone. I learned to appreciate a long, evening walk during the pandemic, and they’ve only grown more important as the hectic mess of busy life has returned.

No matter which direction you head, you’re guaranteed to face a smattering of breathtaking historic homes and maybe even a few spectacular new builds. Depending on the day, a nearby park is bustling with young families (Sweet! From a distance) or a quiet spot to swing as the sun sets (optimal).

My absolute favorite route is through the neighborhood off Westover Road. It delights in the winter when it dazzles with meticulously strewn Christmas lights in the yard. It really shines in the fall as the towering forestry lose their colorful leaves. It even brings me joy when I run through it midday in 100-plus heat in the most brutal part of summer — I really can’t complain. Bonus: In the most Northern part of this circle I’ve run into deer on more than one occasion, and the views of Fort Worth are unlike anywhere else in the city.

What’s changed? The recently revamped Roy Pope Grocery is an absolute gem. They’ve leaned into the nostalgic neighborhood grocery vibe, and I’m happy to give them all of my money (it’s good for the economy right?).

To compensate for the lack of character that came with the box apartment I previously rented, I upped my interior design game while I was away. Now that I’m back, the mid-century modern/eclectic interior I’ve crafted brings so much needed life to the duplex (the house was doing a lot of heavy lifting on its own before).

A nosey neighbor moved away. My next-door neighbor lived in my unit before moving one address over, and we’ve bonded over our favorite idiosyncrasies that the pink house offers. Otherwise? Everything feels the same, and I’m happy about it.

If you need more information than what scenic views Westover Hills has to offer, here it goes. It’s a real plus to live less than a quarter of a mile from Interstate 30, especially for the work commute.

There are a lot of great locally owned restaurants within walking distance, and I wish I took advantage of them more (shout out to Mariachi’s Dine-In and Aventino’s!).

And parents — as a twentysomething with no children, I can’t speak to the schools or features of an area that might be important to guardians of young kids. But I know I’d have fond memories growing up in this warm, charming neighborhood. That’s for sure.

Evan Michael Woods lives near Westover Hills. After moving to Fort Worth from the Deep South, Evan has worked as a multi-disciplinary theater artist in DFW for the past seven years. As of January 2022, he is the marketing manager of the non-profit professional theater company Amphibian Stage.

Editor’s note: The headline and post was updated on Oct. 5 to more accurately reflect where Woods lives.

Westover Hills

Total population: 2,590
Female: 51% | Male: 49%

Age
0-9: 7%
10-19: 5%
20-29: 11%
30-39: 17%
40-49: 8%
50-59: 14%
60-69: 20%
70-79: 12%
80 and older: 7%

Education
No degree: 5%
High school: 7%
Some college: 13%
Bachelor’s degree: 50%
Post-graduate: 25%

Race
White: 89% | Asian: 1% | Hispanic: 5% | Black: 2% | Two or more: 3%

Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:

Where I Live: I lived near Westover Hills and couldn’t wait to come back

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