Friday, June 20, 2008

Oak Cliff 101: Lake Cliff Park

By Staff of Cliff Dweller

You may think that all our talk of an Oak Cliff renaissance is newsworthy. You may believe it’s only been a few years since there’s been buzz about new development in the area spurring Dallas-ites to cross the Trinity and see just what we’ve got over here in the Cliff. . . but you’d be wrong. Echoes of similar statements have floated through this area for more than a century, and perhaps at no time more than in 1906 when Lake Cliff Park tried to resuscitate a down-and-out Oak Cliff.

1903 saw the big defeat for an independent Oak Cliff when the city of Dallas annexed the area despite a grand political battle. As you can imagine, CliffDwellers of the time were devastated as their up-and-coming area began to decline due to the city’s channeling of resources away from Oak Cliff. Enter one heroic if larger-than-life man named Charles Mangold to try to solve the problem. . . in a big way.

Mangold, an Ohio-born whiskey tycoon, assembled a team of investors to purchase 50 acres of land at Lake Cliff Park and turned it into an outrageously-opulent resort. Imagine, if you can, a grand resort of a Disneyland-scale, right here in our neighborhood. Mangold was a man with large appetites, and he indulged them in Lake Cliff Park. Visitors could find amusement in a mind-boggling number of ways; they could ride a roller coaster or fantastic flying machine, swim in various water facilities, choose one of three theaters to attend, rollerskate with 2000 of their closest friends, dance in an enormous hall, stroll through an Epcot-like model Japanese village, or dine outside while being serenaded by a nationally-recognized band. Oh, and they wouldn’t miss the fireworks exploding over Lake Cliff at night.

But les bons temps did not last long. Despite the popularity of Lake Cliff Park, and despite Oak Cliff’s thrill at bringing attractions to the area that even the city of Dallas couldn’t manage, several natural disasters led to the decline of the resort. After a devastating flood and fire, by 1914, Mangold was forced to sell his land to the city. Next time you drive by Lake Cliff Tower, take a look around. See if you can’t imagine a resort so lavish that it could accommodate 2000 guests in its opera house alone, not to mention offering entertaining gondola rides, tournament-quality tennis facilities, and a full-scale casino. It was once all there, showing off Oak Cliff, the amazing area we love to call home ... and consider that, perhaps, Oak Cliff’s days of glory are returning to our little neighborhood, one year at a time. Want to know more about Lake Cliff Park, or the history of Oak Cliff in general? Pick up a copy of The Hidden City: Oak Cliff, Texas, by Bill Minutaglio & Holly Williams.

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Comments

Cody Meador Verified

no way. I never knew.

5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Travis Bush Verified

I fished at Lake Cliff many a time and probably spent a small fortune playing video games at the Polar Bear. Another small historical note is that Lee Harvey Oswald lived just a hop, skip and a jump from there.

1 month ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )