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FORT WORTH — Fort Worth's most historic neighborhoods are digging in, resisting efforts to put a gas drilling site just outside of downtown along 8th Avenue near Elizabeth Boulevard.

Families move to this historic part of the city to find an oasis — tree-lined streets without noise and congestion — while still close to downtown.

But after a decision by the state last month, they're afraid that lifestyle may be threatened.

Mary Dulle is a realist; she knew that it was a matter of when — not if — gas drilling would come to Berkeley Place and surrounding neighborhoods.

But there was one thing that neither she nor her fellow negotiators were willing to give up. "Our primary goal was to protect the neighborhood from drilling on the 8th Avenue side," Dulle said.

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Historic neighborhoods are battling to keep drilling rigs out.

Eventually, Mistletoe Heights, Ryan Place and Berkeley Place signed for handsome bonuses that kept surface drilling away from their homes and the avenue.

They thought they had won — until last month.

The state granted permits to Chesapeake Energy to drill on 8th Avenue, in the middle of the historic community.

Councilman Joel Burns' phone started ringing. "It's right next to the Elizabeth Boulevard gates, which was kind of an icon," he said. "It would be like putting a well site close to the Forest Park gates or some other icon of our city's history."

For drilling to actually begin, Chesapeake would still have to get permits from the City of Fort Worth. That would likely require waivers from three dozen homeowners who live nearby.

So far, that has not happened, but Chesapeake is not ready to admit defeat. The company says it is still in an evaluation period and considering all options.

"We are looking to try to find some solutions that make everyone happy, including the property owner where the well site would be located," Burns said.

Legal observers are watching this case closely. So much money is potentially at stake that this case could eventually wind up in court, becoming a test case for the city's right to limit the location of wells more strictly than the state.

E-mail chawes@wfaa.com