I have to say, when I saw the news that Lakewood’s historic Château des Grotteaux was going under the gavel at Concierge Auctions in September, I was not surprised. This is a tough one for me because I have loved this house for decades.
Then it was remodeled.
The picture above is how I choose to remember this home. I say this because I unfortunately believe it will become a memory, just as so many historic homes in Dallas have become.
For those new to Dallas, and particularly Lakewood, this home carries quite the history. Builder Edwin Cox constructed the 1928 French Norman chateau as a spec home for the Pasadena neighborhood, not as a custom home for R.L Thornton (Dallas mayor from 1953 to 1961), as other media outlets have reported. That is just wrong. Thornton saw the home in a State Fair of Texas brochure and snagged it prior to completion. He was responsible for laying out the spectacular grounds…