Dallas Municipal Archives

Archives Collections Finding Guides and Inventories


Descriptive Summary

Repository: Dallas Municipal Archives, Office of the City Secretary, 1500 Marilla St., Dallas, TX 75201
Creator: Park and Recreation Department
Title: Park and Recreation General Subject Files
Dates: 1911 - 1960
Quantity: 6.72 feet linear
Abstract: Correspondence, memoranda, manuscript, typescript, and printed reports, printed materials, photographic prints, maps and architectural plans and drawings.
Identification: 95-023
Language: The records are in English.

Scope and Contents

The City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department provides leisure, recreational and cultural activities for the citizens of Dallas and the general public and maintains more than 21,000 park acres including 4,400 surface acres of water at 17 park sites, 17,196 acres of greenbelt/park land, and 61.6 miles of jogging and bike trails at 24 locations. There are over 400 individual parks, including recreational facilities such as community centers, swimming pools, athletic fields, and a metropolitan zoo. The City's first two parks, City Park (purchased in 1876) and Fair Park (purchased in 1904) predate the organization of the Park and Recreation Department. In response to management issues and concerns, an administrative Park Board was created by City Charter amendment in early 1905 and the first Board members were appointed by Mayor Bryan T. Barry on May 23, 1905. Collection consists of correspondence, memoranda, financial records, reports and studies, plans and drawings, photographs, and printed materials documenting the acquisition, planning and design, maintenance, and history of City of Dallas parks and park facilities between 1911 and 1970.

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Arrangement

alphabetic by subject, including interfiled General correspondence files. Printed materials are maintained in original order for archival integrity. Photographic series maintained by original folder label and oversized items maintained in box order

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Related Material

Paper based materials comprise the primary series. A second photographic materials series and a series of oversized plans, drawings, and printed materials follow, comprising items found in folders and separated for proper preservation due to size or preservation concerns. The second and third series are associated with the paper series by means of separation sheets indicating location in original folders. Photographic prints and oversized materials are marked in pencil with originating location.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Park and Recreation General Subject Files, 1911 - 1960, Dallas Municipal Archives, Office of the City Secretary, City of Dallas, Texas.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from creating department

Processing Information

The collection was described by John Slate, City Archivist

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Subject Terms

Parks -- Texas -- History
Park facilities -- Texas -- History
Civilian Conservation Corps(U.S.)
United States. Works Progress Administration
United States. National Youth Administration
Texas -- History
Texas -- Description and travel
United States -- History -- 1933-1945

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Box 1: Architect Fees - Concessions
Box 2: D - Exall
Box 3: Exall - Grauwyler
Box 4: Hare - Kidd Springs
Box 5: Kidd Springs - Lake Cliff
Box 6: Lake Cliff - Music Commission
Box 7: National
Box 8: O - Randall
Box 9: Randall - Stevens
Box 10: Stevens - Tenison
Box 11: Tennis - Turf Maintenance
Box 12: Turf - Winslett
Box 13: Y - Zoo

Box: Folder: Title, Date
1 Architect Fees - Concessions
1 Architect Fees
2 Aquarium - Construction - General,
3 General Subject File "B"
4 Bachman Lake, 1944-1949
5 Bachman Lake, 1937-1942
6 Bachman Lake Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC)
7 Buckner Park Expansion, 1945-1947
8 Buckner Park
9 Central Square, 1911
10 City Park Restorations, 1948-49-50
11 Concession Contracts, 1950-52
12 Concessions, 1949-1952
13 Concessions, 1949

Box: Folder: Title, Date
2 D - Exall
1 General Subject File "D", 1915-1952
2 Donations - Zoo, 1938-52
3 Drowning: Roach, Billy Dean - Drowned - Lake Cliff, Male, age 5 1/2 years, June 12, 1954
4 Drowning: Golden, Gilbert - Drowned - Fair Park Swimming Pool, June 21, 1952
5 Drowning: Mansfield Accident , 1945
6 Drowning: Roy M. Fabion, Jr. - Drowning Lake Cliff Pool , July 14, 1942
7 Drowning: Norris, Earl - Drowned Lake Cliff, June 3, 1952
8 Drowning: Gladys Stokes (age 38), Griggs Swimming Pool, August 17, 1951
9 Drowning: Smith, Fred - Death of - Fair Park Pool , June 6, 1948
10 Drowning: Padilla Accident, 1948 June
11 Drowning: Fields, Max D - Drowned Lake Cliff
12 Elmwood, 1934-1951
13 Employees Retirement Fund
14 Exall Park (use by Negro children)

Box Folder: Title, Date
3 Exall - Grauwyler
1 Exall and Exline, 1939-1943
2 Exline Community House and Stevens Comfort Station
3 Including Ferris Plaza (USO) and Fretz Park
4 Forest High Property
5 Forest Hills
6 Greiner and Garrett
7 Garrett Park
8 Gilliam Estate (proposed park site 1950)
9 Golf Courses for Negroes (parks)
10 Golf General, 1945-1949
11 Grauwyler Park, 1938-1949

Box: Folder: Title, Date
4 Hare - Kidd Springs
1 Hare and Hare, landscape architects, 1937-1944
2 Hines Boulevard (Kindergarten Property)
3 Herndon
4 Inwood Road
5 Insurance (Fleet), 1950-51
6 Insurance (Fleet), 1951-52
7 General Subject Files "F"
8 General Subject Files "K"
9 Kidd Springs (Square Dances), 1948-1951
10 Kidd Springs Park, 1945-1952
11 Kidd Springs Petition - Additional Land

Box: Folder: Ttle, Date
5 Kidd Springs - Lake Cliff
1 Kidd Springs Purchase
2 Kessler, George E., 1911
3 General Subject Files "L", 1945-1950
4 Lagow Community Center - Spec
5 Lanier Pool - Construction
6 Lanier and Lisbon Playgrounds
7 Lake Cliff Pool Alterations and Addition Specification - Contract
8 Lake Cliff
9 Lake Cliff Lighting System

Box: Folder: Title:, Dae
6 Lake Cliff - Music Commission
1 Lake Cliff Boat Concession
2 Lake Cliff Glider Boats, 1946-47
3 Lincoln Negro High School
4 Lisbon Pool
5 Masterplan, (1946 Hare and Hare)
6 Marsalis Park Zoo Reports, 1945-1950
7 Marsalis Park, 1942-1948
8 Marsalis Park, R. J. Stinnett, 1948-1951
9 Marsalis Park, 1920-1936
10 Mayor and Commissioners (includes sale of 1/2 acre @ Stevens Park to Water Department and other correspondence), 1920-1930
11 McClellan Will (drinking fountains construction)
12 Moss Park (Salvation Army) at Ervay and Holmes, 1938-1944
13 Moss Park (Oak Cliff - reservoirs, etc.)
14 Moore Park (golf course for Negroes - 8th St. Park, officially named, 6/29/40), 1938-1942
15 Moore Negro Park (8th Street Park) Original Purchase and Expansion
16 Monument Plaza (Munger Park and Boulevard (Dumes Street Park)
17 Motion Pictures
18 Music Commission

Box: Folder: Title, Date
7 National
1 North American Aviation, Inc. Annual Report 1942, Recreation and Welfare
2 National Board Office report prepared by L. B. Houston and V. A. Kormerer, Superintendent of Austin Park and Recreation Department
3 New Parks - Edgemere (Preston Hollow) Park Site
4 National Youth Administration, 1938-1943
5 National Recreation Association Civil Defense Project, 1951-52
6 National Recreation Association, 1943-1950
7 National Recreation Association, 1950-1951
8 National Recreation Association, 1932-1942
9 National Recreation Association, 1940-1947
10 Conferences - 1944 - Recreation Association Texas Beach and Pool Association; TAAF

Box: Folder: Title, Date
8 O - Randall
1 General Subject Files "O" , 1926-1935
2 Oak Cliff Negro Park, 1939-1949
3 Oak Lawn Park, 1917-1936
4 Oak Grove Golf Course (Capitol, Haskell, Fitzhugh: Leased Land) , 1923-1939
5 Park Board Correspondence, 1938-1943
6 Pike - Bids on Retaining Wall - 1925 (Turney St. Summitt Play Park)
7 Pollard and Wheeler - American Institute of Park Executives August 31, 1948
8 American Institute of Park Executives, 1948-1949
9 Park Executives, 1938-1943
10 Pool and Golf Passes, 1924-1943
11 General Subject Files "R" Including Randall Park, 1938-1943
12 Randall Memorial Grove, 1924-1944

Box Folder Title, Date
9 Randall - Stevens
1 Randall Federation Membership Cards
2 Relief Labor (Texas Relief Commission), 1933-1935
3 Reverchon Park Ball Diamond, 1939-1948
4 Reverchon Park Expansion, 1940-1951
5 Roosevelt Park, 1929-37
6 Ruthmeade Park, 1921-1925
7 Stevens Park Housing Project (Easements), 1943-44
8 Stevens General, 1924-1941
9 Stevens Golf Course - General, 1944-1952

Box: Folder: Title, Date
10 Stevens - Tenison
1 Stevens Clubhouse and Ground Improvements, 1939-1949
2 SMU Students
3 Swimming Pools Junior 1945- Brown, Peeler, Henderson Terry,
4 Swimming Pools, 1940-1943
5 Swimming Pools, 1943-1952
6 Sullivan Park, 1931-1938
7 Swiss Avenue, 1919-1929
8 Tenison - General, 1946-1951
9 Tenison Golf Course, 1923-1937
10 Tenison Clubhouse - Bids and Contract, 1940
11 Tenison General, 1942-45

Box: Folder: Title, Date
11 Tennis - Turf Maintenance
1 Tennis Courts - Concrete - Henderson Plans, Specs, Bids, Contract, 1944-1946
2 Texas Recreation Association, 1942-1945
3 Thomas Hill Park, 1930-1935
4 Thomas Hill - Purchase, 1944-1953
5 Tietze Park - Improvements: Swimming Pool - Paving Shelter
6 Tietze Park, 1923-1942
7 Tietze Park Expansion, 1944-1945
8 Tietze Park (Llano Park) , 1946-48
9 Turf Maintenance A and M College, 1952
10 Turf Maintenance A and M College, 1944-1950

Box: Folder: Title, Date
12 Turf - Winslett,
1 Turf Maintenance A and M College, 1946-1948
2 Mrs. E. P. Turner Plaza, 1912-1940
3 General Subject Files "V" , 1923-1933
4 General Subject Files "W" , 1937-1943
5 General Subject Files "W", 1918-1936
6 Wahoo Club Property, 1923-1936
7 Wahoo Park, 1944-1950
8 Wahoo Park, 1937-1943
9 Walford Park, 1930-1933
10 Walnut Hill Petition for Park, May 24, 1951
11 West Dallas Picnic Area, 1941-1944
12 Winnetka Park, 1926-1934
13 Wheatley Park, 1919-1933
14 Winslett Plaza, 1924-1935

Box: Folder: Title, Date
13 Y - Zoo
1 W.P.A. Payroll, 1938
2 General Subject Files "Y" , 1935 -1944
3 Zang Boulevard, 1911
4 Zangs Boulevard, 1941-1945
5 Zoological Society - Dallas Zoo Commission, 1924-1940
6 Zoo Report, 1923-1930
Photographic Series
Box 14: 1. Photographic prints:
Unidentified land clearing (2), undated [from Box 2, folder 1]
Concrete amphitheater seating, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, October 1941 [from Box 4, folder 1]
Glider boat, ca. 1947 [from Box 6, folder 2]
"Reverchon Park Lighted Baseball Diamond, constructed May 1940" (3)
Unidentified man beside automobile, undated [from Box 12, folder 9]
"Mrs. W.V. Champion and George F. Walford, Brother and Sister," undated [from Box 12, folder 9
"Officer Parker, Sullivan Park and Mr. Rhone-Park Director (with group of children), undated [from Box 13, folder 4]
Oversized Items
OD 5:
Folder 1. Oversized plans and drawings, from Boxes 1-
2. Oversized plans and drawings, from Boxes
3. Oversized plans and drawings from Boxes