Reverchon Park was conceived of as Dallas' Central Park in 1915. The WPA built many wonderful paths here. After descending into blight, the park was reborn in the early 2000s. It is now being restored to the jewel that it once was.
Reverchon Park in the 1980s and 1990s was dismal, dangerous, and decrepit place best avoided -- especially after dark. Drug dealers and the mentally ill homeless hung out here. Used prophylactics and syringes littered the landscape.
Not anymore.
Today's Reverchon Park is open, friendly, and inviting. Now downtown-dwellers walk their pet dogs here, and mommies with babies in jogging strollers zip by without a care in the world. The whole park has been lifted out of despair and returned to its rightful place as Dallas' Central Park. It is as beautiful as ever, and when the restorarion work is done on the natve stone WPA-built pathways, will shine as brightly as ever.
From the Frends of Reverchon Park website: (
visit link)
"In 1915, the City of Dallas purchased 36 acres in what was then, far North Dallas, with a vision for the future. A public area that would enlighten and expand the the recreational and leisure opportunities for the citizens of Dallas. Designed to be the Central Park of Dallas, Reverchon Park was was born.
A lot has changed over the years, but one thing has remained the same. Reverchon Park is still a welcome opportunity for the people of Dallas. As good as the park is, there is still room for improvement. That's why The Friends of Reverchon Park are working with the city of Dallas to implement the Reverchon Park Restoration and Development Plan. This plan will offer improvements and maintenance opportunities designed to make the park more appealing and functional to the more than 30,000 Dallas citizens utilize Reverchon Park each year."
. . . .
In 2002, the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and the City of Dallas built a state-of-the-art playground accessible to children of all levels of ability.
(Reverchon park timeline):
2002: Hundreds of orthopedic surgeons in town for a conference build a playground in a single day" [end]
The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is just a couple of blocks west of Reverchon Park. As a former paient of Scottish Rite, and who now has a child who was a patient at Scottish Rite, Mama Blaster is not surprised at the altruism and thoughfulness of the folks there to organize the design/build of this wonderful playground.