First House in Neighborhood Built in 1925

I have often heard neighbors discuss which house they believe to be the oldest in the neighborhood.  There have been several proposed over the years, but I believe I found the earliest house built in the newly-platted subdivision. But first, we must define what we mean by “the neighborhood.”

For better context, what we now call the Monticello Park Neighborhood is the combination of two separate subdivisions platted several years apart.  The first subdivision was North Woodlawn Terrace, recorded in county records on January 23, 1925, by H.J. Shearer (profiled in this newsletter in May 2021).  This area was bounded by Donaldson, Shearer, Quentin (unnamed at that point), and Fredericksburg.

Six years later, on August 7, 1931, the first section of Monticello Park subdivision was platted and recorded, with subsequent sections continuing to be developed for the next 10 years.  Ultimately, this area encompassed all lots bounded by Donaldson, Shearer, Wilson, and Babcock, and the larger neighborhood took on the Monticello Park moniker and remains our name today.

With that in mind, I searched for the first house built in those areas and found that the amazing English-style house at 232 Furr drive likely holds the title of earliest house built in the neighborhood.  This house was featured in a story in The San Antonio Light on July 19, 1925, just six months after the neighborhood was platted, and was specifically called out as being the first home in North Woodlawn Terrace.

Just two months later, ads were claiming that over 50 lots had been sold, so demand for houses in our neighborhood must have been quite strong. 

If you know of any earlier houses built within our boundaries, please let me know!