Dallas's Parks System Was Once Considered One of the Nation's Very Best. In the 1920s. But, Still.

In the midst of all this talk of muni pool closures and family aquatic centers we can't afford and privatizing parks clean-up and renegade tree-trimmers (oh -- and liberating Kidd Springs), I went to look for something about Dallas's park system. A history-of, some old photos, a little more information...

By Robert Wilonsky

September 1, 2011

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In the midst of all this talk of muni pool closures and family aquatic centers we can't afford and privatizing parks clean-up and renegade tree-trimmers (oh -- and liberating Kidd Springs), I went to look for something about Dallas's park system. A history-of, some old photos, a little more information about what was. Anything.

At which point I found this: the Park and Playground System report from 1923, back when Bachman was considered "equal in natural beauty to White Rock," parks were segregated, some city-run pools were enormous, and the parks system was considered "one of the leaders in the entire United States." It comes from Dallas Municipal Archives, via the UNT Portal to Texas History Project, and is well worth the read -- if only because I doubt you've seen many of those photos, like, ever?

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