On a stretch of land along Mosier Valley Road in Fort Worth, Jeffrey Pointer shows what his family has long relied on growing naturally across the property.
“We got natural fruit, berries, blackberries, raspberries and plums. They’re still growing. And it was never planted,” Pointer said.
Pointer says the land has been in his family for generations; a legacy passed down from his great-grandmother, Beatrice Parker Green. But just weeks ago, he said that legacy was threatened.
“They called me and said, you know, they were there cutting down those trees,” Pointer said.
Seven historic trees were cut down as part of a city park project, now reduced to stumps on land Pointer says belongs to his family.
“I called the contractor, and I said, ‘just stop, don’t do anything else, because that you’re on the wrong property’…and they stopped,” Jeffrey Pointer said.
Pointer said the work halted because his family’s property sits between two lots annexed by the city of Fort Worth from the city of Euless, leaving questions about where the park boundaries actually fall.
Construction at Mosier Valley Park now sits unfinished, surrounded by equipment and materials.
“The work has paused at the request of some of the Mosier Valley stakeholders to ensure the boundaries of the park are accurate,” the Fort Worth city attorney said in a statement. “No interviews or further statements are available at this time.”
Pointer said he has nothing against the city, but they didn’t do their due diligence.
For Pointer, challenging the City of Fort Worth’s park construction is an issue he says that goes beyond property lines. He says the land holds deep historical significance, sharing photos and stories tied to a family-built schoolhouse created during segregation.
“She couldn’t go to school in Euless. They wouldn’t let us. So, they did our own school,” Jeffrey Pointer said.
Now, on that same land, a new chapter is taking shape. House movers recently moved a building down Mosier Valley Road, placing it on the property to serve as a family land office.
“When I sat down, it was like my ancestors said we can rest,” Pointer said.
Pointer says he hopes the moment serves as a reminder for future generations to understand and protect what was passed down to them.
“That’s why they left it here to know it is ours and protect it,” Pointer said.