Old East Dallas in Dallas County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Swiss Avenue
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 14, 2020
1. Swiss Avenue Marker
This wide boulevard was a muddy country lane in 1857, when Swiss immigrant Henri Boll named it in honor of his native land. Swiss Avenue was lengthened and paved as part of Munger Place, an exclusive 140-acre residential area developed in 1905 by cotton gin manufacturer R. S. Munger (1854 - 1923). To assure the unified appearance of the neighborhood, Munger imposed such building requirements as $10,000 minimum cost and two-story height. At the same time, the houses are unique because residents were free to choose from the variety of architectural styles popular during the early 20th century, including Tudor Revival, Georgian Revival, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style.
Dr. R. W. Baird's Classical Revival residence at 5303 Swiss Avenue was the first one erected here in 1905. By 1920, about 200 elegant homes had been built in the Munger Place addition. Residents included prominent lawyers, bankers, merchants, industrialists, and doctors.
In recent years, the Swiss Avenue area declined, and some of the old homes were demolished or divided into apartments. Efforts of the Historic Preservation League and interested citizens
this page online
Additional marker:
Entered in the National Register of Historic Places
1974
Erected 1975 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 6892.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Frank Lloyd Wright series list.
Location. 32° 48.401′ N, 96° 45.876′ W. Marker is in Dallas, Texas, in Dallas County. It is in Old East Dallas. It is on Swiss Avenue, on the right when traveling south. The marker is at the Dorothy and Wallace Savage Park, across Swiss Avenue from the Aldredge House. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5501 Swiss Avenue, Dallas TX 75214, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,
Photographed by Kayla Harper, June 14, 2020
2. Swiss Avenue Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Aldredge House (within shouting distance of this marker); The Louis Wagner Home (approx. 0.2 miles away); Harris-Savage House (approx. Ό mile away); Munger Place Methodist Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Cristler-Rodgers House (approx. 0.3 miles away); William B. Lipscomb Elementary School (approx. half a mile away); St. Matthew's Cathedral (approx. half a mile away); Robert and Marie Stubbs House (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dallas.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Dallas County Medical Society Alliance Foundation (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been confirmed missing).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 15, 2020, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. This page has been viewed 662 times since then and 44 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 15, 2020, by Kayla Harper of Dallas, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
