Preston Hollow, Dallas, Texas

Infobox neighborhood
official_name = Preston Hollow
nickname =


image_caption = A house in Preston Hollow


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map_caption =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Texas
subdivision_type2 = Counties
subdivision_name2 = Dallas
subdivision_type3 = City
subdivision_name3 = Dallas
subdivision_type4 = Area
subdivision_name4 = North Dallas
area_magnitude = 1E9
area_total =
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area_land =
LandArea_sq_mi =
area_water =
WaterArea_sq_mi =
area_water_percent =
population_as_of =
population_note =
population_total =
population_density =
population_density_mi2 =
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 75220, 75225, 75229, 75230, 75244
area_code = 214
website =
footnotes =|

Preston Hollow is a neighborhood in north Dallas, Texas, USA.

History

Originally incorporated as a municipality in 1939 and provisioned by the Preston Road Fresh Water Supply District, the town of Preston Hollow was named for the deep wooded area with creeks and hollows extending westward from Preston Road. Preston Hollow originally extended from east of Preston Road, slightly north of Walnut Hill Lane, west of Midway Road and southwest of Northwest Highway. In 1945 Preston Hollow residents voted to join with the city of Dallas and the municipality was annexed to Dallas shortly thereafter.

In 2006, Preston Hollow Elementary School achieved notoriety after a lawsuit claiming the school's class-assignment policies violated the 1952 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision. Judge Sam Lindsay ruled in November that the school's practices were not legal because they attempted to keep white students together even if minority students had to be placed in inappropriate courses; this ruling was mis-cited in at least one local paper as indicating that "all-white" classes had been created.Kent Fischer. [http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/111806dnmetprestonhollow.31e7a33.html "Ruling: Classes divided by race: At Preston Hollow, principal tried to appease affluent parents, halt white flight, judge says,"] "The Dallas Morning News", November 18, 2006]

The defendants noted that not a single "whites-only" class existed in the school, and that placement was based on test scores; however, Latino claimants in the suit argued that their children were placed in bilingual or English as a Second Language classes even when test scores suggested they should be in a general education program.Matt Pulle. [http://www.dallasobserver.com/2007-01-11/news/split-decision/1 "Split Decision,"] "Dallas Observer", January 11, 2007] The district's attorneys also argued that no harm had been caused to the minority students, prompting the trial judge to write, "The court is baffled that in this day and age, that [DISD relied] on what is, essentially, a 'separate but equal' argument."2nd ref] The policies were criticized in the judge's ruling and in subsequent news articles as being an attempt to lessen white flight by attracting more parents from the surrounding, mostly white community to keep their children in the local public system rather than sending them to private schools.

In September 2008, Preston Hollow returned to national headlines when "New York Post" gossip columnist Cindy Adams wrote a column claiming that U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife Laura Bush had purchased a home in Preston Hollow.cite news |work=New York Post |title=Prez will not be hiding in bushes |first=Cindy |last=Adams |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/09232008/gossip/cindy/prez_will_not_be_hiding_in_bushes_130280.htm |date=2008-09-23] Described as "a big house on five acres," Adams also said that this house would have "horse stables, lake views, mountain views, golf club views" and that Preston Hollow is "a town outside Dallas." Dallas media pointed out the significant factual errors in the column [cite news |work=Dallas Observer |title=New York Post Columnist Cindy Adams Too Busy to Talk, Fact Check |url=http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2008/09/cindy_adams_too_busy_to_talk_f.php |date=2008-09-23 |first=Robert |last=Wilonsky] and noted that the real estate agent cited denied both the report or that she had ever been contacted by the "Post". [cite news |work=Dallas Morning News |title=Contrary to NY gossip report, Bushes are still house-hunting, Dallas agent says |url=http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/yahoolatestnews/stories/092308dnmetbushhosue.a59d94fa.html?npc |date=2008-09-23 |first=Jessica |last=Meyers]

Present

The approximate two-square mile area lying north of Northwest Highway, south of Walnut Hill Lane, east of Midway Road and west of Preston Road remain the essential original boundaries of Preston Hollow, which is often now termed Old Preston Hollow.

However, the neighborhood is broadly defined by real estate professionals for marketing purposes as land to the north of Northwest Highway (Loop 12), south of Royal Lane, east of Midway Road and west of North Central Expressway (US 75), which areas are grouped into the Preston Hollow Elementary school attendance zone.

Preston Hollow is known as one of the wealthiest areas of Dallas. It is also one of the wealthiest areas in Texas. Within Old Preston Hollow can be found some of the most expensive homes in Texas as well as some of the state's wealthiest residents.

Government and infrastructure

Preston Hollow is within the North Central Division of the Dallas Police Department, which is headquartered at 6969 McCallum Boulevard. [" [http://www.dallaspolice.net/content/11/82/uploads/ACF1A42.jpgNorth Central Beats Sectors and Major Streets] ." "Dallas Police Department". Accessed October 10, 2008.] [" [http://northcentral.dallaspolice.net/index.cfm?page_ID=4696&CFID=558109&CFTOKEN=27492755 North Central Operations Division] ." "Dallas Police Department". Accessed October 10, 2008.]

Preston Hollow is located in District 114 of the Texas House of Representatives. As of 2008 Will Hartnett represents the district. [" [http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/pdf/districts/114.pdf House District 114] ." "Will Hartnett". Accessed October 11, 2008.] Vickery Meadows is within District 16 of the Texas Senate; as of 2008 John Carona represents that district. [" [http://www.senate.state.tx.us/Icons/Dist_Maps/Dist16_Map.pdf Senate District 16] " Map. "Senate of Texas". Accessed September 28, 2008.]

Preston Hollow is in Texas's 32nd congressional district; as of 2008 Pete Sessions represents the district. [" [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/tx32_109.gifCongressional District 9] ." "National Atlas of the United States".]

Dallas Area Rapid Transit operates local public transportation.

Housing

Homes in Preston Hollow are among the most expensive in the state and have continued to increase in value in recent years. Currently houses range from $800,000 tear downs up to $40,000,000 estates.

The most expensive estate in the greater Preston Hollow area, a US$45 million mansion, caught fire while still under construction. The original owner combined several lots to produce what would have been the biggest house in Dallas. The owner eventually abandoned the project.Fact|date=October 2008

Education

Public schools

Dallas Independent School District operates local public schools.

Preston Hollow is zoned to:
* Grades K-6
** Preston Hollow Elementary School
* Grades 7-8
** Benjamin Franklin Middle School
* Grades 9-12
** Hillcrest High School

All of the zoned schools are located in Dallas.

Private Schools

Private schools located in North Dallas which are very popular with Preston Hollow residents include:
*Grades 1-6
**Coram Deo Academy
** [http://www.phps.org/ Preston Hollow Presbyterian School]
*Grades Pre K-8
** [http://www.saintalcuin.org/ St. Alcuin Montessori School]
*Grades Pre K-12
**Greenhill School
**Hockaday School
**Episcopal School of Dallas
**Parish Episcopal School [http://www.parishepiscopal.org/]
*Grades 1-12
**Covenant School
**St. Mark's School of Texas
**Winston School
*Grades 9-12 only
**Ursuline Academy of Dallas
**Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas

[http://www.phecpta.org/page%20aboutus.htm Preston Hollow Early Childhood PTA] is a private preschool group in the area.

As of 2007 most Preston Hollow residents send their children to private school. [Pulle, Matt. "Split Decision." "Dallas Observer". January 11, 2007. [http://www.dallasobserver.com/2007-01-11/news/split-decision/3 3] .]

Public libraries

Dallas Public Library operates the nearby Preston Royal Branch at 5626 Royal Lane.

Media

"The Dallas Morning News" is the local citywide newspaper.

" [http://www.peoplenewspapers.com/ME2/Audiences/dirsect.asp?sid=83FB9ECBC9F149978D04625F8F0AB643&nm=News&AudID=F8FE2234107E4A88B820886953F77B32 Preston Hollow People] " is a local community newspaper.

External links

* [http://dallas.housealmanac.com/subdivision-preston-hollow.htm Preston Hollow Housing Statistics]

Notes and references

* [http://www.architecturallysignificanthomes.com/Neighborhoods/Preston_Hollow_&_Estate_Neighborhoods/Preston_Hollow/Default.asp Photographs and Descriptions of Significant Estate Properties in Preston Hollow]