Oddities, scandals and legends from White Rock Lake—a presentation with pictures

Dallas Municipal Archives

Once, water from a certain Dallas well was sought for its medicinal purposes—more specifically, it was a laxative.

Once, the swastika was a common symbol seen around Dallas and Dallas Parks vehicles.

Once, there was a jail at White Rock Lake called the Pea Patch. There weren’t many trees then—the park essentially was a prairie.

Later, private clubs, boathouses and businesses lined the shores. Dallas residents used to swim at White Rock Lake—no worries, it was chlorinated, until that became too work-intensive. A corps of young workers once built a picnic pavilion on the lakeshore, but now you can’t see the water from the tables—why?

Where is the Lady of the Lake buried? Do you recognize the names Peak, Haskell, Harwood, Fowler? They were all related, but who were they? Did you know Dallas and White Rock Lake were key in the creation of Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd?

Here on Advocatemag.com, there is no shortage of stories about Dallas history, especially as it pertains to White Rock Lake, but any well-informed Dallasite knows the go-to source for weird and wonderful tidbits and the answers to every question imaginable—from CCC workers and POW camps to hauntings and local lore—is one Sally Rodriguez—author, historian and erstwhile Parks staffer.

Rodriguez, a Lake Highlands resident, is one of our city’s most prolific presenters. She’s so good because she knows what interests us—scandals and urban legends and oddities. The City of Allen was generous enough to record and post to YouTube one of Rodriguez’s more-recent shows, so forget surfing Netflix for a new murder documentary because here’s an hour and 20 minute dive into the last hundred-plus years in your own neighborhood. Scroll down and click on the video to watch.