Dallas Stars

By Demetra Aposporos and Clare Martin | All Photos Courtesy of Architecturally Significant Homes

	Architect Clifford Hutsell's own house is but one of many excellent examples of historic houses in Dallas.

Think of Dallas, Texas, and images of cattle, oil derricks, and a certain famous TV family probably come to mind. But look beyond the stereotypes, and you'll discover that Dallas is also home to some beautiful historic neighborhoods with a surprising variety of architectural styles. The strong, fairly eclectic collection of historic houses in Dallas sprung up in the early 20th century, when business was booming and many high-end neighborhoods were being developed.

Talented local architects are largely responsible for buildings with pedigrees—like Clifford Hutsell, who designed this Spanish Eclectic house (above) for himself in the 1920s, and Charles Dilbeck, who later became known for the Texas Ranch—but some notable architects from all over the country came to work in Dallas, too. In neighborhoods like Highland Park and Old East Dallas, you'll find Colonial Revivals, Craftsmans, Foursquares, and a wealth of Spanish Mediterranean and Tudor houses. Our primer of Dallas's historic neighborhoods will give you a basic orientation, but for a more in-depth tour, visit www.architecturallysignificant.com.

Highland Park and University Park
Bordering both the Dallas Country Club and Southern Methodist University, Highland Park and University Park are two of the most venerable historic neighborhoods in the city. The former, which saw its first development in 1907, is host to a wide range of architecture (from the iconic Mediterranean-style homes on Beverly Drive to classical mansions designed by architects such as Anton Korn). In University Park, which sprang up after SMU was founded in 1915, fanciful Tudors mingle with quaint one-story cottages.

Turtle Creek
Radiating luxury, the stretch of Dallas known as Turtle Creek is home to pristine parks, high-end antiques stores, and notable restaurants—and a mind-boggling array of architectural styles. The neighborhood features everything from mid-century high-rises to breathtaking modern homes overlooking the Katy Trail. You'll also find buildings from some marquee architects, including the Dallas Theater, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, as well as a French eclectic office tower and hotel by Phillip Johnson.

Preston Hollow and Bluffview
Estate is the watchword in the adjacent neighborhoods of Preston Hollow and Bluffview, where Mediterranean, French, Neoclassical, and Tudor mansions built in the early 20th century hold court among vast expanses of grassy lawns. Mixed in with these palatial manors are a few mid-century modern gems designed by local architects like Scott Lyons.

Greenway Parks
The father of Texas Modern architecture (a style that a blends rugged Texas aesthetic with European modernism), David Williams left Dallas his practice during the Roosevelt administration to work on planning communities—and the neighborhood of Greenway Parks, which he developed in 1925, is a hallmark of his vision. Overflowing with lush green space, the neighborhood is home to a wide variety of styles, including Tudor, Spanish, and mid-century modern.

East Dallas
The broad area known as East Dallas is made up of four separate neighborhoods (White Rock Lake, Old East Dallas, Lakewood, and Deep Ellum), each with its own distinct personality. Contemporary architects like Frank Welch and Mark Domiteaux have planted their modernist visions among the sprawling estates of White Rock Lake, while in Old East Dallas (which encompasses Munger Place, a 1905 development that was named the city's first historic district in 1973), modest-sized Craftsman bungalows, Tudor cottages, and Colonial Revival homes rest under magnolias and pecan trees. The wooded lots of Lakewood, which boasts plenty of examples of French and Spanish eclectic architecture, stand in stark contrast to the warehouses that prevail in up-and-coming gallery spot Deep Ellum.

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