University Park, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids University Park, Texas
City
Dallas Hall, on the campus of Southern Methodist University
Location of University Park in Dallas County, Texas
University Park, Texas Location in Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Dallas
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	3.69 sq mi (9.57 km2)
• Land	3.69 sq mi (9.55 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)
Elevation	548 ft (167 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	25,278
• Density	6,857.84/sq mi (2,647.83/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (Central)
ZIP code	75205 & 75225
Area code(s)	214, 469, 945, 972
FIPS code	48-74492
GNIS feature ID	1377191

University Park is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is a suburb located right next to the city of Dallas. In 2020, about 25,278 people lived there. The city is also home to Southern Methodist University, a well-known college.

University Park is surrounded by Dallas on its north, east, and west sides. To the south, it borders the town of Highland Park. These two places, University Park and Highland Park, are often called the Park Cities. They are like a special area completely surrounded by Dallas. University Park is known as one of the wealthiest places in Texas. This means many people living there have high incomes. In 2018, it was even ranked as the second wealthiest city in the entire United States.

When you send mail to University Park, you can use "Dallas, Texas" or "University Park, Texas" for the address. The postal service often prefers "Dallas, Texas" to make things simpler.

History of University Park

Highland Park Presbyterian Church in University Park

University Park started as a small group of homes around Southern Methodist University. The university was built in 1915 in a rural part of Dallas County. At first, the university provided services like water and electricity to these homes. But by 1924, too many people lived there for the university to keep providing these services.

How University Park Became a City

The homeowners first asked the nearby town of Highland Park to include them. Highland Park said no because it would cost too much to provide services like water and safety. Then, the city of Dallas also refused their request for the same reasons.

So, community leaders decided to create their own city. To do this, state law required residents to vote. On April 24, 1924, people voted, and the idea passed easily. The new city began to set up its government and get important services like water and fire protection. They held another vote to borrow money for these projects. This vote also passed, allowing them to get $150,000. This money helped pay for a new water system, paved streets, a city hall, and a fire station. When it first became a city, University Park covered about 515 acres, had 380 homes, and 1,200 residents.

Growth and Independence

University Park grew quickly. By 1945, it had over 20,000 residents and was seen as a very desirable place to live. In fact, it became so attractive that Dallas now wanted to add University Park to its own city limits. Even the city's leaders thought it was a good idea. However, in a big election, the residents voted against joining Dallas. They wanted to remain an independent city.

In 1989, voters approved a new plan for how the city would be governed. This plan created a council-manager system. This meant a city council with five members would make decisions, and a city manager would handle the daily operations.

Since the 1940s, University Park's population and size have stayed fairly steady. It remains a city of about 24,000 residents, surrounded by Dallas and Highland Park.

Schools and Community Changes

Originally, University Park was a middle-class community. The residents of Highland Park helped create the Highland Park Independent School District (HPISD). They invited University Park residents to join the district, which helped lower taxes for everyone. In the 1950s and 1960s, when other school districts faced racial integration, HPISD did not because it did not receive federal money. This meant the school district remained mostly unchanged. Because of this, property values in University Park that were zoned for HPISD schools increased a lot. Over time, smaller houses were replaced by larger ones, and the community became wealthier.

Geography

University Park covers an area of about 3.7 square miles (9.57 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.

Population and People

In 2020, the city had 25,278 people living in 7,593 households. About 6,358 of these households were families.

Education in University Park

Schools for Kids

Highland Park High School

University Park is part of the Highland Park Independent School District (HPISD). Students in University Park attend schools within this district. These include McCulloch Intermediate School and Highland Park Middle School, which share a campus. Highland Park High School is also located in University Park.

There are two HPISD elementary schools in University Park: Hyer and University Park. Other elementary schools in the district, located in nearby Highland Park or Dallas, also serve parts of University Park. A very small part of University Park is in the Dallas Independent School District, but this area is not for homes.

Colleges and Universities

Moody Coliseum

Southern Methodist University (SMU) is a major university located right in University Park. On the SMU campus, you can find the Meadows Museum. This museum has the largest collection of Spanish art in the United States. Also on campus is the George W. Bush Presidential Center. This is a special library and museum about former President George W. Bush, which opened in 2013.

All of Dallas County, including University Park, is served by Dallas College. This college offers many different courses and programs.

Public Libraries

Preston Center Plaza, which houses the University Park Public Library

The University Park Public Library is located on the second floor of Preston Center Plaza. Before this, the library was on the first floor of a Chase Bank building. The owner of that building let the city use the space for only $1 a year.

The library first opened on June 7, 2001, as the University Park Book Bank. Before this, University Park did not have its own library. Residents had to pay to use libraries in Highland Park or Dallas. On April 1, 2002, the book bank officially became a city library.

Parks and Fun Activities

The City of University Park has several parks for residents to enjoy. These include Burleson Park, Caruth Park, Coffee Park, Curtis Park, Elena's Children's Park, Germany Park, Goar Park, Linear Park, Smith Park, and Williams Park.

Burleson Park is named after James B. Burleson, who was a city leader. Elena's Children's Park is named after Mary Elena Franklin, a young girl who passed away. Many families and groups helped donate money to build this park.

The Holmes Aquatic Center is located within Curtis Park. It has a large 50-meter swimming pool, diving boards, and a water slide. There is also a pool for younger children and a fun sprayground. Only residents of University Park and the Highland Park Independent School District can use the aquatic center. The city also has six tennis courts in its parks, which are only for University Park residents. You can find tennis courts at Burleson, Caruth, Curtis, Germany, Smith, and Williams parks.

The Moody Family YMCA is also in University Park. It used to be called the Park Cities-North Dallas Branch YMCA. In 2013, the Moody Foundation donated $8 million, and the YMCA was renamed after them.

Images for kids

• 

  City Hall

• 

  George W. Bush Presidential Center

Famous People from University Park

• John Hinckley, Jr., who tried to harm President Ronald Reagan, grew up here and went to Highland Park High School.
• Colin Ridgway
• Doak Walker, a famous football player who won the Heisman Trophy in 1948 while at SMU. He also graduated from Highland Park High School in 1945.

See also

In Spanish: University Park (Texas) para niños