The inscription is a simple one: ÒThe Swiss Avenue Historic DistrictÓ reads the brass plaque near the door of Dorothy and Wallace SavageÕs home.
Earning that designation, however, was not so simple.
Dorothy Savage remembers when the elegant homes of Swiss Avenue were crumbling, with the bulk of the properties owned by absentee landlords. She remembers when talk of progress carried so much more currency than the cause of preserving the assets already found in our neighborhoods.
ÒAt one time, the City motto was ÒKeep the dirt flying. Keep the wrecking ball going,Ó she says. ÒYou could not interest people in saving old buildings.
ÒPeople put the past down. A lot of the City fathers at that time thought we were crazy.Ó
Crazy enough, for one, to fight against the building of a high-rise apartment development on Swiss all the way to the Texas Supreme Court.
ÒPeople ask how Dallas saved its neighborhoods,Ó Savage says. ÒIt was a lot of hard work.Ó
Preserving Our Neighborhoods
ItÕs not surprising that Virginia McAlester, the SavageÕs daughter, grew into a writer fascinated with historic structures. She recently traveled the country to write ÒThe American Field Guide to Historic Neighborhoods, Homes and Museums,Ó available in June.
Her parentsÕ example paved the way to her own involvment in preservation.
ÒMy mother and fatherÕs greatest legacy came in 1951,Ó McAlester says.
ÒThe only reason there is anything for us to improve is that my mother and father fought against every single case to put apartments in Swiss Avenue. In the Õ50s and Õ60s, no one cared about the stuff.Ó
The Savages, McAlester, architect Michael Brown and writer Lynn Dunsavage were among the founders of what would become the Historic Preservation League in 1972. The league worked with the City to establish Swiss Avenue (made up of portions of Swiss Avenue, Bryan Parkway, Bryan Street, La Vista Avenue and Live Oak Street) as a historic district Ð the first such district in Dallas.
This designation protected the area from commercial development and set the stage for the restoration of the homes. Other Dallas neighborhoods now designated as historic districts include Munger Place, the Wilson Block and the South Boulevard-Park Row area of South Dallas.
The complete story behind establishing the district is available in the handbook ÒThe Making of a Historic District: Swiss Avenue.Ó The leagueÕs experience showed others how to fight for their neighborhoods, McAlester says.
ÒSwiss Avenue had a national impact. I donÕt think people realized that,Ó she says. ÒIn the Õ70s and Õ80s, there was no handbook.Ó
And people like Dorothy Savage didnÕt work for the cause only in courtrooms and the City Council chambers.
ÒThe house right next door to us was owned by an absentee landlord. He let the place fall around his ears,Ó she says. ÒI was the general contractor. I had a lot of fun. It needed everything.
ÒWe bought one at Skillman and Swiss and did it, too,Ó she says. ÒI was dying to buy one down the street and do some more. My husband had to put his foot down.Ó
The leagueÕs success with Swiss Avenue was the first victory for a group that would enjoy many more.
ÒTo me, the important thing was that after we did Swiss Avenue, we didnÕt just say ÔIsnÕt that great, we saved our neighborhoodÕ Ó says McAlester. ÒWe looked at Munger Place, at Junius Heights.Ó
Indeed, the league ultimately proved instrumental in saving historic sites such as the Lakewood Library, the Belo Mansion and the Magnolia Building. And its work in the neighborhoods included the establishment of a revolving fund that purchased 26 properties in Munger Place (then DallasÕ most deteriorated neighborhood) to sell to homeowners for restoration.
During this time, the League also worked with the Lakewood Bank and the Federal National Mortgage Association on a inner-city lending program in a 100-block area that included Munger Place, Mill Creek and Junius Heights.
The comeback of Munger Place seems to hold the most satisfaction for Savage and her daughter.
ÒHave you been through Munger Place recently?Ó Savage says. ÒIt looks so pretty. Such a nice neighborhood.Ó
Like other accomplishments, this one did not come easy.
ÒThere were so many obstacles,Ó Savage says. ÒIt was zoned for apartments. You couldnÕt get home improvement loans.Ó
Adds McAlester: ÒYou have to understand how bad it was. We tried to sell one house for two years.Ó Munger Place homes similar to sought-after properties on Swiss Avenue were ignored.
ÒMunger Place was not seen as a safe or desirable place to live.Ó
The League waged a public relations campaign for East Dallas, promoting individual identities for the neighborhoods and glorifying Òurban pioneers.Ó
ÒIt was all East Dallas then,Ó says McAlester. ÒPeople didnÕt talk about it like today. The biggest market was people from out of town who didnÕt have preconceptions about Old East Dallas.Ó
Savage can no longer throw herself into preservation projects as she once did. But her knowledge of development in Dallas is current, and her zeal for our neighborhoods remains evident.
Discussion of removing tax incentives for preservation (another league cause) is met with disdain: ÒCrazy thing. TheyÕre looking at getting rid of it. I donÕt see why they would do that.Ó
Her words of praise are reserved for todayÕs version of urban pioneers.
ÒItÕs remarkable whatÕs happening now with the condos in Deep Ellum and Downtown,Ó she says. ÒThe only thing that will save Downtown is people living there.Ó
Promoting Our Library
Another ÒfirstÓ was marked by Lakewood residents with the establishment of the Lakewood Library Friends in 1983. The library system had long received support from the Friends of the Dallas Public Library, but no branch had its own champions.
ÒWhat really brought the group together was the building,Ó which was plagued by foundation problems, says Betty Brown, Lakewood branch manager. ÒA lot of people got together to put pressure on the City Council to do repairs.
ÒOral history was the other big project.Ó The oral history project was handled, in part, by the members the Lakewood Community Library Advisory Committee (which would evolve into the Lakewood Library Friends).
Conducting the project met enlisting the aid of authorities in oral history, and training volunteers to conduct in-depth interviews with longtime East Dallas residents. The purpose was not to produce a comprehensive history but to Òpreserve glimpses of a way of life soon to be forgottenÓ from these Òeyewitnesses to history.Ó
About 250 taped interviews are still held by the Lakewood Library. The group later raised about $10,000 in matching funds to publish a book based on those interviews, ÒReminisces: A Glimpse of Old East Dallas.Ó
Lakewood resident Meg Glass, a member of the original advisory committee, gently leafs through her signed copy of ÒReminiscesÓ as she discusses once again tackling an oral history project.
While not as involved in the making of the original oral history as her (now-deceased) contemporaries Eloise Sherman and Anne Good, her familiarity with that work has led the current board to look to her for a starting point.
ÒIÕm supposed to get some drive behind it,Ó Glass says. ÒThere are people we need to interview before they pass on their way.Ó
Glass sees the Lakewood Library as a gathering place for the community.
ÒIÕm happy that it is a place where people are comfortable and keep coming,Ó she says. ÒI would like to see us keep going in an atmosphere of community spirit.Ó
Keeping that spirit alive isnÕt just about stocking the library shelves with the latest titles. One of GlassÕ fondest memories of the Friends is how the group plotted a surprise party for branch manager Dorothy Anderson in honor of her retirement.
ÒDorothy Anderson was so closely related to the spirit of the library,Ó she says. On the big day, signs went up on storefronts reading ÒLakewood Loves You Dorothy.Ó And the party was a Òbest-kept secret,Ó hidden even from the library staff, members of which came by on their lunch hour.
ÒThat sort of thing is just kind of fun, you know,Ó Glass says.
Glass continues to serve on the Friends board of directors, as she has off and on since the beginning. She enjoys working with the mostly younger board members, mingling their new ideas with her experienced viewpoint.
ÒEvery now and then I roll off the board and then I roll back on it,Ó she says, laughing. ÒIt becomes a part of your life.Ó
ÒI imagine theyÕll have to shove me out with my walker Ð ÔOK, Meg, youÕve done enough.Õ Ó
Creating a Park
The Lakewood Service League was born in 1983 as a means of establishing a neighborhood park.
ÒI had three small children,Ó says Lou Alpert, the league founder. ÒA lot of us did. There was not a decent park in this area.
ÒA group of us got together.Ó
Inexperience made the little group bold: ÒWe must have been nuts to think we could just start this organization,Ó Alpert says. And they soon learned that you Òyou canÕt just build a park.Ó For a City park, certain requirements would have to be met.
Even so, a remarkable amount of community support brought the plans together quickly. The group held its first fund-raiser at the Lakewood Country Club, which netted a Òhuge turnout.Ó The Lakewood Bank, and many others, made contributions of money, equipment and expertise.
Within two years of the leagueÕs creation, the Lakewood Park on Williamson Road was completed.
ÒIt was so fast. We had so many people helping,Ó Alpert says.
ÒEverything was done with volunteers.Ó
The league was AlpertÕs ÒbabyÓ in the early days, but when the Lakewood native moved away, new leadership filled the gap. Alpert has returned to her hometown, but is no longer as involved in league activities. Her life is busier than ever: She is raising three youngsters (ages 7, 10 and 11) and also running a publishing company. More importantly, she feels the group is best served by following its own path.
ÒTheyÕre doing something different now, Ò she says. ÒItÕs their organization now.
ÒThatÕs what keeps it healthy, the freedom to make adjustments.Ó
Last year, the league raised almost $50,000 to distribute to numerous agencies, including the Wilkinson Center and the East Dallas YMCA.
ÒItÕs amazing how competent they are,Ó she says. ÒTheyÕre doing a great job.Ó
The Future of Preservation
Savage, McAlester, Glass and Alpert surely take pride not only in their accomplishments, but in the work done by the organizations they helped create.
The Historic Preservation League, for one, became the basis for todayÕs Preservation Dallas and the Swiss Avenue Historic District Association.
The association, which helps maintain and make improvements to the district, sponsors an annual MotherÕs Day Tour (held May 8-10 this year). This yearÕs tour will be a special one commemorating the districtÕs 25th anniversary. Among the activities will be nearby neighborhoods on the tour, a history exhibit, a parade and antique cars.
This anniversary celebration also will include the first FounderÕs Party, meant to honor the neighborhoods original residents and their descendants, those who founded the historic district, and the neighborhood and city leaders who have been active during the neighborhoodsÕ 25 years as a historic district.
Meanwhile, Preservation Dallas has continued the fight to preserve and restore our City’s historic buildings and neighborhoods. But Catherine Horsey, executive director of Preservation Dallas, believes the group’s purpose goes beyond stopping the bulldozer in its tracks.
Preservation Dallas aims to develop a sense of community in all of Dallas’ neighborhoods.
Among the most popular service is the Intown Living Center, which provides comprehensive information regarding every recognized neighborhood inside Loop 12.
Horsey says one reason for creating this center was a 1990 census finding that the percentage of home ownership in Dallas had dropped from more than 60 percent to just over 40 percent. Another factor: By 1992, eight historic Dallas neighborhoods had been deemed endangered by the National Trust because of vacancy rates of 20 percent to 40 percent.
"We decided that the best way for us to have a real impact on the City, rather than just doing tours of historic places, was to actively market intown neighborhoods to people who were looking to buy houses.
To help spread the word, Preservation Dallas holds seminars to educate real estate agents about Dallas neighborhoods. Preservation Dallas also regularly sponsors tours, most recently to Downtown lofts and Hutsell and Dilbeck homes.
"When people came to Dallas, their Realtors showed them Plano, Coppell or Richardson,Ó Horsey says.
"There was no one saying: Gosh there are great neighborhoods like Lakewood, Munger Place, Kessler Park or King’s Highway."
Friends to Count On
Many of the programs associated with the Lakewood Library Ð the book review series, the annual art show, the summer reading program for children Ð wouldnÕt be possible without the Lakewood Library Friends.
That example hasnÕt been missed: Seven Dallas library branches followed LakewoodÕs lead and created Friends groups. The remaining branches all are pursuing some type of local support group, says Brown.
ÒYou get a lot more local involvement,Ó with a branch group, Brown says. ÒYou get what I would call tangible support.
ÒPeople like to know where their efforts are going. ThatÕs easier with a local group than a citywide one.Ó
Brown sees the establishment of the first Friends group here is yet another example of our neighborhoodÕs activism.
ÒEast Dallas is more politically active than other communities,Ó she says. ÒMaybe itÕs because weÕre an older neighborhood.
ÒThere is definitely more political interest.Ó
Brown says itÕs too early to assess the likelihood of another oral history project. While Òthere are people we would like to get on tap,Ó there are few experienced interviewers left. Volunteers would again have to be trained.
Whatever the future of the project, Brown knows the library will be able to count on the Friends.
ÒIt gives you a good feeling of security to know that, without you having to beat the bushes, there are people ready to support the library.Ó
In a League of Their Own
Geneve (need to check spelling) Dittmar, president of the Lakewood Service League, has high hopes for what the group can accomplish. She would like, for one, to double the amount of money raised by the league. That would mean contributing $100,000 to local organizations.
ÒSome people will say thatÕs pie in the sky,Ó she says. ÒBut we do make a difference in the community, and thatÕs how we do it.
ÒThe government has cut the funding for these groups, but they still have to feed people.Ó
This yearÕs annual charity ball auction will be held Feb. 8 at the Aldolphus Hotel. Doubling the amount of money raised would mean doubling attendance at this function, which Dittmar plans to work toward over the next three years.
Also in the works are plans to sponsor a college scholarship for high school women. The group is also working on improved signage and landscaping for Lakewood Park, the project that started it all.
League members do some hands-on work, including helping the Wilkinson Center at Christmas, tackling Meals on Wheels routes and volunteering at a joint Wilkinson Center-Payless project that donates a new pair of shoes to needy youngsters once a year.
The primary function, however, is to funnel money into community organizations. About 15 organizations received donations last year, including the Woodrow Wilson High School science department and Meals on Wheels.
Dittmar believes one strength of the group is its flexibility.
ÒYou can give a lot of time, or a little time,Ó she says.
Varied backgrounds is another plus. Some members work; others donÕt. The ages range from the 20s to the 60s. Since lots of organizations Òtend to be young or old,Ó the variety in the league Òprovides an interesting perspective,Ó Dittmar says.
ÒI like learning from these women, Ò she says. ÒYou start watching these women achieve such success. You start to model yourself after them.
ÒI really admire them. They really gave their heart to the community.Ó
Staff Writer Margaret Heyn contributed to this report.
