Pollock-Capps House
Why it's listed
Built in 1898 at 1120 Penn Street in Fort Worth, this Queen Anne style house sits on a bluff above the Trinity River. It was constructed of red Roman brick for Dr. Joseph R. Pollock, a homeopathic physician, and is probably the work of architect Howard Messer. The two-and-a-half-story house has a slate and tile roof, shingled gables, towers, dormers, and stained and leaded glass. In 1910 attorney William Capps bought it and remodeled it, enclosing the porch, adding bedrooms, a bath, a conservatory and a porte-cochere, and panelling the living room in mahogany. The house is one of two surviving 19th century residences from "Quality Hill," a neighborhood of mansions built for cattlemen and businessmen. Its companion is the neighboring Ball-McFarland-Eddleman House. The house reflects the wealth that came to Fort Worth after the railroad made it a cattle center, and it keeps much of the neighborhood's Victorian character.
Significance in brief: It is one of two remaining 19th century residences in the former "Quality Hill" neighborhood, once lined with Victorian mansions of cattlemen and businessmen. It reflects Fort Worth's prosperity after the railroad made the city a cattle industry center. It is also a late example of the Queen Anne style.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72001372, listed June 19, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1120 Penn St., Fort Worth |
|---|---|
| County | Tarrant County |
| Listed | June 19, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001372 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1898, altered 1910) |
| Architect / builder | Probably Howard Messer, an English architect (attribution uncertain) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant, in fair condition and altered; Historic Fort Worth, Inc. planned to restore it as a house museum, though a later note says this plan was dropped and an architecture firm bought it for its own use. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 32.74707, -97.34280 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72001372.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7225707
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.