City Park (Dallas)
| City Park | |
|---|---|
 Historic buildings at City Park, Dallas | |
 | |
| Type | Special‑use heritage / open‑air museum park |
| Location | Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Coordinates | 32°46′25″N 96°47′16″W / 32.77361°N 96.78778°W |
| Area | 22.1 acre |
| Created | 1876 |
| Operated by | Dallas Parks and Recreation Department |
| Website | https://www.dallasparks.org/684/City-Park |
City Park (also known historically as Old City Park and Dallas Heritage Village) is a living history museum and heritage village located on the site of Dallas’s first city park.[1] The site houses one of the largest collections of nineteenth‑century pioneer and Victorian buildings in Texas, relocated from across North Central Texas and open to the public since the late 1960s.[2]
History
[edit]In 1876, Dallas acquired what became its first city park—a landscaped public space built around Browder Spring that later featured amenities like a bandstand, fountains, and even a small zoo.[3][4][5] The Dallas County Heritage Society took over the park’s preservation and museum function beginning in 1967, initiating the relocation of dozens of historic structures to form a cohesive heritage village, officially later renamed Dallas Heritage Village during the US Bicentennial in 1976.[5][6][7]
In 2005, the name Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park was adopted, reflecting the dual identity of park and museum.[5] In 2024, management contracts shifted and the city of Dallas resumed full operational control of the site on May 27, 2024; the Dallas County Heritage Society began operating under the new “Old City Park Conservancy” name to continue supporting programming and advocacy.[8]
Description
[edit]The park is 22.1 acres and comprises approximately 37 restored structures dating from about 1840 to 1910, including residences (e.g., Millermore Mansion), a general store, train depot, schoolhouse, church, saloon, print shop, and bank.[5][9] The collection included over 22,000 artifacts and visual materials, and were auctioned in 2024 when the city's parks department took over the site.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "City Park | Dallas Parks, TX - Official Website". www.dallasparks.org. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ "Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park". Texas Time Travel. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ "Department History | Dallas Parks, TX - Official Website". www.dallasparks.org. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ "Old City Park Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b c d Association, Texas State Historical. "Explore Old City Park: A Historical Museum in Dallas". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ Corporation, Dallas American Revolution Bicentennial. "Dallas American Revolution Bicentennial Corporation Records". dallaslibrary2.org. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b "Old City Park's 22,000 antiques go on sale to the public this month in Dallas". KERA News. 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ "Dallas County Heritage Society, which managed Old City Park, changing its name to Old City Park Conservancy". wfaa.com. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ Molestina, Ken (2022-10-20). "North Texas Ghost Stories: The Millermore Mansion - CBS Texas". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-07-30.