Exploring Dallas - Teddy Bears!!!

It's been a very busy week here at home, but the sun is shining this afternoon and we are both tired of being in the house.  I heard about a park not too far away that I want to check out today.  It's right in Dallas -- well Highland Park, technically, but  . . .   The Lakeside Historic District!!  According to a marker in a rock nearby, "The Lakeside Historical District is a collection of early 20th century homes flanking Exall Lake and Turtle Creek between Beverly Drive and Wycliff.  Initially planned by Wilbur David Cook, Jr. and subsequently completed by George Kessler, Highland Park was promoted as 'The South's Finest Residence City.'  Many of the most prominent architects of the day designed homes here.  Its residents have played significant roles in the development of both Dallas and Texas."

Colonel Henry Exall, of Kentucky and Virginia, constructed a dam on Turtle Creek in 1890, creating Exall Lake, and began laying out the graveled streets.  The lake is created by a dam on the creek and we cross over right above the overflow.

It's further down there than you think.  We are in the middle of the city -- keep that in mind.

I guess the water has been down for awhile --- hence the bright green moss.

Just on the other side of the bridge is a small area containing concrete teddy bears.  LARGE teddy bears.  And oh so cute.  The expressions on their faces are wonderful.

They were created by J.T. Williams, Sculptor, and were placed here for the town of Highland Park by the Harlan Crow Family, December 25, 1995.

How big are they?  Well, a moment of play lets you see.

This sits right along Turtle Creek and the cypress knees are prominent as well.

On the street above the concrete bears, we wander down Willow Wood Street and discover an old Pump House.

A little research - good old Google - share with us that it is no longer functioning as a pump house but was bought by Deedie and Rusty Rose and serves as "a place for the arts, a space for intellectual discussion, a temporary apartment, a playground."  You take what you want from that.  It is right next door to the bunker-like entrance to their home - also stated in that article as an "$8-mil fortress."  It was an article from several years ago and that price has likely changed dramatically.

From there, we continue along Turtle Creek and enjoy the feeling of being out of the city while in it.  We just can't look across the street or the creek at the huge homes all around us.  Focus on the water and plants. 

In several locations, there are stairs that will take you closer to the water's edge.  I can't come up with a real reason for some of these, but they are there.  Mister reaches the end and . . . . what is he looking at.  Oh, the rock is falling away and a small cave-like area is seen.  That's it though -- these stairs really don't serve any purpose that I can come up with.  Fishing???  Seems unlikely, but that's all I got.

After about an hour of wandering along the creek, we are ready to call it done.  I've really enjoyed this time with my sweetie and I'm sure I'll bring grands back here -- if they wish to see the teddy's that is.