Highland Park is a town in central
Dallas County,
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, United States, with a population estimated to be 8,719 in 2022, dropping from the previously recorded 8,864 in 2020.
It is located between the
Dallas North Tollway
The Dallas North Tollway (DNT, or simply the Tollway) is a controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), which runs from Interstate 35E (Texas), Interstate 35E near Downtown Dall ...
and
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway that runs in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is located at the Canadian border near Noyes, Minnesota, at a now-closed border crossing. From this point, the highway ...
(
North Central Expressway
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
), north of
downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally ...
.
Highland Park is bordered on the south, east and west by
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
and on the north by the city of
University Park. Highland Park and University Park together comprise the
Park Cities, an
enclave
An enclave is a territory that is entirely surrounded by the territory of only one other state or entity. An enclave can be an independent territory or part of a larger one. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is so ...
of Dallas. Highland Park has been referred to as "a 2.2-square-mile residential island city".
History
The land now known as Highland Park was bought in 1889 by a group of investors from
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Pennsylvania, known as the Philadelphia Place Land Association, for an average price of $377 an acre, with a total of $500,000. Henry Exall, an agent, intended to develop the land along
Turtle Creek as "Philadelphia Place", exclusive housing based on parkland areas in Philadelphia. He laid gravel roads, and dammed Turtle Creek, forming Exall Lake, before the
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was an economic depression in the United States. It began in February 1893 and officially ended eight months later. The Panic of 1896 followed. It was the most serious economic depression in history until the Great Depression of ...
brought a blow to his fortunes, halting development. In the 1890s, Exall Lake was a common picnic destination for Dallas residents.
In 1906,
John S. Armstrong (the former partner of
Thomas Marsalis
Thomas Lafayette Marsalis (October 4, 1852 – April 20, 1919) was an American developer. With John S. Armstrong, the founder of Oak Cliff, he was one of the key developers of what is now known as the Dallas area.
Early life
Marsalis was born in ...
, the developer of
Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff is an area of Dallas, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate town in Dallas County; established in 1887 and annexed by Dallas in 1903, Oak Cliff has retained a distinct neighborhood identity as one of Dallas' older establ ...
), sold his
meatpacking
The meat-packing industry (also spelled meatpacking industry or meat packing industry) handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of meat from animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. Poultry is generally n ...
business and invested his money in a portion of the former Philadelphia Place land, to develop it under the name of "Highland Park", choosing this name as it was located on high land that overlooked downtown Dallas.
Wilbur David Cook
Wilbur David Cook (June 19, 1869 – February 27, 1938), or Wilbur D. Cook Jr., was an American landscape architect and urban planner from Atlanta. He designed the master plans for the city of Beverly Hills, California, and the city of Highland Pa ...
, the landscape designer who had planned
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hills ...
, and
George E. Kessler, who had previously planned
Fair Park
Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of Downtown Dallas, downtown. The area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the building ...
and most of
downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally ...
, were hired to design its layout in 1907. Notably, twenty percent of the original land was set aside for parks. When Armstrong died in 1908, his widow and sons-in-law—Edgar Flippen and Hugh Prather continued his work, and Armstrong is considered one of the main founders of Highland Park. A second development in Highland Park was developed in 1910.
In 1913, Highland Park petitioned Dallas for
annexation
Annexation, in international law, is the forcible acquisition and assertion of legal title over one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. In current international law, it is generally held t ...
, but was refused. The 500 Highland Park residents voted to incorporate on November 29, 1913, and
incorporation was granted in 1915, when its population was 1,100. The first mayor of Highland Park was W. A. Fraser. A third and fourth development were added to the town in 1915 and 1917, respectively. In 1919, the city of Dallas sought to annex Highland Park, beginning a lengthy controversy that lasted until 1945. J. W. Bartholow and William Chloupek led the fight to resist the annexation. The final major land development occurred in 1924. In 1931,
Highland Park Village
Highland Park Village is an upscale shopping plaza located at the southwest corner of Mockingbird Lane and Preston Road in Highland Park, Texas and was the first self-contained shopping center in America. The Highland Park Village was declared a ...
was constructed, the first
shopping center
A shopping center in American English, shopping centre in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English (see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, spelling differences), shopping complex, shopping arcade, ...
of its kind in the United States.
Because of its location near Dallas, Highland Park had, by the early 1930s, developed a moderately large (8,400) population, with a few businesses. Eventually the school districts and newspapers of Highland Park and University Park were combined. In the 1940s, after the failure to annex Highland Park, Dallas began annexing the land surrounding it. Reaching a population high of just under 13,000 in the late 1950s, Highland Park afterwards grew only by building houses on the remaining vacant lots, and by the destruction of old buildings. Since 1990, Highland Park has maintained strict
zoning
In urban planning, zoning is a method in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into land-use "zones", each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for ...
ordinances.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , all land. Highland Park is approximately north of the center of
Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
.
Neighborhoods
Highland Park was first developed as Old Highland which is made up of the First Section, Second Section, Turtle Creek Acreage, Acreage Section, Third Section, Fourth Section, and the Hackberry Creek Acreage of Old Highland Park. And then the Highland Park Neighborhoods West of Preston were developed.
Parks and recreation
Dallas Country Club is located here. Highland Park also has a swimming pool, and tennis courts.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Highland Park has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
In 2020, the racial and ethnic makeup was 85.21%
non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
, 0.83% Black, 0.02% Native American or Alaska Native, 4.57% Asian, 0.2% some other race or ethnicity, 3.91% multiracial, and 5.25% Hispanic or Latino residents of any race.
According to the
2010 U.S. census,
there were 8,564 people, 3,411 households, and 2,426 families residing in the town. At the
2020 United States census, there were 8,864 people, 3,398 households, and 2,562 families residing in the town.
Among the population in 2010, the racial makeup was 94.4%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.5%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.0%
Native American, 2.8%
Asian, 0.0%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.0% from
other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. In addition,
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino residents of any race were 4.0% of the population.
Arts and culture
Highland Park Village
Highland Park Village is an upscale shopping plaza located at the southwest corner of Mockingbird Lane and Preston Road in Highland Park, Texas and was the first self-contained shopping center in America. The Highland Park Village was declared a ...
shopping center is located in the municipality. The Highland Park Centennial Literary Festival is held in the community.
Government
The Highland Park Town Hall houses municipal services. The
Spanish Colonial architecture building was designed by architects
Lang & Witchell
Lang & Witchell was a prominent architectural firm in Dallas, Texas, active from 1905 to 1942.
History
Senior partner Otto H. Lang was born in Freiburg in 1864. He graduated in 1888 with a degree in structural engineering from the University of K ...
.
Education
Primary and secondary schools
Public primary and secondary schools in Highland Park are operated by either the
Highland Park Independent School District
Highland Park Independent School District (HPISD) is a public school district based in University Park, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. HPISD serves most of the town of Highland Park, all of the city of University Park, and t ...
or the
Dallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD or DISD) is a school district based in Dallas, Texas, United States. It operates schools in much of Dallas County, Texas, Dallas County and is the second-largest school district in Texas and t ...
.
Highland Park Independent School District
Most of the city (areas east of Roland Avenue) is served by the
Highland Park Independent School District
Highland Park Independent School District (HPISD) is a public school district based in University Park, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. HPISD serves most of the town of Highland Park, all of the city of University Park, and t ...
(HPISD).
[ The HPISD portion is served by Arch H. McCulloch Middle School and Highland Park Middle School, which share a campus located partially in Highland Park and partially in University Park.
Three elementary schools in Highland Park, Armstrong]
Boone
and Bradfield, serve sections of Highland Park.
Dallas Independent School District
A portion of Highland Park (areas west of Dallas North Tollway
The Dallas North Tollway (DNT, or simply the Tollway) is a controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), which runs from Interstate 35E (Texas), Interstate 35E near Downtown Dall ...
) is zoned to Dallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD or DISD) is a school district based in Dallas, Texas, United States. It operates schools in much of Dallas County, Texas, Dallas County and is the second-largest school district in Texas and t ...
.[ The area is within Trustee District 2 As of 2008 Jack Lowe represents the district. DISD schools that serve western Highland Park include Maple Lawn Elementary School, Rusk Middle School, and ]North Dallas High School
North Dallas High School is a public secondary school located in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas, United States. It enrolls students in grades 9- 12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. As of 2017, the principal administ ...
.
Prior to fall 2006, Williams Elementary School, Marsh Middle School, and W. T. White High School served western Highland Park. After fall 2006 western Highland Park was rezoned to the schools that serve it as of 2008.
Media
*''The Dallas Morning News
''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...
'' is the Dallas citywide newspaper.
The Highland Park Public Library is adjacent to the Highland Park Town Hall. The library building and art gallery first opened in 1930. As time passed, the art gallery was repurposed as town council chambers and a portion of the library. In 2008 the library underwent major renovations.
In Popular Culture
Film
1996 Wes Anderson
Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. Wes Anderson filmography, His films are known for themes of grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families. Due to his films' eccentricity, distinctive visual and narrative ...
film Bottle Rocket
A skyrocket, also known as a rocket, is a type of firework that uses a solid-fuel rocket to rise quickly into the sky; a bottle rocket is a small skyrocket. At the apex of its ascent, it is usual for a variety of effects (stars, bangs, crackl ...
featured the Highland Park Soda Fountain, among other locations in Dallas.
Television
The television show ''Dallas
Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
'' used Highland Park as a filming location.
Infrastructure
The town council authorized the purchasing of a fire engine and the construction of a fire house after the 1913 incorporation. The town hall was built in 1924. During the same year, a new fire station opened next to town hall. The town hall has received several renovations. Connected the town hall is the public safety building. In 2003 a portion of the public safety building was razed, and a new facility was built in its place.
Highland Park employs a public safety department instead of separate police and fire/EMS departments. The public safety officers are certified as firefighters, peace officers, and paramedics. They work 24-hour shifts (with the next two days off), varying their role during the shift. EMS medical direction is provided by the BioTel system through UT-Southwestern Medical School, which provides this service to the majority of fire/EMS departments in Dallas County.
Notable people
* Russell Bentley
Russell Bonner Bentley III (; June 20, 1960 – April 8, 2024), also known as Texas (, pronounced "Tekhas") and the Donbass Cowboy, was an American pro-Donetsk People's Republic/pro-Russia figure in the war in Donbas and Russian invasion of Uk ...
- pro-Russia figure in the War in Donbas
The war in Donbas, or the Donbas war, was a phase of the Russo-Ukrainian War in the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine. The war Timeline of the war in Donbas (2014), began in April 2014, when Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, Russian para ...
* Bill Clements
William Perry Clements Jr. (April 13, 1917 – May 29, 2011) was an American businessman and Republican Party politician who served two nonconsecutive terms as the governor of Texas between 1979 and 1991. His terms bookended the sole ...
, 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of state of the U.S. state of Texas. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the government of Texas and is the commander-in-chief of the Texas Military Forces.
Established in the Constit ...
* Armie Hammer
Armand Douglas Hammer (born August 28, 1986) is an American actor. He began his acting career with guest appearances in several television series. His first leading role was as Billy Graham in the 2008 film '' Billy: The Early Years'' and Hamme ...
, actor who starred in Call Me By Your Name lived in Highland Park as a child
* Angie Harmon
Angela Michelle Harmon (born August 10, 1972) is an American actress and model. She won ''Seventeens modeling contest in 1987 at age 15, signed with IMG Models, and appeared on covers for magazines such as ''Cosmopolitan'' and ''Esquire''. ...
, Rizzoli & Isles
''Rizzoli & Isles'' ( ; stylized in all lowercase) is an American crime drama television series starring Angie Harmon as Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Maura Isles. Based on the series of ''Rizzoli & Isles'' novels by Tess Gerritsen, the ...
actress, was born in Highland Park
* Gino Hernandez
Charles Eugene Wolfe Jr. (August 8, 1957 – February 2, 1986) was an American professional wrestling, professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Gino Hernandez. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with the Dallas, Texas-base ...
, former American professional wrestler
* Clark Hunt
Clark Knobel Hunt (born February 19, 1965) is an American billionaire and businessman as well as a scion of the wealthy Hunt family. He currently serves as chairman and CEO of the National Football League (NFL)'s Kansas City Chiefs, Major League ...
, chairman and co-owner of the Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
Established in 1959 ...
of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
* Jerry Jones
Jerral Wayne Jones Sr. (born October 13, 1942) is an American billionaire businessman who is the owner, president, and General manager (American football), general manager of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He bought t ...
, owner of the Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...
of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
* Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-handed starting pitcher, Kershaw has spent his entire MLB career with the Dodgers s ...
, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
* Bobby Layne
Robert Lawrence Layne (December 19, 1926 – December 1, 1986) was an American professional football player who was a quarterback for 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns before ...
, quarterback for the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
* Mariano Martinez, inventor, entrepreneur, restaurateur, and creative artist
* Peter O'Donnell
Peter O'Donnell (11 April 1920 – 3 May 2010) was an English writer of mysteries and of comic strips, best known as the creator of '' Modesty Blaise'', an action heroine/undercover trouble-shooter. He was also an award-winning gothic h ...
, investor, philanthropist, Republican Party state chairman from 1962 to 1969, reared in Highland Park
* Scottie Scheffler
Scott Alexander Scheffler (born June 21, 1996) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He is currently ranked world number one in the Official World Golf Ranking, and has held that position for over 100 weeks. He has won th ...
, PGA golfer, 2022 PGA Masters Champion
* Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford (born February 7, 1988) is an American professional American football, football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georg ...
, quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West ...
of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
* Marty Turco
Marty Vincent Turco (born August 13, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played nine seasons with the Dallas Stars and one season each with the Chicago Blackha ...
, Canadian Hockey player who played with the Dallas Stars for 9 seasons, lives in Highland Park
* Claire Underwood
Claire Underwood (née Hale) is a fictional character in '' House of Cards'', played by Robin Wright. She is the wife of the show's protagonist Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and the main protagonist in the final season. She is a lobbyist and ...
, fictional character from House of Cards (U.S. TV series)
''House of Cards'' is an American political thriller television series created by Beau Willimon. It is based on the 1989 novel of the same title by Michael Dobbs and an adaptation of the 1990 British series of the same name by Andrew Davies ...
was raised in Highland Park
Notes
References
Further reading
* Ferguson, Cheryl Caldwell. '' Highland Park and River Oaks: The Origins of Garden Suburban Community Planning in Texas'' (University of Texas Press, 2014). xvi, 336 pp.; heavily illustrated.
External links
*
Highland Park, TX
at the ''Handbook of Texas
The Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) is an American nonprofit educational and research organization dedicated to documenting the history of Texas. It was founded in Austin, Texas, United States, on March 2, 1897. In November 2008, the ...
''
{{authority control
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
Towns in Dallas County, Texas
Towns in Texas