Elmwood (Dallas)
Elmwood is a neighborhood in the North Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas.[1] The area is composed of tudor cottages, craftsman bungalows and ranch-style homes built mostly in the 1920s through the 1950s surrounding a central greenbelt and known for its gently rolling, tree-shaded hills above the limestone banks of Cedar Creek. This land was once the Tennessee Farm dairy. Consisting of 640 acres (2.6 km2), the dairy was a corporate operation and a modern, sanitary facility that provided milk to Dallas and the surrounding vicinity. Remnants of the farm exist to this day, including a house on Brunner reputed to be the dairy foremans quarters and portions of an old stone wall that divided the farm, which are visible along the 1700 block of S. Edgefield, near Elmwood Blvd. Frank Jester, the original developer, purchased the farm in 1924 and building continued into the 1950s.
Elmwood Park is a focal point of the neighborhood. The park follows Cedar Creek on the northern edge of the neighborhood and then runs south along Elmwood Creek through the middle of the neighborhood. The park is full of mature pecan, oak, elm, and hackberry trees and is home to a variety of birds and wildlife. The park has play equipment, open spaces for sports, and is a popular place for walking dogs and jogging as well. Recently Elmwood has added the first part of three walking trails that lead through the park.
Elmwood also has its own small business district along Edgefield Avenue. This area features a collection of unique small commercial buildings, professional offices, a Masonic Hall and a couple of churches. In 1988, this location was used for the filming of the Main Street sequences in the movie Born on the Fourth of July.
With its expansive parks and greenbelts, it is easy to forget that Elmwood lies only minutes south of downtown Dallas. Convenient freeway access and two DART rail stations serving the neighborhood put all the amenities of the city within easy reach of Elmwood. Its excellent location, quality housing stock, park-like surroundings and good neighbors, make Elmwood a serene and pleasant area in which to live.
The business district, centered on Edgefield and Ferndale, has recently seen increased activity. Starting with a concentrated effort by the neighborhood, murals, festivals, and a monthly pop-up dog park, have been organized to bring about renewed life. Since 2012, two new restaurants and a new store have opened, and two restaurants have expanded. The revitalization has received national coverage, being featured in GOOD Magazine multiple times.[2]
References
- ↑ "Oak Cliff’s Elmwood neighborhood — connecting the dots for small entrepreneurs" Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
- ↑ http://www.good.is/posts/good-idea-for-cities-re-energizing-a-neighborhood-s-pride