Preston Hollow, Dallas, Texas
Encyclopedia
Preston Hollow is a neighborhood in north Dallas
, Texas
, USA
.
were carved out of the former farm parcels. De-Loache and Al Joyce developed Preston Hollow, with development largely occurring in the 1930s. Initially Preston Road was the area's only connection to Downtown Dallas
. Terry Box of The Dallas Morning News
said that the Northwest Highway
"was nothing more than muddy right of way." The area that would later become Preston Center
was a Dairy Farm in the early to mid-20th Century.
The developers intended for Preston Hollow to be what Box said was "more than a flatland suburb on the fringes of a new and growing Dallas." Doctors, entrepreneurs, industrialists, lawyers, and oil businesspeople moved to Preston Hollow. Many built country-style estates that housed horses and stables. A private school which later became St. Mark's School of Texas
opened in the area.
Incorporated as a municipality in 1939, and provisioned by the Preston Road Fresh Water Supply District, the North Dallas
town of Preston Hollow was named for the deep wooded area with creeks and hollows extending westward from Preston Road. The bramble in the area was unique in the Dallas area and all home builders in the area were to preserve it as part of the covenant.
In the early 1930s during the Depression, Edward James Solon, the treasurer of Interstate and the partner who came with Karl Hoblitzelle from Chicago to Dallas, purchased the first Preston Hollow corner property at Douglas and Avrille Way. Mr. DeLoach was to build a Dillbeck designed house on the property. This Tudor styled home was considered the first of many large homes built in what is now termed the Old Preston Hollow area. Originally, there was one large house in the area further over by the pond near Avrill, but it was considered as having been part of the farm. In the 1930s jumping across NW Highway was considered going into the sticks and risky in terms of attracting the affluent during the Depression. Later many people said that E.J. Solon started the North Dalllas migration. Preston Hollow originally extended from east of Preston Road, slightly north of Walnut Hill Lane, west of Midway Road and southwest of Northwest Highway. In 1945 Preston Hollow residents voted to join the city of Dallas, and the municipality was annexed to Dallas shortly thereafter.
In 1956, the neighborhood association's covenant stated that only white residents were allowed to live in Preston Hollow. This policy, though never legally enforced, and ruled unconstitutional by the US courts in the 1960s was repealed in 2000. That restrictive language is included in thousands of association covenants.
In September 2008, Preston Hollow returned to national headlines when New York Post
gossip columnist Cindy Adams
wrote a column claiming that U.S. President George W. Bush
and his wife Laura Bush
had purchased a home in Preston Hollow. Described as "a big house on five acres," Adams also claimed that this house would have "horse stables, lake views, mountain views, golf club views" and that Preston Hollow is "a town outside Dallas." Dallas media pointed out the significant factual errors in the column (perhaps, most glaringly, Dallas's location in the Great Plains
region of Texas, where no mountains exist) and noted that the real estate agent cited denied both the report or that she had ever been contacted by the Post.
Politicians - Former U.S. President George W. Bush
, Dallas mayor Tom Leppert
, former Dallas mayor Laura Miller
and her husband, retired Texas legislator Steve Wolens
.
Business Executives - Ross Perot
, energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens, former American Airlines chairman Bob Crandall
, software developer Larry Lacerte, Stream Energy
Chairman Rob Snyder, and investor Harold Simmons.
Sports & Entertainment Figures - Dallas Mavericks
owner Mark Cuban
, former Dallas Cowboys players Roger Staubach
and Chuck Howley
, Dallas Stars
owner Tom Hicks
, former Dallas Cowboys
football coach Wade Phillips
, golfer Lee Trevino
, former Dallas Stars
player Mike Modano
, as well as British pop singer George Michael
and his partner Kenny Goss.
Noted residents of Old Preston Hollow who are now deceased include ClubCorp founder Robert H. Dedman Jr., trial lawyer and Democratic Party
fundraiser Fred Baron, and Mary Kay
founder Mary Kay Ash
.
Homes in Preston Hollow are among the most expensive in the state and have continued to increase in value in recent years. Currently houses range from $800,000 tear-downs up to $40,000,000 estates.
The most expensive estate in the greater Preston Hollow area, a US$
45 million mansion, caught fire while still under construction. George Perrin, the original owner of the house and the founder of PageNet
, combined several lots to produce what would have been the biggest house in Dallas. Perrin eventually abandoned the project.
The most expensive home currently available in the Preston Hollow area is the Park Lane estate owned by software company founder Larry Lacerte, which is priced at $40 million.
John McClamrock
, an American high school football player injured during a game, lived in Preston Hollow.
. Preston Road is the main arterial road of the area. Terry Box of The Dallas Morning News
said in 1987 that the corridor Preston Road travels through, between the Northwest Highway
, and the LBJ Freeway, is referred to as the "golden corridor" of Dallas due to its wealth.
Lisa Tanner of the Dallas Business Journal said "The lines that define Preston Hollow are somewhat blurred." She said that Preston Hollow has been commonly defined as being bounded by the Northwest Highway to the north, Royal Lane to the south, and Hillcrest Road to the east. She said that there were several "western measures." Mary Jacobs of The Dallas Morning News
said that area real estate agents usually define the boundaries of Preston Hollow as the Northwest Highway, Royal Lane, Hillcrest Road, and Midway Road. Roland Anderson, a resident quoted by the Dallas Morning News, said that real estate agents use the name in the broadest manner possible because they believe the name has "panache
." He added that, in the words of Jacobs, "Preston Hollow is really an amalgamation of neighborhoods."
said in 1989 that the area north of Walnut Hill was "less prestigious" but "still affluent, with well-maintained upper-middle- and middle-class neighborhoods stretching to Royal Lane."
Nancy Moore of the Morning News said that the boundaries of eastern Preston Hollow were Northwest Highway, Royal Lane, Preston Road, and Hillcrest Road. Most of eastern Preston Hollow is under the jurisdiction of two homeowners association
s: Preston Hollow East and Preston Hollow North. Eastern Preston Hollow is divided into several lots
. The houses in eastern Preston Hollow include 1950s ranch houses and newer, larger houses. The newer houses have 6000 square foot or more space. Kay Weeks, a realtor of Ebby Halliday Realtors and a resident of Preston Hollow, said that over a 20 year period until 2009 many former middle class areas became wealthier. Since newer houses in Preston Hollow opened, the land value increased. Many 1 acre (0.404686 ha) lots, as of 2009, were selling for $1 million or more. Some such lots in popular locations had a value of $2 million. The newer houses are McMansion
style houses. Preston Hollow North's boundaries are Preston Road, Hillcrest Road, Royal Lane, and Walnut Hill Lane. Preston Hollow East consists of the single family houses in an area bounded by the Dallas North Tollway
, Hillcrest Road, Joyce Way, and Del Norte Lane.
The United States Postal Service
operates the Preston Post Office.
said that the vacant buildings were "viewed as intrusive symbols of the city's failure to control its growth" and "have come to exemplify much of what is wrong with North Dallas
." Around that time residents tried to pressure area politicians into making the development more low-rise and further removed from the Preston Hollow community.
The Dallas Galleria and the NorthPark Center
are in proximity to Preston Hollow.
Dallas Independent School District
operates local public schools.
Elementary schools serving areas in Preston Hollow include John J. Pershing (in Preston Hollow), Preston Hollow
(in Preston Hollow North), Walnut Hill, and Harry C. Withers.
Residents zoned to Pershing and Preston Hollow are zoned to Benjamin Franklin Middle School and Hillcrest High School
. Residents zoned to Walnut Hill are zoned to Cary Middle School and Thomas Jefferson High School. Residents zoned to Withers are zoned to E.D. Walker Middle School and W.T. White High School.
, and Walnut Hill served sections of the Preston Hollow area. Residents zoned to Preston Hollow and Pershing were zoned to Franklin Middle School and Hillcrest High School
. Residents zoned to Walnut Hill were zoned to Cary Middle School and Thomas Jefferson High School. In Fall 2006, the attendance boundaries changed, with a portion of the former Walnut Hill zone being rezoned to Withers. The Withers section was rezoned from Cary and Thomas Jefferson to Walker Middle School and W.T. White High School.
In 2006, Preston Hollow Elementary School achieved notoriety after a lawsuit claiming the school's class-assignment policies violated the 1954 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education
decision. Judge Sam Lindsay ruled in November
that the school's practices were not legal because they attempted to keep white
students together even if minority students had to be placed in inappropriate courses; this ruling was mis-cited in at least one local paper as indicating that "all-white" classes had been created.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
operates area Catholic schools. Ursuline Academy of Dallas
, a Catholic girls' high school, is located in the Estate area of Preston Hollow. Non-Catholic private schools within Preston Hollow North include St. Mark's School of Texas
(1-12) and Preston Hollow Presbyterian School (1-6).
Private Catholic schools in the surrounding area include Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
(Boys, 9-12), Bishop Lynch High School
(9-12), Christ the King Catholic School (K-8), and St. Rita Catholic School (K-8). Other private schools in the surrounding area include Episcopal School of Dallas
(PreK-12), Hockaday School (PreK-12, Girls), Parish Episcopal School
(PreK-12), and Good Shepherd Episcopal School (K-8).
Preston Hollow Early Childhood Association is a private preschool group for Preston Hollow area parents of children from newborn up to 6 years of age. The group organizes playgroups, social events, and other activities to support families of young children.
.
Southern Methodist University
is in proximity to Preston Hollow.
operates the Preston Royal Branch in the Preston Hollow area.
s that cover most of eastern Preston Hollow, organize recreational activities such as book clubs and gourmet groups.
is the local citywide newspaper.
Preston Hollow People is a local community newspaper.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
In 1924 Ira De-Loache bought a 56 acres (22.7 ha) farm in 1924. Preston Hollow's first lotsLot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
were carved out of the former farm parcels. De-Loache and Al Joyce developed Preston Hollow, with development largely occurring in the 1930s. Initially Preston Road was the area's only connection to Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District in Dallas, Texas USA, located in the geographic center of the city. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally been defined as bounded by the downtown freeway loop: bounded on the east by I-345 Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District...
. Terry Box of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
said that the Northwest Highway
Northwest Highway
Northwest Highway may refer to several highways in the United States:*Texas State Highway Loop 12*U.S. Route 14 in Illinois...
"was nothing more than muddy right of way." The area that would later become Preston Center
Preston Center
Preston Center is a commercial center in north Dallas, Texas , located around the intersection of Preston Road and Northwest Highway ....
was a Dairy Farm in the early to mid-20th Century.
The developers intended for Preston Hollow to be what Box said was "more than a flatland suburb on the fringes of a new and growing Dallas." Doctors, entrepreneurs, industrialists, lawyers, and oil businesspeople moved to Preston Hollow. Many built country-style estates that housed horses and stables. A private school which later became St. Mark's School of Texas
St. Mark's School of Texas
The St. Mark's School of Texas is a nonsectarian preparatory day school for boys located in Preston Hollow, Dallas, Texas, USA. The School offers grades 1–12.-History:...
opened in the area.
Incorporated as a municipality in 1939, and provisioned by the Preston Road Fresh Water Supply District, the North Dallas
North Dallas
North Dallas is an expensive area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas . The phrase "North Dallas" is also sometimes used to include any suburb or exurb north of Dallas proper within the metropolitan area. The majority of North Dallas is located in Dallas County while a small...
town of Preston Hollow was named for the deep wooded area with creeks and hollows extending westward from Preston Road. The bramble in the area was unique in the Dallas area and all home builders in the area were to preserve it as part of the covenant.
In the early 1930s during the Depression, Edward James Solon, the treasurer of Interstate and the partner who came with Karl Hoblitzelle from Chicago to Dallas, purchased the first Preston Hollow corner property at Douglas and Avrille Way. Mr. DeLoach was to build a Dillbeck designed house on the property. This Tudor styled home was considered the first of many large homes built in what is now termed the Old Preston Hollow area. Originally, there was one large house in the area further over by the pond near Avrill, but it was considered as having been part of the farm. In the 1930s jumping across NW Highway was considered going into the sticks and risky in terms of attracting the affluent during the Depression. Later many people said that E.J. Solon started the North Dalllas migration. Preston Hollow originally extended from east of Preston Road, slightly north of Walnut Hill Lane, west of Midway Road and southwest of Northwest Highway. In 1945 Preston Hollow residents voted to join the city of Dallas, and the municipality was annexed to Dallas shortly thereafter.
In 1956, the neighborhood association's covenant stated that only white residents were allowed to live in Preston Hollow. This policy, though never legally enforced, and ruled unconstitutional by the US courts in the 1960s was repealed in 2000. That restrictive language is included in thousands of association covenants.
In September 2008, Preston Hollow returned to national headlines when New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
gossip columnist Cindy Adams
Cindy Adams
Cindy Adams is an American gossip columnist and writer. She is the widow of comedian and humorist Joey Adams.-Early life and education:Born an only child in New York City, she was one year old when her parents divorced...
wrote a column claiming that U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and his wife Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
had purchased a home in Preston Hollow. Described as "a big house on five acres," Adams also claimed that this house would have "horse stables, lake views, mountain views, golf club views" and that Preston Hollow is "a town outside Dallas." Dallas media pointed out the significant factual errors in the column (perhaps, most glaringly, Dallas's location in the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
region of Texas, where no mountains exist) and noted that the real estate agent cited denied both the report or that she had ever been contacted by the Post.
Residents
Old Preston Hollow has a wide variety of prominent residents including:Politicians - Former U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, Dallas mayor Tom Leppert
Tom Leppert
Tom Leppert is an American politician who served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 2007 to 2011, and who worked as CEO of the Turner Corporation...
, former Dallas mayor Laura Miller
Laura Miller
Laura Miller served as mayor of Dallas, Texas from 2002 through 2007. She did not run for re-election in the 2007 mayoral race. She was the third woman to serve as mayor of Dallas.- Education and career :...
and her husband, retired Texas legislator Steve Wolens
Steven D. Wolens
Steven D. Wolens is a former Texas state Representative. Described by Texas Monthly as the "House's most dreaded foe and most welcome ally," he was best known for ushering in Senate Bill 7, deregulating Texas energy markets. He is married to former Dallas, Texas mayor Laura Miller, and he was a...
.
Business Executives - Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
, energy tycoon T. Boone Pickens, former American Airlines chairman Bob Crandall
Robert Crandall
Robert Lloyd "Bob" Crandall is the former president and chairman of American Airlines. Called an industry legend by airline industry observers, Crandall has been the subject of several books and is a member of the Hall of Honor of the Conrad Hilton college.-Life:Robert Crandall was raised in Rhode...
, software developer Larry Lacerte, Stream Energy
Stream Energy
Stream Energy is an American retail electricity and natural gas firm active in the Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Georgia deregulated energy markets and headquartered within the building in Dallas...
Chairman Rob Snyder, and investor Harold Simmons.
Sports & Entertainment Figures - Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
owner Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is an American business magnate and investor. He is the owner of the National Basketball Association's Dallas Mavericks, Landmark Theatres, and Magnolia Pictures, and the chairman of the HDTV cable network HDNet....
, former Dallas Cowboys players Roger Staubach
Roger Staubach
Roger Thomas Staubach is a businessman, Heisman Trophy winner and legendary Hall of Fame former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys from 1969 until 1979. Staubach was instrumental in developing the Cowboys into becoming one of the best teams of the 1970s and led the team to nine of the Cowboys'...
and Chuck Howley
Chuck Howley
Charles Louis "Chuck" Howley is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League...
, Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
owner Tom Hicks
Tom Hicks
Thomas Ollis Hicks, Sr. , is an American 'leveraged buyout' businessman living in Dallas, Texas. Despite Forbes Magazine estimating Hicks' wealth at USD 1 billion in 2009, Hicks was unable to pay off joint loans of circa £200 million the following year...
, former Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
football coach Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips
Wade Allen Phillips is the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans and former head coach for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills. He was also an interim head coach for the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons...
, golfer Lee Trevino
Lee Trevino
Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:...
, former Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
player Mike Modano
Mike Modano
Michael Thomas Modano, Jr. is a retired American professional ice hockey player, who most notably played for the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He is the all-time goal-scoring and points leader amongst American-born players in the NHL, as well as the last active player in the NHL...
, as well as British pop singer George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
and his partner Kenny Goss.
Noted residents of Old Preston Hollow who are now deceased include ClubCorp founder Robert H. Dedman Jr., trial lawyer and Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
fundraiser Fred Baron, and Mary Kay
Mary Kay
Mary Kay, Inc. is a privately held company that sells skin care and cosmetics products. Mary Kay World Headquarters is located in Addison, Texas, United States, a Dallas suburb. Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Inc. on Friday, September 13, 1963...
founder Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay Ash was an American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.-Early life:Mary Kay Ash, born Mary Kathlyn Wagner in Hot Wells, Harris County, Texas, was the daughter of Edward Alexander and Lula Vember Hastings Wagner. She attended Reagan High School in Houston, and graduated...
.
Homes in Preston Hollow are among the most expensive in the state and have continued to increase in value in recent years. Currently houses range from $800,000 tear-downs up to $40,000,000 estates.
The most expensive estate in the greater Preston Hollow area, a US$
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
45 million mansion, caught fire while still under construction. George Perrin, the original owner of the house and the founder of PageNet
PageNet
Founded in 1981 by entrepreneur George Perrin, PageNet grew to become the largest wireless messaging company in the world, with more than 10 million pagers in service and $1 billion in revenues, before the paging industry's rapid decline in the late 1990s.-Operations:Based in Dallas, PageNet held...
, combined several lots to produce what would have been the biggest house in Dallas. Perrin eventually abandoned the project.
The most expensive home currently available in the Preston Hollow area is the Park Lane estate owned by software company founder Larry Lacerte, which is priced at $40 million.
John McClamrock
John McClamrock
John McClamrock was a Dallas high school American football player who received media attention and sympathy from many Americans after an accident that left him with near-total paralysis in 1973....
, an American high school football player injured during a game, lived in Preston Hollow.
Cityscape
Preston Hollow is located 6 miles (9.7 km) north of Downtown DallasDowntown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District in Dallas, Texas USA, located in the geographic center of the city. The area termed "Downtown" has traditionally been defined as bounded by the downtown freeway loop: bounded on the east by I-345 Downtown Dallas is the Central Business District...
. Preston Road is the main arterial road of the area. Terry Box of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
said in 1987 that the corridor Preston Road travels through, between the Northwest Highway
Northwest Highway
Northwest Highway may refer to several highways in the United States:*Texas State Highway Loop 12*U.S. Route 14 in Illinois...
, and the LBJ Freeway, is referred to as the "golden corridor" of Dallas due to its wealth.
Lisa Tanner of the Dallas Business Journal said "The lines that define Preston Hollow are somewhat blurred." She said that Preston Hollow has been commonly defined as being bounded by the Northwest Highway to the north, Royal Lane to the south, and Hillcrest Road to the east. She said that there were several "western measures." Mary Jacobs of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
said that area real estate agents usually define the boundaries of Preston Hollow as the Northwest Highway, Royal Lane, Hillcrest Road, and Midway Road. Roland Anderson, a resident quoted by the Dallas Morning News, said that real estate agents use the name in the broadest manner possible because they believe the name has "panache
Panache
Panache is a word of French origin that carries the connotation of a flamboyant manner and reckless courage.The literal translation is a plume, such as is worn on a hat or a helmet, but the reference is to King Henry IV of France...
." He added that, in the words of Jacobs, "Preston Hollow is really an amalgamation of neighborhoods."
Areas within Preston Hollow
The area belonging to the former Preston Hollow town is now known as the "Estate area." The area is in western Preston Hollow. Tanner said that the estate area is east of Midway Road and west of Preston Road. Jacobs said that the estate area is bounded by Preston Road, Walnut Hill Lane, Midway Road, and the Northwest Highway. She added that "The so-called estate area on Preston Hollow's western side boasts large lots with grand entrances, rolling hills and winding streets, and is home to some of the most luxurious mansions in Dallas." Walnut Hill was the northern boundary of the former Preston Hollow municipality. Terry Box of The Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
said in 1989 that the area north of Walnut Hill was "less prestigious" but "still affluent, with well-maintained upper-middle- and middle-class neighborhoods stretching to Royal Lane."
Nancy Moore of the Morning News said that the boundaries of eastern Preston Hollow were Northwest Highway, Royal Lane, Preston Road, and Hillcrest Road. Most of eastern Preston Hollow is under the jurisdiction of two homeowners association
Homeowners association
A homeowner association is a corporation formed by a real estate developer for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling of homes and lots in a residential subdivision...
s: Preston Hollow East and Preston Hollow North. Eastern Preston Hollow is divided into several lots
Lot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
. The houses in eastern Preston Hollow include 1950s ranch houses and newer, larger houses. The newer houses have 6000 square foot or more space. Kay Weeks, a realtor of Ebby Halliday Realtors and a resident of Preston Hollow, said that over a 20 year period until 2009 many former middle class areas became wealthier. Since newer houses in Preston Hollow opened, the land value increased. Many 1 acre (0.404686 ha) lots, as of 2009, were selling for $1 million or more. Some such lots in popular locations had a value of $2 million. The newer houses are McMansion
McMansion
McMansion is a pejorative term for a large new house which is judged as pretentious, tasteless, or badly designed for its neighborhood. Alternately, a McMansion is a large house in a sub-division of similarly large houses, which all seem mass produced and lacking distinguishing characteristics, and...
style houses. Preston Hollow North's boundaries are Preston Road, Hillcrest Road, Royal Lane, and Walnut Hill Lane. Preston Hollow East consists of the single family houses in an area bounded by the Dallas North Tollway
Dallas North Tollway
The Dallas North Tollway is a controlled-access toll road operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority , which runs from Interstate 35E near downtown Dallas, Texas , to U.S...
, Hillcrest Road, Joyce Way, and Del Norte Lane.
Government and infrastructure
The Dallas Fire Department operates Station #41, which opened on January 16, 1958, in Preston Hollow. Area residents and business owners refer to it as the "Preston-Royal Fire Department." Fire Station #27, which opened in 1948, is adjacent to Preston Hollow.The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
operates the Preston Post Office.
Economy
Preston Center, a commercial area, is located in proximity to Preston Hollow. The development includes two 20 story office towers that opened during a construction boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s. As of 1989 many of the Preston Center buildings were partially vacant. During that year Terry Box of The Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
said that the vacant buildings were "viewed as intrusive symbols of the city's failure to control its growth" and "have come to exemplify much of what is wrong with North Dallas
North Dallas
North Dallas is an expensive area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas . The phrase "North Dallas" is also sometimes used to include any suburb or exurb north of Dallas proper within the metropolitan area. The majority of North Dallas is located in Dallas County while a small...
." Around that time residents tried to pressure area politicians into making the development more low-rise and further removed from the Preston Hollow community.
The Dallas Galleria and the NorthPark Center
NorthPark Center
NorthPark Center is an upscale shopping mall located in Dallas, Texas . The mall is located at the intersection of Loop 12 and US 75 . The center has over 235 stores and restaurants. NorthPark is the first shopping center featured on Vogue Magazine...
are in proximity to Preston Hollow.
Public schools
Dallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District is a school district based in Dallas, Texas . Dallas ISD, which operates schools in much of Dallas County, is the second largest school district in Texas and the twelfth largest in the United States.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically...
operates local public schools.
Elementary schools serving areas in Preston Hollow include John J. Pershing (in Preston Hollow), Preston Hollow
Preston Hollow Elementary School
Preston Hollow Elementary School is a public primary school located in the Preston Hollow area of north Dallas, Texas, . Preston Hollow Elementary School enrolls students in grades PK-5 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District....
(in Preston Hollow North), Walnut Hill, and Harry C. Withers.
Residents zoned to Pershing and Preston Hollow are zoned to Benjamin Franklin Middle School and Hillcrest High School
Hillcrest High School (Dallas)
Hillcrest High School, formerly Vickery Meadows High School is a public secondary school located in North Dallas, Texas . Hillcrest High School enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District.- History :...
. Residents zoned to Walnut Hill are zoned to Cary Middle School and Thomas Jefferson High School. Residents zoned to Withers are zoned to E.D. Walker Middle School and W.T. White High School.
Histories of schools
In the 2005-2006 school year, three elementary schools, Pershing, Preston HollowPreston Hollow Elementary School
Preston Hollow Elementary School is a public primary school located in the Preston Hollow area of north Dallas, Texas, . Preston Hollow Elementary School enrolls students in grades PK-5 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District....
, and Walnut Hill served sections of the Preston Hollow area. Residents zoned to Preston Hollow and Pershing were zoned to Franklin Middle School and Hillcrest High School
Hillcrest High School (Dallas)
Hillcrest High School, formerly Vickery Meadows High School is a public secondary school located in North Dallas, Texas . Hillcrest High School enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District.- History :...
. Residents zoned to Walnut Hill were zoned to Cary Middle School and Thomas Jefferson High School. In Fall 2006, the attendance boundaries changed, with a portion of the former Walnut Hill zone being rezoned to Withers. The Withers section was rezoned from Cary and Thomas Jefferson to Walker Middle School and W.T. White High School.
In 2006, Preston Hollow Elementary School achieved notoriety after a lawsuit claiming the school's class-assignment policies violated the 1954 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
decision. Judge Sam Lindsay ruled in November
November 2006
November 2006 was the eleventh month of that year. It began on a Wednesday and 30 days later, ended on a Thursday....
that the school's practices were not legal because they attempted to keep white
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
students together even if minority students had to be placed in inappropriate courses; this ruling was mis-cited in at least one local paper as indicating that "all-white" classes had been created.
Private schools
As of 2007 most Preston Hollow residents send their children to private school.The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on July 15, 1890 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese's cathedral is the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe....
operates area Catholic schools. Ursuline Academy of Dallas
Ursuline Academy of Dallas
Ursuline Academy of Dallas is a Catholic college preparatory high school for girls located on Walnut Hill Lane, in the area around Preston Hollow in Dallas, Texas...
, a Catholic girls' high school, is located in the Estate area of Preston Hollow. Non-Catholic private schools within Preston Hollow North include St. Mark's School of Texas
St. Mark's School of Texas
The St. Mark's School of Texas is a nonsectarian preparatory day school for boys located in Preston Hollow, Dallas, Texas, USA. The School offers grades 1–12.-History:...
(1-12) and Preston Hollow Presbyterian School (1-6).
Private Catholic schools in the surrounding area include Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas is a private, college-preparatory school for young men under the direction of the Society of Jesus and home to the Jesuit Dallas Museum in Dallas, Texas...
(Boys, 9-12), Bishop Lynch High School
Bishop Lynch High School
Bishop Lynch High School is a co-educational Catholic high school founded by the Dominican Order in east Dallas, Texas . It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas. It opened in 1963 with 365 students and now has over 1,000 students. In keeping with its Dominican tradition, the school...
(9-12), Christ the King Catholic School (K-8), and St. Rita Catholic School (K-8). Other private schools in the surrounding area include Episcopal School of Dallas
Episcopal School of Dallas
The Episcopal School of Dallas is an independent school in Dallas, Texas.-History:The School was founded in 1974 by Dallas-area leaders and The Reverend Stephen B. Swann who remains the current headmaster. In 1995 ESD merged with St...
(PreK-12), Hockaday School (PreK-12, Girls), Parish Episcopal School
Parish Episcopal School
The Parish Episcopal School is a co-educational preparatory day school located on two campuses in Dallas, Texas, USA. The school enrolls students in grades Pre-K-12.-History:...
(PreK-12), and Good Shepherd Episcopal School (K-8).
Preston Hollow Early Childhood Association is a private preschool group for Preston Hollow area parents of children from newborn up to 6 years of age. The group organizes playgroups, social events, and other activities to support families of young children.
Colleges and universities
Preston Hollow is within the Dallas County Community College DistrictDallas County Community College District
The Dallas County Community College District is a network of seven community colleges in Dallas County, Texas . It is headquartered at 1601 South Lamar in Dallas....
.
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
is in proximity to Preston Hollow.
Public libraries
Dallas Public LibraryDallas Public Library
The Dallas Public Library system serves as the municipal library system of the city of Dallas, Texas .-History:In 1899, the idea to create a free public library in Dallas was conceived by the Dallas Federation of Women's Clubs, led by president Mrs. Henry Exall. She helped raise US$11,000 from...
operates the Preston Royal Branch in the Preston Hollow area.
Parks and recreation
The City of Dallas operates two neighborhood parks, Netherland Park and Preston Hollow Park. The 7.2 acres (2.9 ha) Preston Hollow Park includes two baseball/softball fields, one soccer (football) field, two tennis courts, one basketball court, one playground, seven picnic tables, and trails. The 5.3 acres (2.1 ha) Netherland Park includes two tennis courts and trails. Preston Hollow East and Preston Hollow North, two homeowners associationHomeowners association
A homeowner association is a corporation formed by a real estate developer for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling of homes and lots in a residential subdivision...
s that cover most of eastern Preston Hollow, organize recreational activities such as book clubs and gourmet groups.
Media
The Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
is the local citywide newspaper.
Preston Hollow People is a local community newspaper.