Lakewood Heights is a walkable East Dallas neighborhood known for shady streets, friendly front porches, and quick access to shopping, parks, and culture. It spans about 240 acres with roughly 1,150 households, sitting just east of Downtown near White Rock Lake, Lower Greenville, and the Lakewood Shopping Center.
Location & Boundaries
Lakewood Heights is framed by Monticello Avenue to the north, Richmond Avenue to the south, Skillman Street to the west, and Abrams Road to the east. Eleven tidy east-west streets knit the area together, giving it an easy grid and a true neighborhood feel. The location places residents minutes from SMU, the Dallas Arts District, and the lake’s trail system.
Deep History: From Peters Colony to Build-Out
The story begins in the 1840s, when early settler Amon McCommas and his family moved into what would become East Dallas. In the 1850s, the State of Texas issued land surveys here to Amon McCommas, John McCommas, and Allen Beard as part of the broader Peters Colony era of North Texas settlement. Their names still echo nearby—McCommas Boulevard honors the McCommas family, while Beard’s Branch is a small creek that drains toward White Rock Lake.
Residential development arrived decades later. In 1913, a small tract called Llano Place—about one and a half blocks—was platted between today’s Norris and Clements. A larger 1914 plat quickly followed, stretching from Llano Street south to Richmond Avenue between what we now know as Skillman and Abrams. The new addition rode a wave of post-World War I prosperity, and portions were annexed to the City of Dallas in 1923.
Marketing of the addition was sophisticated for its time. Early sales materials and later court records reference the Lakewood Heights Company and agent Dan Sonnentheil promoting improved, “modern” infrastructure—macadamized streets, sewer, gas, water, and even streetcar access—to attract buyers.
Lot sales surged in the 1920s, and construction carried on steadily through the 1930s. By 1940, development was substantially complete, leaving a cohesive, early-20th-century neighborhood that still reads well on a map today.
Architecture & Housing
Early houses reflect a classic East Dallas mix—Craftsman bungalows, Tudor Revival cottages, and Minimal Traditional homes from the interwar years. Many of the original one-story brick houses remain, often updated with careful additions. Newer builds complement the canopy of live oaks and red oaks, and most blocks retain sidewalks, alley access, and front-porch rhythms that encourage neighborly chats.
Parks & Recreation: Tietze Park
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At the neighborhood’s west edge, Tietze Park spreads across roughly nine acres between Llano and Vanderbilt along Skillman. The City acquired the land in 1924—it was first called Keith Park—and renamed it in 1934 to honor longtime parks superintendent W. R. Tietze.
A handsome sandstone pavilion was built in 1934, and today the park features a community aquatic center, lighted ballfields, basketball and tennis courts, playgrounds, and curving walking paths.
Visitors love the park’s distinctive “kneeling” bois d’arc trees, which bend low with massive limbs that generations of kids have climbed. Neighborhood volunteers organized the Friends of Tietze Park Foundation in 2002 to restore and enhance amenities, and the park has received preservation kudos for rehabilitation work.
Recent projects include tree plantings, a pollinator garden, and improvements that keep Tietze among the most-used parks per square foot in Dallas.
Lifestyle, Shopping & Nearby Attractions
Weekends here are wonderfully local. Residents stroll to the Lakewood Shopping Center at Abrams & Gaston—anchored by the landmark 1938 Lakewood Theater building—and then on to coffee or live music along Greenville Avenue. White Rock Lake is a quick hop for cycling, rowing, and sunset walks, while cultural heavyweights like the Dallas Arboretum and Arts District are a short drive.
Schools & Education
Lakewood Heights lies within Dallas ISD. Most blocks feed into Geneva Heights Elementary, with some streets zoned to Mockingbird Elementary, and the neighborhood continues to J. L. Long Middle School and Woodrow Wilson High School. Attendance boundaries can shift, so families should always confirm the latest zone maps with the district before they move or enroll.
Neighborhood Association & Community Life
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The Lakewood Heights Neighborhood Association (LHNA), founded in 1984, is an active hub for safety, beautification, and social life. Traditions include block-by-block Front-Yard Picnics, National Night Out, and a fall Pumpkins in the Park gathering.
LHNA representatives also collaborate with nearby groups on zoning matters affecting the Lakewood business district, ensuring neighborhood character and small-scale retail remain part of daily life.
Getting Around
Commuting is straightforward. Major streets like Skillman, Abrams, and Greenville offer quick north-south connections, while Mockingbird Lane and Northwest Highway link to US-75 and the rest of the city. DART’s Mockingbird Station—with light-rail access to Downtown and beyond—is a short hop, making car-optional trips realistic for concerts, games, and museum days.
Why Lakewood Heights Works
It’s the blend: historic roots, central location, and an active community wrapped around a beloved neighborhood park. You’re close to downtown jobs and culture, yet daily life happens on leafy streets where people still wave from the porch. For many Dallas families, that balance is exactly the point.
