Photo courtesy of “Reminiscences: A Glimpse of Old East Dallas”
Lakewood’s iconic French-inspired property, Chateau des Grotteaux, sold earlier this month to new owners Mike and Ellen Smith. The home has been located in Lakewood for a century, but the residence they purchased has changed considerably since it was built in the 1920s.
Texas builder Edwin Cox Sr. began its construction before selling the 1-acre property on West Shore Drive and Gaston Avenue to R.L. Thornton in 1929. Nearby White Rock Road was unpaved, and dirt would drift into the home through the windows.
At the time, the home had only four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a sitting room, a living room and a dining room, Rosemary Brinegar, daughter of the former Dallas mayor, previously told the Advocate. It has since been remodeled to include five bedrooms and four bathrooms.
A stable, later transformed into a greenhouse, and Dallas’ second pool were built on the property. A previous owner, Michael Fahey, gradually updated the pool and the grounds since 2005. He added a privacy wall, sprinkler system, mosquito-misting system, a new tile roof, oxidized copper gutters, turret covers and numerous statues, sculptures, bridges and ponds. Several sitting areas, including a one-of-a-kind “secret garden,” were also created.
