Brief History

With a history dating back to the early 1900s, White Rock Lake Park's tremendous setting and cultural history make it one of Dallas' most prominent and popular park destinations. Today, the 2,000-acre park hosts diverse user groups on a daily basis - including walkers, runners, roller bladers and bikers. It also serves as a popular neighborhood park for picnicking, playground use, and enjoyment of beautiful open space. The original Master Plan for the Park, as prepared by the National Park Service, dates back to the 1930's WPA era. The park has evolved since the original plan, but still represents one of the most significant compositions of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) construction of any municipal park in Texas. But over time. many of the original park features have deteriorated or vanished altogether.

In 2002, the Park and Recreation Department was completing a significant long-range plan for their park system, with special focus on Dallas' historic park sites. With a commitment to preserve these historic parks, White Rock Lake Park was one of the top priorities. At this same time, several areas at White Rock Lake Park were being redesigned to update and replace older park facilities. As the historic legacy of the lake and CCC workforce was being documented, many of the new capital projects being proposed for the park were forced to take a closer look at their relationship to the original construction during the period of 1936-1942. One of these projects was the addition of a new trail connection to the historic Lakewood Neighborhood, and a lakeside sitting area referred to as Reflection Point.

Landscape Architect's Role in Developing and/or Implementing the Project

In recognizing the significance of designing a new park destination within this historic context, the landscape architect served as the lead design consultant. The landscape architect defined the problem statement: research and document the historic materials and detailing used during the period of significance of 1936-1942. The landscape architect then assembled and coordinated a team of experts on historic research. A leading historic preservation architect was commissioned to assist on the research for the park, along with the City of Dallas Park and Recreation staff that were uncovering the CCC history at White Rock Lake Park. Through this team approach of research and data gathering, the landscape architect compiled the layers of history into a set of guidelines for the design approach to Reflection Point. These published guidelines mark a significant first step in understanding and responding to the historic context at White Rock Lake Park.

Successful Resolution of the Project's Program

Early on in the research and documentation of historic materials, the main emphasis became the numerous park elements and features that needed to be researched (buildings, bridges, retaining walls, benches, tables, signage, etc.), as well as establishing which historic precedents were appropriate to follow for new park development. There were several procedures the team used to uncover and document the original components of the park. The preservation specialist began by researching library files, dated photographs, old City drawings that had been stashed away in the basement of City Hall, and even soliciting help from local citizens. Layers of historic data were

uncovered during this initial phase of research including site plans, landscape architectural drawings, architectural plans, historic photographs, and correspondence pertaining to the park. The research team continued by photographically documenting remaining park features still on site. This helped the team confirm the actuality of the historic documents. Site-specific elements at White Rock Lake Park were not the only source of comparison undertaken. The team also evaluated broader historic trends and precedents found in other works completed by the National Park Service and the CCC across America during the same time period. Concurrently, City staff was researching the original CCC camp at White Rock Lake Park and verifying its existence by uncovering old plans, photos, and correspondence. City staff even met with former workers from the camp to get their personal accounts about the early stages of development at the lake. All of this research showcased the historic significance of White Rock Lake Park in Dallas and the need to guide its future development to understand, retain, and celebrate its past. The resulting documentation was a set of guidelines for the new portal, Design Guidelines for Reflection Point at Lakewood Pedestrian Gateway, White Rock Lake Park. This book describes in written and visual form the context for the new development of Reflection Point.

Impact and Significance of the Project on the Local Community or Surroundings

For the City of Dallas, this project highlights one strategy in their overall Renaissance Plan for the park system - celebrating the city's significant historic parks. The incredible social and cultural history at these historic parks is a legacy that needs to be passed on to future generations. Even recently, the Park and Recreation Department began the process of getting White Rock Lake Park on the National Register of Historic Places. This process has involved significant coordination with the Dallas Landmark Commission, who eagerly supports the effort. The Landmark Commission sees the new guidelines as the "first chapter" in a large volume that establishes the historic context for all future design and capital improvements at White Rock Lake Park. Regular press coverage and newspaper articles appear covering the history and activities at this highly cherished park in Dallas.

Special or Unique Solutions to Unusual Problems

Originally, the landscape architect was commissioned to design the new pedestrian connection to the historic Lakewood Neighborhood, as well as a new lakeside sitting area. But with limited historic documentation available to the landscape architect for this side of the lake, the appropriate design approach needed to be grounded in research performed for this area of the park. Therefore, the city expanded the work of the landscape architect to include historic research and documentation. This step included adding a leading preservation specialist to the team, as well as extensive coordination with the city archivist. The team then embarked upon using several techniques for uncovering the history of White Rock Lake Park. Old drawings were retrieved from storage corners at City Hall, important letters and photographs were uncovered, local citizens were engaged who knew the history of the park, and fieldwork was performed to document the living legacy of materials from the CCC craftsmen.