A bit of our history...

1961 – Dec 1 – Developer Ted C. Peters has finished filling up all the open lots in Edgepark Addition. He is a realtor, home builder, lumber man and insurance man who started his development career in 1949 with Sunrise Park. Next he developed lots in Southport Addition and Southcrest. In 1959 he was the Builder of the Year. He has purchased a 287 acre tract known as the White Lake Property for the development of White Lake Hills.

1962 – Mar 11 – Builder Gay E. Reed had completed at 1033 Blue Lake Dr. the first home in the new White Lake Hills Addition. Two other houses by Reed and one by Ted C. Peters, developer, are under construction. Reed will start three more houses in the area within 10 days.

1962 – May 6 – The last day of the 1962 Parade of Homes. Seventeen custom built homes are now completed or under construction.

1963 – Jul 7 – the 1963 Fall Parade of Homes, Sept. 22 through Oct. 6, will be in White Lake Hills. C. D. Nichols, president of the Homebuilders Association of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, announced this after a spokesman withdrew Westcliff addition as the host area for this year’s event. Four blocks – 600 through 900 – of Green River Trail is the area that Parade of Homes will occupy. Streets serving the new site of the Parade of Homes are already paved. The “discovery house”, a project of TCU construction, management research, also will be built in White Lake Hills and featured in the 1963 Parade of Homes. 

1963 – Jul 29 – Mrs. Floyd M. Haynes, 713 Blue Lake Dr., has been selected as Mrs. Fort Worth Home Owner of 1963. She will officially open the 1963 Fall Parade of Homes at 1 pm Sunday in White Lake Hills. She moved into her new home last December. Her husband is in the Fort Worth division for Texas Electric Service Company. She is a free-lance fashion model and does much modeling for Fort Worth department stores.

1963 – Sep 22 – Thirteen homes are nearing completion for the 15 day show. Participating builders are Haskell L. Baker, Dan L. Boggus, C.F. Brittain, Dick Carmean, Clyde Comer, W.H. (Bill) Granger, Bruce Slaughter of Holiday House, Tommy Mirike, J.B. Nelson, Ted C. Peters, Ted C. Peters Jr., G.E. Reed and Charles F. Walden, superintendent for the TCU construction, management program. Home features will include an automatic vacuum system, a Finnish sauna, instant hot and cold water dispensers in the kitchen cabinets, stereo and intercom systems mounted on the den walls. Popular features are covered patios, open gardens behind masonry walls and tropical gardens with waterfalls. 

1963- Oct 6 – This is the second and final week of the Fall Parade of Homes in White Lake Hills Addition. More than 15,000 visitors have already toured the parade homes during the first week of the show.

1963 – Oct 16 – The 1963 Fall Parade of Homes will close its 15 day showing in White Lake Hills Sunday. Six of the homes feature hand-split cedar shake roofs. Those homes are 4700 Three Rivers Ct by Dan L. Boggus, The Discovery House at 4701 Three Rivers, 904 Green River Trail by W.H. Granger, 816 Green River by J.B. Nelson, 604 Green River by Ted C. Peters, 804 Green River by Clyde E, Comer. 

1964 – Dec 27 – The developer and builders in White Lake Hills will stage a “toll-free jubilee” this weekend to mark the opening this week of the free Oakland Blvd. access to the Fort Worth-Dallas Turnpike. The jubilee will be held Saturday and Sunday, starting just a few days after the opening of the new free access that eliminates the dime fee for turnpike driving between downtown and Oakland. Four builders will have 12 new homes on display, Haskell Baker, Dan Boggus, Brad Cox and Ted C. Peters and son. Virginia Hopkins, realtor, sales agent for the addition, will have hostesses on duty in each of the show houses. 

1965 – May 23 – Mr. & Mrs. James S. Wood purchased a colonial home at 1008 Lake Charles in White Lake Hills. The house was built by Ted C. Peters Jr.  His (Peters) daughter is the wife of Wayne Scott, a designer.1966 – Jan 30 – Plat Six for White Lake Hills will have 80 homesites per Ted C. Peters. The cutting of streets will be completed by May 15 so that homes now under construction can be occupied by the new owners. Plat Six is formed by cutting three new streets between Lake Louise Road and Willow Ridge Road. The three streets will be parallel and immediately north of Emerald Lake Drive and Fall River on the “mesa” section of the addition. The new streets will be called Marble Falls, Granite Shoals and Rock River. Two hundred homes have already been completed in the addition since it was started in 1962.

1965 – Sep 26 – A shopping center with 75,000 to 100,000 sq ft of floor space is being planned for White Lake Hills. Construction will begin in October on the center which will have approx. 20 stores in 5 buildings. A motor hotel with 150 rooms is also being planned as part of the project. Developer is Ted C. Peters and realtor/ leasing agent is Sid Uberman. Architects are Kneer and Hamm. A Phillips 66 service station is already open.

1965 – Oct 10 – Work will begin this week on construction of a Lake Havasu Trail bridge that will permit a third entrance to White Lake Hills Addition from Randol Mill Road. L.D. Conaster, the general contractor for the city, will build a drainage facility 90 feet in length, using 21 and 24 inch concrete pipe with a box culvert under Lake Havasu. Ted C. Peters says that nearly 200 homes have been completed in the addition since it was opened in March 1962.

1966 – Apr 10 – Ground is broken for White Lake Plaza. The developer is Ted C. Peters. Twenty stores in four buildings covering 80,000 sq ft are planned. Principle tenants will be Buddies Super Market and Mott’s Five, Ten and Twenty-Five Cent Store. Wielding shovels were Gary Pace, Vice-president of Buddies, J. T. Gist, district superintendent for Mott’s, Robert M. Keasler of Sid Uberman Col. Real estate agent for the project and Peters. The architect is the firm of Kneer and Hamm. A Phillips 66 service station is already open adjacent to the location. 

1965 – Oct 24 – The White Lake Hills Two-Site Show of Homes will open next Sunday for a public showing of 11 new houses. It will be an all-gas home show. The builders are Haskell Baker, Dan L. Boggus, Clyde Comer, Brad Cox, Ted C. Peters & Son and Olen W. Summers. Peters is the developer of the addition. The homes will be located in the 5000 block of Fall River Drive and the 600 block of Blue Lake Drive. 

1965 – Oct 31 – Eleven new homes are open to the public starting Sunday for 8 days. Visitors may register for door prizes which will include gas appliances. 

1965 – Dec 26 – A “Happy holiday open house” for the showing of 14 new homes will be held next Sunday in White Lake Hills by the developer, Ted C. Peters and builders Haskell Baker, Dan L. Boggus, Clyde Comer, Brad Cox and Olen W. Summers. The Robert N. Hadris family at 4505 Blue Lake Court in White Lake Hills will continue a New Year’s tradition this week of giving their neighbors a mess of black eyed peas. The family has been doing this for four years since they moved into the addition as the first home buyers in the new area. 

1966 – Jul 31 – The White Lake Hills Back to School Home Show late in August will feature 11 all-gas equipped homes – reported to be the first in Fort Worth for showing all “Blue Star” homes. Lone Star Gas Co. is cooperating with developer Ted C. Peters to make the show possible. The eight builders in the show are A&M Building Contractors, Haskell L. Baker, Dan L. Boggus, Herman R. Brice, Dennis Hopkins, Olen H. O’Dell, Ted C. Peters & Son and Olen W. Summers. Eight of the homes are “on the mesa” in the 4900 and 5000 blocks of Rock River Dr., a new street on the east side of White Lake Hills. Two are “in the canyon” in the 600 and first blocks of Blue Lake Drive. There is one house “on the strip” in the 500 block of Green River Trail, which used to be a private air strip with a hanger near the shore of White Lake. This is the 2nd year of a “Back to School Home Show” held in the addition. More than 12,000 visitors signed guest registrations at the show last year. The addition is platted for 650 to 700 home sites. There are already 200 homes in the addition plus the Mount Vernon Apartments on the southeast corner of the area. Additional apartments are planned for the future. White Lake Plaza, a shopping center with 20 stores, will be completed late this year on the Oakland side of the addition.

1966 – Aug 21 – The ten Blue Star homes in the White Lake Back-to-School Home Show are: 600 Blue Lake Drive, Contemporary, built and designed by Ted C. Peters & Son. 601 Blue Lake Drive, Mexican Ranchero, built and designed by Ted C. Peters & Son. 509 Green River Trail, Spanish Style, built by Olen W. Summers. 4900 Rock River Drive, French Provincial, built by Dan L. Boggus. 4901 Rock River Drive, Contemporary, built by Olen W. Summers. 4908 Rock River Drive, French Provincial, built by Albert E. Babbitt. 4913 Rock River Drive, Spanish Style, built by Herman R. Brice. 4916 Rock River Drive, Colonial, built by Olen H. O’Dell. 4917 Rock River Drive, Early American, built by Haskell L. Baker. 5013 Rock River Drive, French, built by Ted Magnon. 

1967 – Jan 22 – White Lake Plaza will officially begin business this week with the opening of Buddies Super Market. In two weeks, Mott’s Five, Ten and Twenty-Five Cent Store will open. Virginia Hopkins Real Estate, Katie’s Beauty Shop No. 2 have already opened. Holden Cleaners No. 6 and White Lake Hills Barber Shop will open on Feb. 1. Twenty stores will be located in White Lake Plaza when all phases of construction are completed. Ted C. Peters is the developer. The architect for the shopping center was Kneer & Hamm of Fort Worth. Sid Uberman Co. is real estate agent for the project.

· Buddies Supermarkets were purchased by Winn-Dixie in 1976. Winn-Dixie pulled out of the market and closed their stores in 2002.

· Mott’s closed all their stores in August of 1998.

1967 – Sep 24 – Eight all-gas homes will be shown in the White Lake Hills 1967 Fall Review of Homes Oct. 22 and Oct. 29 by six builders on 3 sites in the addition. The builders are Haskell L. Baker, Johnny King, Ted Magnon, Ted C. Peters Jr., Wayne N. Scott and Ben Welch. Six homes will be on Granite Shoals Ave., Lake Louise Road and Rock River Drive on the eastern section of the addition. One will be on Lake Havasu Trail and the other on Green River Trail.  Some 300 homes have been built in this addition, plus a shopping center and an apartment complex. A new complex is under construction.

1967 – Oct 22 – The eight homes in “White Lake Hills Review of Homes” will be shown on Channel 4 on Sunday. “Spotlight on Homes”, a weekly 30 minute color television program seen Sunday will be devoted exclusively to film coverage of the White Lake Hills homes. Seven homes will be represented at the show, two Spanish, one Contemporary, one each rambling ranch, colonial, old English, French provincial and Early American. However, the early American house built by Haskell L. Baker was sold before the show and will not be on display. The houses are 4904 Granite Shoals Ave by Ben Welch, 417 Green River Trail by Johnny King, 4725 Lake Havasu Trail by Ted C. Peters Jr., 704 Lake Louise Road by Ted Magnon, 5001 Rock River Drive by Wayne N. Scott, 5008 Rock River Drive by Ted Magnon. Another apartment project, White Lake Manor, is currently under construction immediately north of Mount Vernon Apartments.

1968 – Dec 8 – Today 1pm until dark – White Lake Hills Christmas Gift Showing. Total Electric Gold Medallion Homes – 5009 Boulder Lake Rd by Wayne N. Scott, 405 Cedar Creek Ct by Wayne N. Scott, 5013 Sugar Lake Rd by Albert Babbitt. Bronze Medallion Homes – 617 Blue Lake Dr by Ted Magnon, 4913 Boulder Lake Rd by Ewing & Burnham, 5005 Boulder Lake Rd by Charles J. Hoffman, 5008 Boulder Lake Rd by James Aitken, 5012 Boulder Lake Rd by James Aitken, 324 Green River Trail by Dennis Hopkins, 717 Green River Trail by Arthur Brannon, 4513 Raintree Court by Dennis Hopkins, 504 Willow Ridge Rd by Ted C. Peters Jr.

1971 – Jul 27 – Mayor Pro Tem Ted C. Peters said the new private school he is helping to found should not be construed as a haven from busing or integration. He said the school will be open to both black and white students. The school will be located temporarily in property Peters holds in the White Lake Hills Shopping Center at Oakland and Bridge streets. Kindergarten, first, second and third grade classes will be offered. Tuition will be $45 a month for first through third graders and $32.50 a month for kindergarten children. He said the school would house up to 300 students although only 100 are expected to enroll initially. A six-acre site near the entrance of the White Lake Hills subdivision has been chosen as the location for a permanent building. How it would be financed has not yet been determined. The school will follow the same curriculum as the public schools and will use the same text books.

1972 – Jul 7 – Mayor Pro Tem Ted C. Peters’ private school lost about $20,000 last season. Peters had hoped for an enrollment of 100 students but only had 43. He is an avowed opponent of busing but steadfastly denied that White Lake Private School was a haven from busing and integration. He said the school in the White Lake Hills Shopping Center needed about 80 students to break even. “We hope to have more than that for the next school year.” He said. “We’ve got 72 signed up now.” He said that classes will be expanded to include third through fifth grade. Last year only kindergarten, first and second grades were offered.

1972 – Jul 27 – The city planning commission agreed Wednesday to conduct a public hearing on the proposed realignment of a 3 ½ mile stretch of Randol Mill Road between its intersection with Oakland and East First on the west and Loop 820 on the east. It would move the roadway somewhat north of its present location into the 100 year flood plain of the Trinity River’s west fork. Plans for the two-lane country road to be transformed into a major thoroughfare with six lanes and a median. The only property developments that would be affected by the proposal are the White Lake Hills addition developed by Mayor Pro Tem Ted C. Peters and Woodhaven Country Club Estates farther to the east. A commission member commented that the realignment would be to Peters’ advantage if he could purchase nearby land and develop it. Peters said the property to the north and west of his development was not suitable for housing.

1974 - May 5 - James Elton Hankins of 505 Green River Trail was arrested for the shooting death of his wife at the Torch Club at 3016 Hemphill.

1977 – Mar 5 – The owner of White Lake, Ted Peters, is considering filling in the lake instead of complying with possible state requirements to build up the lakes dam and spillway. The controversy began when the Texas Water Rights Commission told Peters to apply to the state for a recreational permit for the lake. A temporary permit was issued but inspectors found that the school at the toe of the dam could be flooded if the dam broke. This could involve a “Class C” flood involving 30.7 inches of rain falling within a six-hour period. Ted Peters says the lake has no economic value to him. Mrs. John Orr who lives on Candlewood Road said the view of the lake is the reason her family bought the lot. Retired architect J. Elmore Hudson also has a view of the lake from his home on Blue Lake Court. He was assured by Peters 14 years ago that the lake might be filled in and was told “No way.” Jack White who owns a contemporary home on Candlewood Road said of Peters “He made certain promises…that indicated he would never do that (fill in the lake.) Several persons familiar with the area said they doubted the conclusion of the water board. William Kelley Jr. whose parents leased the lake when they ran White’s Dairy said “That dam is here to stay.” “I’d hate to see the lake go. When we moved to White Lake in 1918, that was the finest fishing lake in the state of Texas. It was nothing to catch 6-7 or even 8 pound bass out of it.” Other residents talked of organizing a petition drive and sending a lawyer to Austin to make their case.

1977 – Mar 19 – A Water Rights Commission hearing that could determine the fate of White Lake was recessed for 60 days Friday to give differing parties a chance to cooperate in finding a solution to the problem. The lakes owner, former Fort Worth Mayor Ted C. Peters has said he may have to fill in the lake rather than make expensive repairs. At least a dozen homeowners from the White Lake Hills area attended the hearing. Forrest Markward, a Fort Worth attorney representing the Sunrise Park Development Corp. headed by Peters, said a preliminary study the WRC staff wants might cost $40,000. Resident Jack White presented a petition said to contain more than 1,000 names of persons who want to preserve the lake. Rep. Chris Miller of Fort Worth urged that the land be donated to the city of Fort Worth so the city can repair the dam. Rep. Roy English of Arlington hinted at possible action by the legislature to add White Lake to a nearby area being promoted as the location of a state park.  English said the current speaker of the House of Representatives, Bill Clayton of Springlake “indicated he felt very few dams could withstand the challenge of 30.7 inches of rain in six hours.”

1977 – Mar 20 – Editorial by G. A. Braswell, resident of White Lake Hills. The residents of White Lake Hills are now being threatened with (the lake) becoming a garbage dump for anyone in the city or county who have garbage or refuse to dispose of. The East Side already has one rat-infested disease breeding 12 year old landfill on First, just west of White Lake Hills. Now that most of the lots have been sold, Mr. Peters says the lake has no economic value to him. 

1977 – May 10 – A Texas Water Rights Commission hearing on the future of White Lake in East Fort Worth probably will be postponed until July 1. It was originally scheduled for May 20 but has been postponed at the request of Forrest Markward, attorney for Ted C. Peters.

1977 – Jun 26 – The last phase of building lots in White Lake Hills Addition will be on display beginning Sunday. There will be open house from 2-7p at five completed models by Collective Concepts ( 313 and 401 Willow Ridge) and Ted C. Peters Jr. (308 Willow Ridge, 709 Green River Trail, 4720 Lake Havasu.) Virginia Hopkins is exclusive agent for the development by Ted Peters St. and for the homes that will be on display. There are 69 lots in the final phase. 

1977 - Sep 6 - the name of Lake Marilyn Drive was changed to Willow Ridge Road in order to have one continuous name connecting Bridge Street to Green River Trail. 

1977 – Sep 29 – Ted Peters and Sunrise Park Development Corp. proposed an alternative to draining White Lake. Peters offers to widen the spillway by 9 feet and raise the elevation of the dam’s low spots by 2.5 feet. Tom Williams, an attorney representing the White Lake Hills residents, said his clients are satisfied with the improvements proposed by Peters. No word has been received from the commission on whether the recommendations meet its approval.

1977- Oct 8 – The State Water Resource Department examiner Christopher Tome indicated that he would recommend approval of a permit for the lake sought by Peters. The Texas Water Commission will still have the final word. The modifications would include 1. Constructing a 26 foot wide spillway with side slopes at an elevation of 554 feet. 2. Raising the low places in the dame to an effective top elevation of 561 feet. 3. Clearing the service-emergency spillway. The work could be completed in 3 days.

1978 - Oct 27  - Two people were shot to death in their home at 5020 Sugar Lake Road.  A burglar had selected their house at random. Raymond Lynn Eaton was captured in possession of the stolen items and pled guilty.  He was given 2 stacked life sentences.

1984 – Feb 15 – Trinity Housing Finance Corp. is authorizing the sale of $57 million in tax-exempt bonds for four Fort Worth developers to build apartments which will include units for low and moderate income renters. Ted C. Peters Sr. would receive $5 million of this to build 132 units in east Fort Worth’s White Lake Hills. Developers must designate 20 percent of their projects for low and middle income renters to receive the bond money. 

1985 – Jun 26 – A complaint was sent to Ed Brice at the paper about a one-fourth-mile run on Willow Ridge with no street lights at the intersections. Response: Gordon Tilson, head of the street light division for the city says it’s the developer’s responsibility. The developer had signed an agreement with the city to pay for them but went bankrupt and the bank foreclosed on the lots. Determining who is legally responsible for the cost of the lights will take a while to straighten out.

1986 – Jun 12 – On Sept. 6, 1977 the City Council passed an ordinance that changed the street name from Lake Marilyn Drive to Willow Ridge Road in order to have once continuous name connecting Bridge Street to Green River Trail. This only affected one house but it was still causing problems with deliveries in 1986 since Mapsco hadn’t ever been updated.