Highland Park, Texas
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Highland Park is a town located in central Dallas County, Texas. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 8,842. Located on Texas Highway 289 and U.S. Highway 75, four miles north of downtown Dallas, it is bordered on the south, east, and west by Dallas, and on the north by University Park. Highland Park and University Park together comprise the Park Cities, which share many joint services such as police and schools. Known in the area as having a high concentration of the wealthy and elite social classes, Highland Park is also home to the Highland Park Village shopping center.
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History
The land now known as Highland Park was purchased in 1889 by a group of investors from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, known as the Philadelphia Place Land Association, for an average price of $377 USD an acre, with a total of $500,000. Henry Exall, an agent, intended to develop the land along Turtle Creek, as Philadelphia Place, excusive housing based on parkland areas in Philadelphia. He laid gravel roads, and dammed Turtle Creek, forming Exall Lake, before the Panic of 1893 brought a blow to his fortunes, halting development. Afterwards, he began a horse breeding farm. In the 1890s, Exall Lake was a common picnic destination for Dallas residents.
In 1906, John Armstrong (the former partner of Thomas Marsalis, the prominent developer of Oak Cliff), sold his meatpacking business, and invested his money in a portion of the former Philadelphia Place land, to develop it under the name of Highland Park. He chose this name as it was located on high land that overlooked downtown Dallas. Wilbur David Cook, the landscape designer who had planned Beverly Hills, California, and George E. Kessler, who had previously planned Fair Park and most of downtown Dallas, were hired to design its layout. Notably, twenty percent of the original land was set aside for parks. A second development in Highland Park was developed in 1910.
In 1913, Highland Park petitioned Dallas for annexation, but was refused. The 500 residents voted to incorporate on November 29 1913, and incorporation was granted in 1915, its population then was 1100. The first mayor of Highland Park was W. A. Fraser. A third and fourth development were added to the town and 1915 and 1917, respectively. In 1919, the city of Dallas sought to annex Highland Park, beginning a lengthy controversy that lasted until 1945. The final major land development occurred in 1924. In 1931, Highland Park Village was constructed, the first shopping center of its kind in the United States.
Due to its location near Dallas, Highland Park, had, by the early 1930s, developed a moderately large (8400) population, with few businesses. Eventually Highland Park and University Park combined their school districts, and newspapers. In the 1940s, after the failure to annex Highland Park, Dallas began annexing the land surrounding it. Reaching a population high of just under 13,000 in the late 1950s, Highland Park afterwards grew only by building houses on the remaining vacant lots, and by the destruction of old buildings. Since 1990, Highland Park has maintained strict zoning ordinances. Known for its quality housing, the town still has many parks running along Turtle Creek, and is home to the Dallas Country Club.
Highland Park is a town of rather considerable wealth, especially when contrasted with the poverty of some of the surrounding areas of Dallas. Perhaps for this reason, the Highland Park Police Force has one of the fastest response times of any police force in the country, a matter of some pride to residents.
Geography
TXMap-doton-HighlandPark.PNG
Location of Highland Park, Texas
Highland Park is located at 32°49'49" North, 96°48'4" West (32.830178, -96.801103)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.8 km² (2.2 mi²). 5.8 km² (2.2 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 8,842 people, 3,585 households, and 2,412 families residing in the town. The population density is 1,524.1/km² (3,948.0/mi²). There are 3,759 housing units at an average density of 647.9/km² (1,678.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 97.27% White, 0.38% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.77% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 2.73% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 3,585 households out of which 33.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% are married couples living together, 5.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% are non-families. 29.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.46 and the average family size is 3.06.
In the town the population is spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 42 years. For every 100 females there are 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $149,389, and the median income for a family is $200,000. Males have a median income of $100,000 versus $43,594 for females. The per capita income for the town is $97,008. 3.4% of the population and 1.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.5% of those under the age of 18 and 0.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.