The History of Caruth Hills & Homeplace
The Caruth Hills & Homeplace neighborhood is on part of the original, historical home site founded in 1852 by the William Barr Caruth family. A pioneer family that established their homestead in the Dallas area in 1848, the Caruths eventually owned 30,000 acres of North Dallas land that stretched from Downtown Dallas north to Forest Lane and from Inwood Road east to Abrams. The Caruth Farm legacy is now the site for some of Dallas’ most prestigious properties, including Southern Methodist University, Uptown, the West End, Highland Park, University Park and NorthPark Center. The Caruth Homeplace, an impressive plantation home with its roots in the 1800s, can still be found on five acres within the Caruth Homeplace townhomes addition.
Our Heritage
The Beginning
You can take pride in the rich heritage of this area. Your home site was once part of the 30,000 acre Caruth farm. Starting the assembly of such a large tract of land in 1849, William Barr Caruth eventually owned all of the land from downtown Dallas north to Forest Lane, west to Inwood Road and east to the White Rock area.
The Family
A hundred and fifty years ago, two brothers came to Texas with little more than their name. And while all around them history moved on, they worked hard, took care of their family and their community, and left this world a better place for having been here. Although they were not famous in their own right, William and Walter Caruth epitomized the pioneer spirit of hard work and self-sacrifice. William and Walter entered the Texas frontier as pioneers and built a family fortune in the trades and in land.
The Legacy
William Barr Caruth passed to his family a pioneering spirit, characterized by vision, courage, hard work, and generosity. This family built hospitals, schools and camps for youth. In 1911 and in the years following, the Caruths gave land to establish Southern Methodist University. The Caruth family is truly one of the great stories of the pioneer spirit and the American dream. Today, descendent William “Bill” Caruth and wife, Minnie, are members of the Caruth Hills & Homeplace Neighborhood Association (CHHNA).
The Homeplace
The Caruth Homeplace property includes not only the gracious Main House, but the 1852 Old Farmhouse and other features that make it a window into the world of a bygone era in Dallas history.
The Farm
As late as 2002 a remnant of the farm still existed in what is now called Lincoln Park on the south side of Northwest Highway directly across from Neiman Marcus at NorthPark. One could drive down Northwest Highway and see the pastoral scene, horses grazing, just across from the hustle and bustle of NorthPark Center. Pictured above is the barn and pasture before development came to Dallas’ last remaining plantation farm.
visit the Caruth Homeplace Website at caruthhomeplace.org!