Harry S. Moss was one of the “most colorful residents of this area in the mid-20th century,” Lake Highlands historian Ted Campbell says.
The Canada native moved to Texas in 1906 and started the Moss Petroleum Company in 1920. He lived in Highland Park, but in 1930 he bought a bull at the State Fair and realized he had no place to keep it, so he bought and built the 400-acre Moss Haven stock farm. It eventually became a weekend home for the Moss family. The Moss house still exists, albeit modified, near Moss Haven Elementary.
The “Mosshaven Country Estate,” was featured in a 1958 issue of Architectural Digest.
When the house went on the market in 2020, the real estate writers at Candy’s Dirt went inside.
“This Moss Haven Colonial has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a powder bath spread over 5,572 square feet. The principal suite is upstairs, per tradition. There is also a 309-square-foot guest cottage on the property with a bedroom and full bath,” writes Karen Eubank for CD. “Although no longer surrounded by an enormous farm, the home sits on almost an acre with massive oak and pecan trees shading every side. The backyard has two levels, which allows for a nice flow when entertaining, and the side yards are vast.”
If you want to know more on the history of the farm and park, we have that too.
And we’ll be back with more Lake Highlands historical highlights next week. (Though, if you can’t wait, here’s a whole list.)
(Feature photo is by Anand Thakur for Unsplash.)
