Fair Park named one of 10 great public spaces in U.S.

by Sarah Blaskovich

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It makes the list with other beauties like Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado.

By Flickr user William Addington

This is one of six sculpted statues in the Esplanade of the Dallas Fair Park of Texas. Each of the six sculptures represents a government that had control of Texas. This goddess represents the Republic of Texas government of 1836 to 1846. By Flickr user William Addington.

DALLAS — Fair Park, the site of the great State Fair of Texas, was listed as one of the 10 Great Public Spaces for 2011, according to the American Planning Association. The announcement came within hours of the news that The Women's Museum in Fair Park is closing at the end of the month.

Once called one of the Most Endangered Neighborhoods in America, Fair Park is now known for its art deco-style architecture perfected by George Dahl in the 1930s. The State Fair of Texas has been hosted on its grounds since 1886.

At 277 acres, it's the largest historical landmark in Texas, according to the city of Dallas. It's home to: African-American Museum, Museum of Nature & Science, The Women's Museum (until late October), Children's Aquarium at Fair Park, The Hall of State, Texas Discovery Gardens, Texas Museum of Automotive History, South Dallas Cultural Center, Music Hall at Fair Park, Gexa Energy Pavilion, the State Fair Ferris wheel (called the Texas Star), and the Cotton Bowl.

"Fair Park provides an example to our city and others communities of the excellent results that can be realized when we set as a priority the preservation of our history, art and architectural treasures,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings in a press release.

The other Great Public Spaces on the 2011 list are:

• Fairmount Park, Riverside, Calif.
• Garden of the Gods Park, Colorado Springs, Co.
• Monument Circle, Indianapolis, Ind.
• Gray's Lake Park, Des Moines, Iowa
• Rice Park, St. Paul, Minn.
• Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, Nashville, Tenn.
• Maymont, Richmond, Va.
• Point Defiance Park, Tacoma, Wash.
• Milwaukee RiverWalk, Milwaukee, Wisc.