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Melanie Rosen and husband Ron have lived in their Park Hill home near the Fort Worth Zoo for 18 years. Ron grew up in the neighborhood, and the couple always knew they would move there one day. (Haley Samsel | Fort Worth Report)
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By Melanie Rosen

Our family’s history in the Park Hill neighborhood began in 1942. When my husband was 2 years old, he moved into Park Hill with his parents. He talks about it being a great place to grow up in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, making lifelong friends.

It was a time when kids could play outside all day and ride their bikes anywhere in the neighborhood. My husband and his friends had a hideout across the street from his house on the land above the Fort Worth Zoo. We’re pretty sure it’s still in the shrubbery somewhere.

The vacant land areas continue to be put to good use. It’s not unusual to see neighbors playing with their children and dogs. Pick up games of soccer, football, baseball or other activities often take place. We appreciate the zoo sharing their land.

After my husband and I married, we lived in a couple of other neighborhoods for many years. However, my mother-in-law continued to live in Park Hill. Our children have wonderful memories of times spent with their grandmother in this special neighborhood. 

My husband and I knew that someday we wanted to live in Park Hill, so we purchased my mother-in-law’s house when she was ready to move. Her house didn’t really meet our needs, since we were empty nesters. We gave the house to a friend who moved it to Aledo, where it still stands today. 

In 2005, we built our house on the lot where my husband spent his childhood. Now our grandchildren visit us like our children visited their grandmother.

Park Hill is still a wonderful place to live and raise a family. There are many young families living in the neighborhood now. Park Hill is a small neighborhood in the heart of Fort Worth. It has sidewalks, making a daily walk with family, friends, dogs or just alone, most enjoyable. It’s also nice to sit on our front porch and speak to people as they walk by. We are close to TCU and often welcome students on their walks.

While the location and layout are important, as with many neighborhoods, it’s the people that make Park Hill special. We have a very active neighborhood association that fills each year with many opportunities to gather. There are happy hours several months of the year when neighbors open their homes and provide a few appetizers. The rest of us just bring our beverage of choice.

There is a small area of land in the middle of Park Hill lovingly called The Triangle. Many activities take place there and many volunteers help take care of it. In April there is a spring event. We celebrate July 4th with a parade that culminates with a party at The Triangle. 

Every May a family hosts a fabulous Cinco de Mayo party for the whole neighborhood. With October comes a Halloween party, getting everyone together before neighborhood trick or treating. The Triangle is definitely a favorite place to celebrate.

At the end of November several dedicated volunteers get together to “Decorate the Hill” with holiday wreaths on the entry gates and every lamp post. These same volunteers take down the decorations and return them to one neighbor’s attic for storage until the next year. Also, during the holidays, we celebrate with an “adult” party.

It does sound like Park Hill is the party neighborhood, but we also participate in charitable endeavors. For many holiday seasons we have bought, wrapped and delivered gifts for students and teachers at Hubbard Heights Elementary School. This is a huge project, but we never fail to have volunteers who step up and make it a success. The students and teachers are so appreciative and write such sweet thank you notes. 

We have neighbors who organize blood drives, and there are several who collect donations for various charities at their home and then deliver to the charities. One family donated a pet waste station for all of our dog walkers. The rest of us really appreciate the fact that the family also services the station. Our neighbors see a need and do something about it. 

Another family takes care of the flag in The Triangle. Other neighbors freshen the flowerbeds at each of the Park Hill gates. There are so many wonderful people that take such good care of our neighborhood for the rest of us.

Park Hill is an old-fashioned, modern neighborhood. It has young people just starting their families, others who are well into child rearing and many of us who are enjoying senior life. We bring in each other’s mail, we borrow a cup of sugar, we check on our neighbor. We care about our neighborhood and our community.

Park Hill is a neighborhood with a heart and a soul — a place with a rich history and an exciting future.

Melanie Rosen, a retired preschool educator, has lived in Park Hill with her husband, Ron, since 2005. 

Park Hill

Total population: 1,085Female: 64% | Male: 36%

Age0-9: 11%10-19: 9%20-29: 15%30-39: 9%40-49: 6%50-59: 17%60-69: 9%70-79: 20%80 and older: 4%

EducationNo degree: 2%High school: 1%Some college: 19%Bachelor’s degree: 53%Post-graduate: 25%

RaceWhite: 94% | Hispanic: 5% | Native American: 1%