By Alonzo Pettiford Jr.
I left O’Fallon, Illinois, in 2013 chasing an opportunity.
O’Fallon is a small military town 20 minutes from downtown St. Louis. After years there, I was ready for a change.
Texas called me. Fort Worth in particular with its promise of jobs and affordable housing. I landed in an apartment off Interstate 20 and McCart Avenue, figuring it would be a good starting point.
Where I Live spotlights Tarrant County’s unique neighborhoods, as told by the residents that live there. Submit an essay to tell us about your neighborhood. Where I Live is sponsored by Frost Bank.
But it wasn’t until 2018 that Fort Worth truly became home.
I’d been browsing Zillow, mostly looking in Dallas. Everything I saw felt wrong. Cramped houses, tiny lots and concrete slabs with no real character.
Then I came across a listing for a 1936-built house in Forest Hill, one of the fastest-growing communities in North Texas.
I was drawn to the affordability and the neighborhood’s welcoming atmosphere.
On a whim, I drove out to see it. The neighborhood has this small-town feel, yet it was close enough to the city that I could get downtown in about 10 minutes.
Food, entertainment, art — all within reach.
After seven days of mulling it over, I made an offer.
It felt right.
Forest Hill welcomed me in a way I didn’t expect.
In O’Fallon, people came and went. It always felt a little transient.
Here, it’s different. Families have been on the same street for generations. People know each other. And, more importantly, they look out for each other.
I haven’t seen many block parties yet, but throughout the year, neighbors come together to celebrate in ways that feel meaningful.
For me, home now means peace. A quiet comfort underscored by the occasional chorus of barking dogs or crowing roosters.
As long as they’re making noise, I figure everything’s fine.
Over the past seven years, I’ve seen Forest Hill change. The city puts money into the community. There’s a new YMCA, schools have expanded and upgraded their technology, and Renaissance Square has brought in new businesses and residents.
You can feel the energy picking up.
More houses are being built, property values are climbing and, like a lot of neighbors, I’ve put work into my house and watched the equity grow. It’s not just about new storefronts or developments, the community itself is coming alive again.
Still, there’s a part of me that worries. Many of the older residents who’ve lived here for decades are on fixed incomes. Rising property values mean rising taxes.
Growth and improvement is great, but not when it pushes those people that built it out.
Living here has shown me the value of connection. Forest Hill gives me the best of both worlds: a small-town feel with the city just minutes away. We don’t have as many restaurants as I’d like, but I know they’re coming.
In the meantime, I’ve got the peace of my home, the familiar sound of my neighbors’ animals, and the sense of belonging that comes from living in a community that feels like family.
This is where I belong.
Alonzo Pettiford Jr. is a senior project manager at Clear Scope Media.
Forest Hill
Total population: 14,238
Female: 51% | Male: 48%
Age
- 0-9: 14%
- 10-19: 14%
- 20-29: 12%
- 30-39: 11%
- 40-49: 11%
- 50-59: 12%
- 60-69: 7%
- 70-79: 16%
Education
- No degree: 28%
- High school: 28%
- Some college: 20%
- Bachelor’s degree: 7%
- Post-graduate: 4%
Race
White: 11% | Black: 47% | Hispanic: 39% | Two or more: 1%
Click on the links to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:
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