Munger Place Historic District – Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

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Munger Place Historic District is a neighborhood located in Old East Dallas, Texas southwest of North Fitzhugh Avenue, southeast of Columbia Avenue, northwest of Gaston Avenue, and northeast of Henderson Avenue. The Munger Place Historic District is considered as a Dallas Landmark District, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In this article, we will know more about the history of Munger Place Historic District and the things you should do while you’re there.

History

In 1905, Munger Place was established by a cotton gin manufacturer named Robert S. Munger. He built it on 300 acres of land, and it is considered one of Dallas’s first suburbs. Aside from that, it was initially created to be one of the most exclusive communities in Dallas. In order to attract the correct social element, the developers of Munger Place carefully planned the community. Back then, Munger Place was located Just minutes away from downtown Dallas by carriage; that is why Munger Place turn into the very first deed-restricted district in Texas. The developers laid out rules such as homes had to be a full two stories, and it has to cost at least US$2,000, as well as no house could be built facing a side street. Munger Place’s infrastructure also featured different amenities such as paved streets, sidewalks, gas mains, shade trees, sewers, and electric street lights. In just a short time, Munger Place became home to Dallas’ leading businessmen and social elites.

However, when the Great Depression happened, it led several of the community’s mansions to be turned into multi-family housing. And the neighborhood slowly lost its elite status. When the 1960s came, a handful of what was once lovely and elegant houses in the area had been torn down or condemned. However, at the beginning of the 1970s, Munger Place started to be revived, when enterprising people began to recognize the historic architecture, more specifically the Prairie Style, and vast spaces located behind the neighborhood’s run-down veneer.

Heritage Descriptions

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Only a part of Munger Place is counted in the Munger Place Historic District. Munger Place is divided into three parts, which are the western, northern, and southern portions. The western and northern part of Munger Place of the Swiss Avenue Historic District. While the south portion is mostly is in the Munger Place Historic District. Gaston Avenue separates the two historic districts, and the lots located on either side of Gaston Avenue are not included from either landmark district.

In 1978, Munger Place Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic District by the National Park Service. Two years later, the City of Dallas hailed the historic district as a Landmark District.

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Munger Place is comprised of over 250 households, and it is known to have the most extensive collection of Prairie-Style homes in the United States. Most of the homes here in Munger Place are now entirely renovated. The neighborhood once again became a desirable place for families of all types who want to live in a charming yet historic home located near downtown Dallas. Every year, Munger Place holds an art festival as well as house tours to attract historic architecture enthusiasts and independent artists.

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