I've toured this house in the middle of downtown Ft.Worth

Historic Thistle Hill mansion will go to a nonprofit groupBy ALEX BRANCHStar-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH - Thistle Hill finally has a new owner.
The mansion's directors announced Monday that they are giving the 102-year-old estate to Historic Fort Worth, a nonprofit organization with which Thistle Hill had been negotiating for months.
Tom Lang, board chairman of Historic Fort Worth, said the group, which manages the 1899 Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House, is ready for the challenge of restoring the mansion on Pennsylvania Street, which needs as much as $4 million in improvements.
"We're excited and ready to get moving," Lang said. "We have to get out there and get community support, and we've got to raise a significant amount of money to make the necessary repairs."
Thistle Hill board members had earlier expressed skepticism that Historic Fort Worth had the financial resources to care for the house, but on Monday, board President Joy Webster called the agreement a "wonderful solution."
"We're taking them on faith," Webster said. "They're certainly working on a plan. This keeps [Thistle Hill] in the public realm."
Built in 1903 by cattle baron W.T. Waggoner for daughter Electra, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The board, Texas Heritage, has owned Thistle Hill since rescuing it from near-demolition in 1976. But the group found that wedding rentals, private tours and membership dues could not fund the work that the house needs.
Early this year, the board sought proposals from nonprofit and for-profit groups to assume control of the house. However, the proposals were rejected, or prospective owners were frightened away by the estimated renovation costs.
Lang said Historic Fort Worth has its work cut out for it. The first step of the fund-raising campaign is to make the public aware of the transfer of ownership, Lang said. Then officials will approach major donors and foundations in Fort Worth and people who have supported Thistle Hill, he said.
The house will still be available for weddings and receptions, but the group hopes to book corporate and governmental meetings, too, Lang said. "Part of what we want to do is ... get people into the house and let them see what a wonderful structure it is," Lang said.
IN THE KNOW
Thistle Hill
To volunteer at or rent Thistle Hill, call Historic Fort Worth at (817) 336-2344.

you know what I think they should do is open it up and have haunts in it

It could be turned into a shelter/halfway house to help get people off the street

why do we keep it simply because it's old? it's a fire hazzard, we cut down trees all the time that are that old but a house we must survive....

when I toured the house I was 12years old and I became frighted that the original owner's name was Electra....it just sounded 'electrical' . thatday I was flirting with my bestfriends little brother Matt while standing outside of the mansion just to the right of the pillars. on the way home i thought we could be ment for each other. how time flies and the house is still there...just looking for a new owner.....