Lower Greenville, Dallas facts for kids

Lower Greenville is a lively neighborhood in east Dallas, Texas in the USA. It is located west of Lakewood. The main part of the neighborhood is found along Greenville Avenue, south of Mercedes Avenue and north of Belmont Avenue.

You might also hear about "Lowest Greenville", which is the area just south of Belmont Avenue. The area north of Mockingbird Lane is called "Upper Greenville." The name "Lower Greenville" can also refer to the neighborhoods around Greenville Avenue. These include Vickery Place, the Belmont Addition, Glencoe, Greenland Hills (also known as the "M Streets"), and Stonewall Terrace.

Lower Greenville is a popular area in Dallas, especially south of Mockingbird Lane. It has many fun places like restaurants, unique shops, and venues where you can enjoy live music.

The History of Greenville Avenue

How Greenville Avenue Became Important

In the early 1900s, Greenville Avenue was a very important road in Dallas. It connected new homes in East Dallas to the rest of the city. Back then, it was like what the North Central Expressway (US 75) is today.

Before the North Central Expressway was built in the 1950s, Greenville Avenue was the main way to get from northern Dallas to downtown. A railroad used to run where the North Central Expressway is now.

Growth and Development of the Area

In the 1910s, Goodwin Avenue was at the far north end of Greenville Avenue. It served areas like the Belmont Addition and Vickery Place. By the 1920s, the Greenland Hills area was developed north of Vickery Place. At that time, Mockingbird Lane became the northern edge of Dallas. Before the mid-1920s, Greenville Avenue was often called the "Richardson Road" or "Richardson Pike."

Because it was the main road to towns like Richardson and Plano, Lower Greenville became a major center for shopping and dining. This was especially true for the area now called "Lowest Greenville." When cars first arrived in Dallas, they often came through Greenville Avenue. Even today, the Lower Greenville area is a popular spot for people who love cars and motorcycles. The intersection of Goodwin Avenue and Greenville Avenue has been a popular gathering place since the 1930s.

The Granada Theater

The Granada Theater was built on Greenville Avenue in 1946. It started as a movie theater. Today, it is a well-known place for live music. The theater has been kept in great condition and still looks much like it did when it first opened.

Schools in Lower Greenville

Public Schools in the Neighborhood

The Dallas Independent School District (DISD) runs the public schools in Lower Greenville. There are two elementary schools in the neighborhood: Geneva Heights Elementary School and Mockingbird Elementary School. These schools serve different parts of the community.

After elementary school, students go to J. L. Long Middle School. Then, they attend Woodrow Wilson High School.

Geneva Heights Elementary School

Geneva Heights Elementary School was once called Robert E. Lee Elementary School. Its name was changed on July 1, 2018. This was because its former namesake was a general in the Confederacy. Besides parts of Lower Greenville, the school also serves Vickery Place.

Around 2007, the school was known for its teachers staying there for a long time. A teacher who had been there for less than ten years was considered new! At one point, the school had about 250 students. Later, it reached a peak of almost 600 students. To handle this growth, a new part of the building was added by 1996. In 1996, most students were Hispanic or Latino (78%), with 11% Anglo White and 10% African-American.

By 2007, the number of students went down to about 250. About 30% of these students came from outside the school's normal attendance area. The school was only using its ground floor. There were 18 students for each teacher.

In 2012, the school was using about 58% of its building space. It was planned to take in students from the former Bonham Elementary School later that year. This brought more involved families to the school. The school also added a dual language program. In 2014, Geneva Heights had 362 students. About 71% of them were from low-income families, and about 83% were from racial and ethnic minority groups. The DISD planned to start an International Baccalaureate (IB) program to attract more families to the school.