White Rock Lake
Dallas is one of the hottest cities in the world, and due to the lack of drinking water, in March 1910, the creation of a reservoir began, which took a little over one and a half years. The construction was carried out by the Fred A. Jones Company.
In 1913, the first consumers of Dallas received water from the new reservoir, the next year it was officially confirmed that it was completely filled. In 1917, fishing was officially allowed on the reservoir.
History of the White Rock Lake
In the late 1910s and early 1920s, local prison inmates built a ring road around White Rock. Residential buildings began to grow quickly along the banks of the reservoir, and in 1929 the White Rock coast received the status of a municipal park.
In the 1930s, 1940s, and early 1950s, White Rock Lake was a very popular place among the residents of Dallas. Home air conditioners had not yet been invented, so in the summer, thousands of people came here every day to relax, swim, fish, have picnics by the water.
However, in 1952 bathing was prohibited in the reservoir, and in 1958 the use of motorboats with a capacity of more than 10.5 horsepower was banned. Today only kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding are permitted.
In the park, which is located around the lake there are dozens of species of trees, grasses, and birds. Here live geese, ducks, pelicans, owls, hawks, eagles. You can see the squirrels, beavers, coyotes. The reservoir is home to catfish, long-eared perches, largemouth bass, and carp.
Dam
The earthen dam is 14.3 meters high and 777 meters long (along the ridge). Residential buildings are almost close to the reservoir from almost sides, in addition, on its shore, there is the Bath House Cultural Center (built in 1930). The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (built-in 1940, and since 1978 listed in the National Register of Historic places of the United States).
A filter station building was built on the southwestern bank of the reservoir in the 1920s: now it is a historical landmark, where concerts, weddings, and other events are held.
Interesting facts
Several teams of rowers and sailors train at White Rock Lake. Every December, since 1971, Dallas has hosted a marathon, a significant part of the route of which runs along the west bank of the reservoir.
Since the 1940s, there has been an urban legend about the "White Girl" in Dallas. She is allegedly about 20 years old, dressed in a wet dress of the style of the 1930s. She appears at night on the road by the reservoir and asks to bring her to the house on Gaston Avenue. During the trip, the girl disappears from the moving car, leaving behind a wet seat. Legend says that she drowned in a reservoir in the 1930s.