THE DODSON HOUSE

Built in 1937, this structure was the home of William F. and Maude Dodson. Mr. Dodson served as the first Mayor of the City of Farmers Branch from 1946 to 1948.  The house served as a meeting place during discussions about incorporation of the City of Farmers Branch. Mr. Dodson died in 1949; Mrs. Dodson continued to live in the house until 1983.
There were no formal blueprints drawn for this house; Mrs. Dodson conveyed to the builder what she wanted in a house and he built it.  The interior of the house was restored as close to its original stature as possible.  However, the bathroom was converted to allow for handicap accessibility. Modern appliances were installed in the kitchen to accommodate meetings and receptions.
The house  was originally 200 feet southwest of its present location, but flooding of Farmers Branch Creek in the late 1930's forced the relocation of the house to higher ground. The sun porch, rooms upstairs, and the garage were added after the house was moved to its present location.
The restoration was completed in March 1989.

BILL AND MAUDE DODSON HOUSE

THIS HISTORIC FARMERS BRANCH RESIDENCE W AS THE HOME OF THE CITY'S FIRST MAYOR, WILLIAM F. (BILL) DODSON (1895-1949), A NATIVE OF MALAKOFF, MARRIED MAUDE GILMORE (1896-1998) IN FORT WORTH IN JULY 1917. THE FOLLOWING MAY, BILL BECAME A PRIVATE IN THE 36th INFANTRY DIVISION, SERVING IN FRANCE'S MEUSE-ARGONNE SECTOR DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR. THE DODSONS' SON SMITH WAS BORN IN NOVEMBER 1918. AFTER THE WAR, THE DODSON FAMILY LIVED IN DALLAS AND BECAME ACTIVE IN REAL ESTATE AND OIL. THEY MOVED TO FARMERS BRANCH IN THE 1930s AND COMMISSIONED CONTRACTOR ROSS FAULKNER TO DESIGN A HOUSE TO MAUDE'S SPECIFICATIONS. COMPLETED BY 1937, IT WAS ORIGINALLY CLOSER TO FARMERS BRANCH CREEK BUT MOVED TO ITS PRESENT SITE IN 1942.

IN JANUARY 1946, BILL DODSON LEARNED THE CITY OF DALLAS, WITH CITY LIMITS THEN 12 MILES DISTANT, PLANNED TO ANNEX THE FARMERS BRANCH COMMUNITY. HE AND HIS NEIGHBORS CIRCULATED A PETITION FOR A LOCAL INCORPORATION ELECTION. CITIZENS VOTED APPROVAL, AND IN APRIL THEY ELECTED DODSON THE FIRST MAYOR.  H. O. GOOD, LAWSON LEWIS, RAYMOND MILLOWAY, THOMAS REEDER, AND GLENN TEMPLIN BECAME THE FIRST ALDERMEN. THE NEW CITY COUNCIL HELD THREE MEETINGS IN THE DODSON HOUSE, WITH OTHERS  CONDUCTED AT MASONIC LODGE NO. 395, WHERE DODSON WAS A MEMBER. DURING HIS TWO-YEAR TERM AS MAYOR, FARMERS BRANCH HIRED ITS FIRST CITY EMPLOYEES, ESTABLISHED A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WATER SYSTEM, AND JOINED THE LEAGUE OF TEXAS MUNICIPALITIES.

MAUDE STAYED IN THE HOUSE UNTIL 1983, DONATING IT TO THE CITY AS THE CORE OF A HERITAGE PARK. THE COLONIAL REVIVAL ONE-STORY FRAME HOUSE HAS TELESCOPING WINGS, SLIDE GABLES, WOOD SIDING, SIX-OVER-ONE WINDOWS AND A SLENDER PEDIMENTED ENTRY WITH SQUARE COLUMNS.
RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK 2007; MARKER PROPERTY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS

Note: Erected in 2007 by the Texas Historical Commission (Marker Number 14034)

In conjunction with the dedication of the Dodson House Historical designation, May 31 was proclaimed "Mayor's Day" in Farmers Branch. All living past (and present) Mayor's were in attendance. They are, left to right, Dave Blair, Lawson Lewis, George Grimmer, Bob Phelps, and Tim O'Hare.

The Dodson House, located in the Farmers Branch
Historical Park, Farmers Branch, Texas

Notes:

• Mayor William F. Dodson Biography & Obituary & Maude Evelyn Dodson

• Link to: HistoricMarkers.com

• Mayors of Carrollton & Farmers Branch Texas