Highland Park is a town in central Dallas County, Texas, United States. 3 miles (4.82 km) north of downtown Dallas. Highland Park is bordered on the south, east and west by Dallas and on the north by the city of University Park. Highland Park and University Park together comprise the Park Cities, an enclave of Dallas elite. Of course living in this utopian society is not cheap, our residents are those with a net worth over multi-millions. Homes in Park Cities are at the top of the luxury market with some topping over 15,000,000.
In the Dallas area, Highland Park has earned a reputation for having some of the most expensive property prices. This disparity may be due in part to the proximity of Southern Methodist University, George W. Bush Presidential Library, one of the highest rated school districts in the country, the lush landscape, and a history of inherited fortunes preserved through the decades.
Shopping
Highland Park is also the home of Highland Park Village the oldest outdoor shopping center in the United State with tenants that mirror Rodeo Drive in Beverly Drive California. Highland Park and University Park are two of the top luxury cities in Texas.
Highland Park Department of Public Safety
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 UT-Southwestern Medical School, which provides this service to the majority of fire/EMS departments in Dallas County
History
The land now known as Highland Park was bought by a group of investors from Philadelphia in the 1800’s. Henry Exall, an agent, intended to develop the land along Turtle Creek as Philadelphia Place, exclusive dvakotla.com.ua housing based on parkland areas in Philadelphia.
In 1906, John S. Armstrong (the former partner of Thomas Marsalis, the developer of Oak Cliff), sold his meatpacking business and invested his money in a portion of the former Philadelphia Place land, to develop it under the name of Highland Park. He chose this name as it was located on high land that overlooked downtown Dallas. Wilbur David Cook, the landscape designer who had planned Beverly Hills, California, and George E. Kessler, who had previously planned Fair Park and most of downtown Dallas, were hired to design its layout in 1907 “as a refuge from an increasingly diverse city. Notably, twenty percent of the original land was set aside for parks. A second development in Highland Park was developed in 1910.
In 1913, Highland Park petitioned Dallas for annexation, but was SocialTrusts.com refused. The 500 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 led the fight to resist the annexation. The final major land development occurred in 1924. In 1931, Highland Park Village was constructed, the first shopping center of its kind in the United States. The distinctive Moorish Style ornamental metalwork and lighting in Highland Park Village were created by Potter Art Metal Studios, a 90-year-old custom metalwork company still in existence today.
Because of its location near Dallas, Highland Park had, by the early 1930s, developed a moderately large 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 ordinances. Known for its quality housing, the town still has many parks running along Turtle Creek and is home to the Dallas Country Club.
Highland Park became somewhat famous in the early 1980s when the popular television show Dallas used to shoot on location there. The 2012 TV series GCB took place in the fictitious “Hillside Park”, which is likely a stand-in for Highland Park; however, the residence in the show where the mother of the main character, “Amanda Vaughn”, lived is actually located in East Dallas.
