East Dallas Neighborhoods

White Rock Lake is not only the recreational centerpiece for the White Rock Lake Neighborhoods, but for all of Dallas. The largest man-made urban lake in the country, White Rock Lake is 9 miles around and is enjoyed by a continuous stream of cyclists, runners, and walkers. The natural woods and meadows are certified sites for bird watchers and bird counters.

This collection of older and historic neighborhoods show how national architectural trends were translated in Dallas, including parallel development in the schools of Prairie, Craftsman, Mission, Colonial Revival and other Eclectic styles. Old East Dallas' trademark remains front porches, tall pecan trees, flowering crepe myrtles and mature magnolias. It has a small town atmosphere where people know and enjoy their neighbors. In this setting of well-organized Dallas neighborhoods and quiet streets, it is easy to forget that Downtown Dallas is only a few blocks away.

Lakewood's reputation as the fashionable neighborhood can be attributed not only to the strong architectural presence of French Eclectic and English Tudor, Colonial Revival and Spanish Eclectic-style homes, but to the wide lawns, deep lots and wooded hills overlooking White Rock Reservoir. The natural beauty of its setting combined with its architectural interest and the activism of its residents insure that Lakewood will remain one of Dallas' finest neighborhoods.

If you go to Deep Ellum today, you will find much of the same energy and spirit that made it notorious in the 1920s. Streets that rang with honky-tonk pianos and heard Leadbelly and Blind Lemon Jefferson on 12-string guitar now feature entertainment like video bars, comedy clubs, and show cases for the city's leading artists. Many of Dallas' finest galleries are located in the district. Police now have their headquarters where they were once reluctant to patrol. Deep Ellum, with a stimulating diversity of commercial activity, mixes the vitality of the Central Business District with the tranquility of the surrounding residential neighborhoods.