Our History
Old City Park and the land on which it sits has a long and rich connection with Dallas history. Site of many firsts, this piece of land became Dallas’s first city park in 1876. At the time, it was simply called City Park. The Cedars, an elegant neighborhood, home of many business and mercantile leaders, grew up around City Park in the 1880s and 1890s. The city’s first zoo was located here and weekly concerts were given in the bandstand similar to the one at the Park today. Browder Springs, which now flows underground, was the first water supply with a wooden water main carrying water to the young city. Turn-of-the-century maps show a large pavilion, fountain, pump house, pond, and greenhouses. The greenhouses were open to the public during the day for touring.
After World War II, many people moved to the suburbs around Dallas and highways were built to get them into the city for work. Interstate 30 cut the Cedars neighborhood off from downtown, leaving the neighborhood and the park in decline. The future of City Park looked dim until a group of women determined to save a historic plantation house from the wrecking ball offered the park a new role in the culture of Dallas. The ladies who rescued Millermore stored the disassembled pieces in a warehouse, and then called Ray Hubbard, president of the park board. He agreed with their idea to reconstruct the house in City Park, where it became the first of 21 buildings transported here to become a village.
Since 1967, Dallas County Heritage Society (DCHS) has managed and operated Old City Park as a living history museum dedicated to sharing the stories of the individuals and families that lived in Dallas in its early years. Thanks to our incredible team of board members, staff, and volunteers, we purchased, relocated, and restored an extraordinary collection of historic buildings and structures to create a unique living history museum in our community’s oldest public park. Using these buildings and the items we collected and purchased to furnish and decorate every historic structure at Old City Park, we helped connect area residents and out of town guests with life in Dallas between 1840-1910.
On May 27, 2024, our management contract with the City of Dallas officially ended. The Dallas Park and Recreation Department is now managing Old City Park. It is our understanding that the Park Department will direct a full master planning process to determine how Old City Park will operate and be managed in the future. After this master plan is complete, the Park Department will oversee the RFP process to secure a new manager for the park. During this interim period, expected to last 18-36 months, the Park Department will manage Old City Park.
Because the management of Old City Park is now the responsibility of the Park Department, the DCHS Board of Trustees recognized that we could no longer do business as Old City Park. While the Board considered closing the organization, there was great shared concern that taking this action would leave Old City Park without an organized group of advocates or supporters. In addition, DCHS still has financial resources available to invest in the Park, including restricted funds for the renovation of the Blum House. The proceeds from our recent estate sale added to these funds. Thus, after much consideration, the DCHS Board voted to change our assumed name from Old City Park to Old City Park Conservancy. While Dallas County Heritage Society will continue to be the legal name of our organization, we will do business as Old City Park Conservancy.
In addition, our Board adopted the following updated mission statement: The mission of Old City Park Conservancy is to advocate for and provide support to Old City Park so that visitors can connect with the past, inspire the future, and celebrate Dallas’s rich diversity in Dallas’s first and oldest public park. This new mission statement makes it clear that our commitment to Old City Park remains as strong as ever, albeit as a volunteer driven organization, for the foreseeable future.
As we continue to navigate the changes to not only our organization but also to the park itself, we cannot help but reflect on the countless volunteers, board members, staff members, and financial backers who helped create such an extraordinary cultural asset for Dallas. There is truly no place in Dallas like Old City Park and we remain hopeful that the City will choose to maintain much of what we built. To all of our current and former board and staff members, volunteers, and donors, please accept our deepest thanks for your dedication, support, and abiding commitment to Old City Park.
For over 50 years, Dallas County Heritage Society has been steadfast in its mission to safeguard and showcase the historical significance of Old City Park. Now, with the launch of our new identity as Old City Park Conservancy, we are proud to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to advancing the legacy and cultural significance of Dallas’ oldest public park while also recognizing that it will evolve over time to serve the needs of the surrounding neighborhood and community at large. Through Old City Park Conservancy, we will continue to collaborate with the City of Dallas and community partners to ensure the ongoing stewardship and accessibility of this cherished historical park. Please know that we are deeply grateful for your support of our past efforts and hope you will join us in continuing to advocate for and provide financial support to Old City Park in the months and years ahead.
