By Stephen Elliott
Improvement of day-to-day life and proximity to our friends and family brought us to the Ridglea Hills Addition.
My wife, Elizabeth, and I moved to the neighborhood in December 2019 with the intention of continuing to be close to friends and family. Both of our parents are only a 15-minute drive each direction from our house. My brother and sister are within 30 minutes away. This allows us to be together for holidays and birthdays.
During the winter holidays, we all gather downtown to enjoy a night out of music and food at Sundance Square. Living in Fort Worth makes getting to downtown easily accessible with minimal traffic.
Two of my best friends from high school live within walking distance of our neighborhood. We switch off hosting watch parties for our favorite TV shows and sporting events. Across the nearby Trinity River, a group of friends and I play softball at the CERA fields.
We introduce visiting family and friends to our favorite restaurants. Just a few minutes away is one of our favorite burger shops called Fuego Burger on U.S. 377 where you can get a cheese ring twice the size of the burger. Just up the road on Camp Bowie Boulevard, we meet my parents on Sunday mornings at First Watch for some hearty, fresh breakfast. Down West Vickery is a classic diner called Vickery Café that makes you feel as if you walked through a time machine.
A little farther down connects you with the burgeoning area of South Main. Just off downtown, you can find many restaurants, coffee shops and bars. Our favorite spots to eat and hang out are the Bearded Lady and the Funky Picnic. Both have a seemingly endless beer list with ever-changing delicious foods.
Amphibian and Stage West host many plays and comedy acts in the area. Next door to the Stage West theater is where Elizabeth and I got married at an old tile store.
Also, within a few miles of Ridglea Hills Addition is more good grub, shopping and movies at Clearfork. We catch the latest films at the AMC theater. We have several options for groceries within a short distance. Central Market and Trader Joe’s are on Hulen. A little bit closer is the Tom Thumb off Camp Bowie and the Neighborhood Walmart, which is in walking distance.
I love getting my exercise outdoors. There are a couple good hiking trails near, just down Vickery and U.S. 377, and areas to park your car to access the Trinity River Trail.
The neighborhood itself has a historic feel to it. The houses were built in the 1950s with the idea of housing military families for the Carswell Air Force Base nearby. We frequently walk, talking to friendly neighbors and admiring the magnificent trees that appear to be a part of the original building over 70 years ago.
I am beyond happy to be living in Ridglea Hills Addition. I look forward to creating more memories, meeting new neighbors and discovering more about the area.
Stephen Elliott is a Fort Worth native and a graduate of the University of North Texas. He is a photographer and sports enthusiast. He lives in Fort Worth with his wife Elizabeth who works as a physical therapist the couple got married June, 2021.
To tell the story of where you live, please send your essay to hello@fortworthreport.org and Managing Editor Thomas Martinez at thomas.martinez@fortwortheport.org.
Ridglea Hills Addition
Total population: 613
Female: 43% | Male: 57%
Age
0-9: 18%
10-19: 4.4%
20-29: 5%
30-39: 19%
40-49: 13%
50-59: 11%
60-69: 8%
70-79: 14%
Education
No degree: 6%
High school: 20%
Some college: 35%
Bachelor’s degree: 32%
Post-graduate: 17%
Race
White: 72% | Hispanic: 23% | Asian: 0% | Black: 4% | Other: 0% | Islander: 0% | Two or more: 1%
Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings: