History of the Town
History of Highland Park
In 1837, after a savage Indian battle, the remnants of a Texas Ranger
scouting expedition camped in a lovely spot along “the creek with all
the turtles.” These survivors were the first recorded Anglo-Americans
in the area that is now known as Highland Park. Years later, this creek
would become known as Turtle Creek, offering breathtaking park vistas
for area residents.
A year later, an old Caddo Indian trace was surveyed by the Republic of
Texas to become part of a National Central Road to run from Austin to
the Red River. This route was also used as a segment of the old Shawnee
Trail for cattle drives to Missouri. Today that trail is known as
Preston Road. It is easy to imagine the founder of Dallas, John Neely
Bryan, walking through the one-day-to-be Highland Park as he traveled
Preston Trail on his way to the founding of Dallas.
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