Swiss Avenue Historic District facts for kids

Swiss Avenue Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Swiss Avenue in 2021
Swiss Avenue Historic District Location in Texas Show map of Texas Swiss Avenue Historic District Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Swiss Ave. between Fitzhugh and LaVista, Dallas, Texas
Area	57.1 acres (23.1 ha)
Architect	Multiple
Architectural style	Colonial Revival, Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Prairie School
NRHP reference No.	74002068
Quick facts for kids Significant dates
Added to NRHP	March 28, 1974

The Swiss Avenue Historic District is a special neighborhood in East Dallas, Texas. It's known for its beautiful old homes. This area is officially protected as a historic district by the city of Dallas. It includes parts of Swiss Avenue, Bryan Parkway, Live Oak Street, and La Vista Drive. Not all of Swiss Avenue is part of this district. Some parts are in another historic area called Peak's Suburban Addition.

How Swiss Avenue Began

Swiss Avenue was first developed by Robert S. Munger. He was a cotton gin maker and a smart real estate developer in Dallas. He created a large area called Munger Place. This was one of the first neighborhoods in Texas with special rules for building homes. These rules are called "deed restrictions."

Munger started his real estate work with his son Collett in 1902. They wanted Munger Place to be modern. So, all the power lines and other utilities were hidden in alleys behind the houses. This meant the front views of the homes looked much nicer.

The lots on Swiss Avenue were bigger than in other parts of Munger Place. To make the neighborhood feel special, Munger even put up gates at the main entrances.

Building Homes on Swiss Avenue

The first plan for Munger Place came out in 1907. It showed many blocks ready for homes. People bought lots quickly, so Munger expanded the area in 1910.

In 1908, a 70-foot lot on Swiss Avenue cost about $3,500. Today, homes in the Swiss Avenue Historic District often sell for over $1 million.

Originally, Swiss Avenue had two separate streets. One was for public use, and the other was private for residents. A 40-foot park separated them. Now, the city of Dallas owns and takes care of the street and parkway.

Dr. R. W. Baird built the first home on Swiss Avenue in 1905. It was a grand Classical Revival style mansion. Most of the about 200 homes on the street were built between 1910 and 1920.

The name "Swiss Avenue" came from a Dallas resident from Switzerland in 1857. It was first called Swiss Boulevard.

Special Rules for Homes

The deed restrictions Munger put in place made sure homes on Swiss Avenue were very grand.

• Homes had to be at least two stories tall.
• They had to be built with brick or stone on the outside.
• Homes could not face side streets.
• Each home had to cost at least $10,000 to build.

These rules meant that famous architects and builders designed many beautiful homes. Swiss Avenue was also the first paved street in Dallas.

Protecting History

Swiss Avenue Historic District map.

The Swiss Avenue Historic District is very important. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1974. It was also the very first Dallas Landmark Historic District, created in 1973.

Groups like the Historic Preservation League of Dallas worked hard to protect this area. They got grants to study the homes and even hired lawyers to stop a plan for a tall apartment building.

It was not easy to get the historic district approved. Only nine people started the effort. They were architects, a writer, a banker, and lawyers. Many property owners thought the land was only valuable for new, modern buildings. But the city staff helped make the historic district idea happen.

Different Home Styles

You can see at least 16 different architectural styles on Swiss Avenue. Some of these include:

• Mediterranean
• Spanish
• Georgian
• Prairie
• Craftsman
• Queen Anne
• Jacobethan (English)
• Neoclassical
• Italian Renaissance
• Tudor
• Colonial Revival

You can even see the influence of famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright in some homes. For example, the R. W. Higginbotham House at 5002 Swiss, built in 1913, shows his style.

Special Homes with History

Many homes in the district have their own special history. Some are listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places or as Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks.

• Aldredge House (5500 Swiss Ave.): This home was built starting in 1915. It has English Georgian and French Renaissance styles. A Dallas banker, George N. Aldredge, bought it in 1921.
• Cristler-Rodgers House (5750 Swiss Ave.): Built in 1923, this home was later lived in by Edna Cristler and her husband, J. Woodall Rodgers. He was the Mayor of Dallas from 1939 to 1947.
• 

  The Greer House is individually listed on the National Register
• George C. Greer House (5439 Swiss Ave.): Designed by architect Marion Fresenius Fooshee, this house was added to the National Register in 1997.
• Harris-Savage Home (5703 Swiss Ave.): Built in 1917, this home had famous residents. These included William A. Turner, an oil pioneer, and Wallace Savage, another former mayor of Dallas.
• Robert and Marie Stubbs House (6243 La Vista Dr.): This home was finished in 1926. It was built for Robert Campbell Stubbs, who had a paving business. It was later changed into apartments but is now a single-family home again.
• The Louis Wagner Home (5320 Live Oak St.): This house was built in 1884 by Louis Wagner. It was originally on Bryan Street but was moved to Swiss Avenue in 1977 to save it from being torn down.

Other Notable Homes and Residents

Many important Dallas residents have lived on Swiss Avenue.

• The home at 5803 Swiss Avenue was where Carrie Marcus Neiman lived. She was the founder of the famous department store, Neiman Marcus.
• The dining room of the home at 5020 Swiss was even shown in the pilot episode of the TV show "Dallas."
• Dr. John Bourland, who invented the incubator for premature babies, lived at 4902 Swiss Ave.
• The "Bishop's House" at 4946 Swiss Ave. was built in 1913 for Bishop Joseph Patrick Lynch. Bishop Lynch High School is named after him.
• The home at 4949 Swiss Ave. was sometimes called the "Queen of Swiss Avenue." It was built in 1918.
• The home at 5002 Swiss Ave. is a great example of Prairie School architecture in Dallas.
• Dr. James B. Cranfill, a doctor, minister, and politician, lived at 5215 Swiss Ave. He was a candidate for Vice President of the United States in 1892.
• Collett H. Munger, the son of Robert S. Munger, built his home at 5400 Swiss Ave. in 1908.
• The home at 5634 Swiss Ave. was built for Benjamin H. Stephens. He was a founder of Magnolia Oil Company and helped start Mercantile National Bank.
• The home at 5731 Swiss Ave. was built for Theodore Marcus, who was a vice president at Neiman Marcus.
• The home at 5744 Swiss Ave. was built for Hiram Fitzgerald Lively, a lawyer and former Dallas County Judge.

Looking Back at 100 Years

One hundred years after the Munger brothers created Munger Place, all the homes on Swiss Avenue were photographed. This photo survey shows how these amazing homes have been kept up and renovated over time.

Education in the Area

Students living in the Swiss Avenue Historic District go to schools in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD). Most residents attend William Lipscomb Elementary School, J. L. Long Middle School, and Woodrow Wilson High School. A small part of the area is zoned for Cesar Chavez Elementary School, Alex W. Spence Middle School, and North Dallas High School.