How Do You Tour The Wharton Scott Thistle Hill House?
All over the world people have mental images of wealthy Texans courtesy of TV shows like “Dallas” and movies like “Giant.” But the truth about the real cattle barons and oil tycoons is every bit as impressive. In 1903 W.T. Waggoner, who owned one of the largest ranches in Texas and a fair amount of oil wells, commissioned the construction of a three-story, 18-room, 11,000 square foot Georgian Revival mansion in Fort Worth as a gift for his recently-married daughter, Electra Waggoner Wharton. Electra, so the story goes, first visited Neiman Marcus barefoot and wearing a house dress. The clerks assumed she was a poor farm wife and ignored her–until she plunked down $20,000 on clothes. When the house was finished in 1904, Electra became the cream of Fort Worth society and a giver of legendary parties. In 1910 Electra ad her husband A.B. Wharton sold the house to rancher Winfield Scott and his wife Elizabeth. Winfield died while the house was undergoing extensive remodeling, but Elizabeth
