THOMAS PLACE COMMUNITY CENTER CELEBRATES 99TH BIRTHDAY IN 2020
When the vintage brick building at 4237 Lafayette Avenue opened its doors in 1921 it was called Hi Mount Elementary School, named after the Hi Mount subdivision it’s located in. The children of some of Fort Worth’s most prominent families, including Amon Carter Jr. and his sister Ruth Carter Stevenson, attended school there. Even Mayor Betsy Price participated in after-school activities there during her childhood. Thomas Place Community Center was designed by architect Wiley G. Clarkson who also designed the almost identical Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center that is historically landmarked. As a result of the most recent bond election, the City of Fort Worth will be purchasing from Fort Worth ISD the Thomas Place Community Center as well as the green space around it.
Thomas Place Community Center opened its doors as Hi Mount Elementary School in 1921. After the nearby South Hi Mount Elementary School opened in 1936, the building was used for overflow classrooms, a nursery, and a teachers’ center before becoming a community center. It continues to provide after-school care for students from South Hi Mount Elementary, as well as offering a variety of classes for adults and children. Its well-equipped fitness center is a big draw for the neighborhood.