| Notes |
- Hugh E. Prather married the daughter of John S. Armstrong, a developer and
real estate speculator in Dallas, Tx.
Mr. Armstrong along with his son-in-law Hugh Prather began the development of
Highland Park in 1907 and opened Highland Park West in 1924.
After Armstrong purchased the land in 1906, he and his son-in-law, Hught
Prather, then went to Los Angeles to enjage the services of a noted landscape
architect, Wilbur David Cook, then designing what is today Beverly Hills.
Cook took the Dallas commission after first asking his prospective clients if
they had a topographic map of the area. He phrased his inquiry much as if they
might never have heard of such a map. Yes, Armstrong and Prather assured him
to his surprise, they already had one for him.
Cook made the trip to Dallas and, largely from this map with its contours
showing the terrain elevations, water courses, and other natural features,
Cook drew upo the master plan for Highland Park.
So sure, apparently, was he of his design that he never returned, so far as is
known, to view his completed handiwork.
Highland Park along with University Park formed one of the best public school
systems in the nation.
John S. Armstrong and his wife were greatly interested in furthering higher
education. In 1907 he offered one hundred acres in what is now Highland Park
West for a Prebyterian University, which never materialized. Aftger his death
his widow in 1911 gave the one hundred acres on which the campus of Southern
Methodist University is located.
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