Perry Heights People

Ice Cream Castle

This stunning colonial revival home at 4322 Rawlins was built in 1923. The first residents were the Smith family who were the owners of The Smith Ice Cream Company. of Dallas. Charles Winston Smith and his wife Jinnie May and their three children, C. Russell Jr., J. Louis, and Helen lived in the house until 1949.

Charles and his father started making ice cream in Dallas in 1898 at a factory building on Harwood St. when he was 22. His father was James Hickman Smith who came to Dallas from Tennessee in 1854 when he was three. Texas had been admitted to the Union in 1845 and Dallas had yet to be incorporated as a city. They settled on 256 acres in the Cochran Chapel area of what was then called Letot, Texas before it was incorporated into the Ciry of Dallas. This area came to be the Bachman Lake area of Dallas. The family members were farmers and cabinet makers. James married Amanda Bachman whose family owned the property were Bachman Lake is now and whose father the lake is named, just south of the Smith farm. James was able to build a colonial type house for the young couple in 1875 by selling cotton by the oxcart load in Jefferson, Texas 170 miles east of Dallas and returning with lumber. He ultimately had enough lumber for the house.

James was still a farmer when his son convinced him to open the ice cream factory at 324 Harwood St. near Pacific Ave in downtown. Smith Ice Cream was sold wholesale and retail all over North Texas. James retired as president of Smith Ice Cream in 1921, leaving his son Charles to run the company. In the 1920’s Charles moved his family to the newly built house in Perry Heights and there they raised two sons and daughter. Charles sold off much of the original family farm except for a Crown Hill Mausoleum that still stands today and where his family are buried.

Charles was one of the organizers of Dallas Rotary Club in the Oriental Hotel in 1911, a member of the board of Oak Lawn Methodist church, a mason, a Shriner, and also the director of the International Ice Cream Manufacturers Association. Charles taught his business to his sons, who later ran the business after his death in 1947. C. Russell Smith, his eldest son was president until 1961, when C. Russell’s son then assumed the business. Smith Ice Cream was finally sold in 1966 and the company closed. The ice cream company lasted 68 years.

Jinnie May, Charles Sr’s wife, sold the house in 1949, two years after her husband died. She lived until 1960 at 89 years of age leaving three grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

To see another famous resident of this home

The Most Fabulous Party Planner in Dallas

The Sound of Music, Goldfish not included

J. Wesley Hubbell and his wife purchased the lot at 4310 Rawlins in 1925 and knew exactly what house they needed to build. J. Wesley was a locally famous tenor. He taught voice at the Bush Temple of Music at 307 Elm St. He also lectured and directed while performing in productions and on radio shows. His wife was a classically trained dancer. They had a son, Jack, who also followed a path into the arts.

J. Wesley needed a house that could be filled with music throughout. The house’s unusual front entrance through the side under the porte-cochére leads directly into the heart of the home. A two-story hallway that is open to most of the rooms on the first floor and open through internal windows to the second floor lets sound carry up stairs.

The Hubbell family could only enjoy the home they built for a short time as the 1929 Stock Market Crash caused financial difficulty for them. They sold the house to Edward and Gladys Duff and their daughter Doris in 1930.

Gladys Winnifred Horner Duff was the daughter of the Louis and Lettie Horner, owners of the Electric Express Company (a private plane company). Louis was also head of the Dallas Transfer Company and a director of the Mercantile Bank in Dallas. Born in New York, Louis came to Dallas as a young man as an engineer on the Katy Railroad when he was young. Gladys and her parents lived at 3001 Routh St. in Dallas.

Gladys divorced Edward soon after they moved into their home. A year later, she married Mortimer Raguet Irion, the grandson of former Texas Republic Secretary of State, Robert Irion. The elder Irion is namesake of Irion County in West Texas. Mortimer was in the first class of lawyers that graduated from SMU Law School. He and Gladys were married in the home in 1931 by a Bishop Harry T. Moore. He and Gladys enjoyed living in the home throwing parties, hosting luncheons, and raising Doris. Gladys was a member of the Idlewild, the Dallas Country Club, Symphony League, and the Southern Society. She was a part of the small committee that raised funds and had the replica of General Lee’s Arlington home built in Oak Lawn Park, the Park which later became Lee Park. Mrs. Carrell, Mrs. Lemmon, Mrs. Buckner, and Gladys were the primary advocates of this change. in 1939 Mortimer and Gladys moved in to a larger home at 3640 Beverly Dr. in Highland Park. She remained committed to her duties as an attorney’s wife and socialite status.

The Skaggs family moved into the home in 1939 and lived there for the next forty years until 1978. Harron Hayes and Lula Faye Skaggs raised two sons, Harlan and Thomas in the home along with a live-in maid and cook, Bertha. Harron co-owned an auto service station at the corner of Maple and Lucas streets and later was sold real estate. Both their sons joined the Navy to fight in WWII when they turned 18. Faye became a tireless Red Cross volunteer during the war as she waited for her sons to complete their service. They both returned home safely to raise their own children, often visiting the house on Rawlins for Sunday dinner. They were a very close-knit family. One of their many grandchildren, Sandra, is a real estate agent and prepared a memory book of the Skaggs family to be left in the house for future owners. The book is filled with great memories of dinners and holidays celebrated in the home. She also had pictures of the family and how the house was furnished in the forty years they lived there. And yes, there was a goldfish pond in the entrance hall when you entered the home that is no longer there. There is picture of the water feature in the photo gallery below. Goldfish not included.

The gracious current owner of the home is moving and the house is currently on the market. I thank him for allowing me to share what a well-loved home this house has been to several families for over 100 years.

A Second Chance at Love for George and Hallie May

In 1920, George Washington Wesley Swor was thriving in Dallas, Texas. A seasoned real estate agent, he built a successful career in the city’s booming property market and secured a prestigious role as head of the rental department at Robinson-Styron Realty Company on Field Street downtown. At home, he enjoyed a stable family life with his wife, Hattie, and their four daughters -Anna, Edith, Francis, and Elizabeth- residing at 4220 Cedar Springs Road near Wycliff.

However, Swor’s name was forever linked to one of the most shocking murders in Dallas history. In July 1913, he arrived at his office to discover the brutal crime scene of Florence Brown, a stenographer and the niece of one of the firm’s senior partners. She lay in a pool of blood, her throat slit in what became one of the city’s most infamous unsolved mysteries. The case gripped Dallas for months, with no clear suspects, and Swor found himself at the center of relentless questioning and public intrigue.

For a deeper dive into this chilling case, follow this link

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/case-closed-6391851

In 1922, George Swor’s life took another tragic turn when his wife, Hattie, passed away from a sudden blood clot at just 51 years old. By then his four daughters, Anna, Edith, Frances, and Elizabeth- were all starting new lives of their own, marrying and raising families. Despite his loss, George found solace in his unwavering faith and continued his devoted service as a deacon at Highland Baptist Church.

It was at church that he met Hallie May Storer, a widow who lost her husband four years earlier. Drawn together by shared experiences, they fell in love and married in 1923. Hallie May brought two children into the marriage- Charles Benjamin, a spirited 9-year-old, and Hallie May Jr., a 22-year-old young woman. Eager to give his new family a fresh start, George had a home built in the new Perry Heights neighborhood, just blocks from his previous house. Completed in 1926, the home at 4332 Vandelia spanned more than 2,400 square feet. offering plenty of room for his growing family.

Charles attended North Dallas High School and lived next door to future Hollywood star, Jack Beutel.

The Outlaw of Perry Heights

After high school, Charles pursued his passion for art at Dallas Art School and later began a career as a commercial artist. When World War II broke out, he was drafted into the Army. After the war, Charles settled in San Francisco and never returned to live in Dallas. There is no known record of him marrying or having children.

George and Hallie May shared their home on Vandelia Street for over 20 years. George Swor passed away in 1947, and Hallie May followed in 1951. With Charles living in San Francisco, the house was inherited by their daughter, Hallie May Storer who remained there until the mid-1960s.

Hallie May Storer never married but led an active social life. She was deeply involved in the Dallas cultural scene, becoming a member of the Opera Club and the Tres Arts Study Club. Known for her gracious hospitality, she frequently hosted club meetings and events in her elegant Vandelia home. Hallie lived a full life, passing away in 1968.

The house at 4332 Vandelia is rumored to be hitting the market soon. A true gem in the Perry Heights neighborhood, the home boasts one of the largest corner porches in the neighborhood – enclosed with glass from a previous renovation that exudes character from its 1920s origins. Inside, the home features two fireplaces, one of which is adorned with the rare Batchelder tile. The glazed arts and crafts tile, produced in the 1920s, is highly sought after today, with mantel installations valued in the thousands of dollars. For more about Batchelder tiles,

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8fLjL7P5eI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

With its rich history and charming architectural details, 4332 Vandelia offers a rare opportunity to own a piece of Dallas history.

Portrait of an Artist

Alexander Benjamin “Alex” Clayton came to Dallas in 1954 to paint a portrait of Mrs. Alstacheia J Hub Hill of Dallas. She was the wife of the president of Acme Brick Company. Alex was quickly commissioned by several Dallas notables to paint their portraits as well. They included Miss Era Hockaday, Harold F. Volk, Bishop Thomas Gorman, H.L. Hunt, Chief Justice John Hickman, and Mrs. Allan Shivers. Prominent Dallasites clamored to have a Clayton portrait in their homes and offices as a status symbol.

Alex and his longtime domestic partner and business manager, John Sanders enjoyed Dallas so much, that they decided to make Dallas their home. John’s parents lived in Dallas at 4333 Westside Drive and the pair would visit them often before making the move from the East. They moved into a beautiful colonial home on Beverly Drive in Highland Park where they constantly entertained friends coming through Dallas. In 1966 they moved into a new swanky 3525 Turtle Creek apartment. Then, in 1969, Alex and John moved to 3314 Hawthorne Street, a new townhouse, in Perry Heights. They lived there until Alex died in 1988.

Artist, Alex Clayton in front of one of his works

Alex was born in 1906 in Chevy Chase, Maryland, the son of an Army major. He always wanted to be an architect, however, after the crash of 1929, he taught art while painting in his spare time. He won several prizes from DC art exhibits. During WW II he volunteered to be a hydrographic map artist in the Navy as the Army had previously rejected him due to a heart ailment. After the War, he traveled to Europe to study portrait art in Paris, Madrid, and Portugal, the latter becoming his home for a few years. He then moved to New York City to find more commissions. After numerous failed attempts, he finally landed the opportunity to paint Mary Martin in her Broadway role as Peter Pan. He stayed in New York for several years before moving to Los Angeles. California, and eventually Dallas, Texas.

He had exhibits in the Baltimore Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Whitney Museum. Of his highlights, he was commissioned to paint Helen Keller (1968), Pope John XXIII (1960 at the Vatican), and the presidential portrait of former President Richard M. Nixon (1981). Of the Keller session, he later told friends that Helen had wanted to wear a red dress even though she was completely sightless. Because she was also deaf, she would touch his lips to understand what he was saying to her.

Years after Alex completed Nixon’s portrait, he commented that Nixon had quite a sense of humor. Nixon had asked Alex to “do something” about his jowls. Nixon’s daughter Tricia, who attended the session, told her father “Daddy, you wouldn’t be you without them.”

Clayton’s presidential portrait of Nixon

Alex was described as very quiet and soft-spoken. Besides being a distinguished artist, he was also a talented pianist. His partner John was also musically trained. He would play piano and John would play the organ. Alex had met John in 1951 when Alex was 45 and John was 33 most likely in Portugal where they were both living. They were together until Alex’s death. Friends remember Alex as being a hilarious storyteller. Alex and John enjoyed a lavish socialite lifestyle in the 1960s. They lived in big houses and threw large parties.

John Thomas Sanders was born in 1918 in Beeville, Texas, and went to Waco High before enrolling at the University of Texas. He worked for the American Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal for three years before taking an embassy post in Washington DC.

Alex and John were also good friends with Fort Worth resident and concert pianist, Van Cliburn. They would often visit each other. Their Perry Heights townhouse was filled with Chinese porcelains, antique musical instruments, and religious paintings. The townhouse also had Alex’s paintings of landscapes and floral still lifes in almost every room. According to Alex, doing landscapes provided relief and relaxation from portraiture. While Alex was living in Perry Heights, he would complete an average of 15 portraits a year in his sun-filled third-floor studio. When they moved in, he had the studio window replaced with a larger one to match the first-floor picture window and to provide more light in the studio.

Clayton died in 1988 at age 82. Although he lived openly as a gay man, in his obituary, his family wrote that he lived with his “business manager”, but did not name John, only to list him as never married. John had a service for him at the Peace Chapel of Unity Church of Dallas. Before his death, Alex promised his condominium to a college to be used to house future student artists, intending to deed it to them after he and his partner were deceased. However, because he died before his partner John and their 37-year relationship was not legally recognized, the college evicted John from the home leaving John scrambling to sell Alex’s paintings, their art objects, and furniture to find a new place to live.

Thank you to Liz Fowler and James Young for their help in telling Alex Clayton’s and John Sanders’ story.

Credit to A. J. Love from an August 10th, 1983 article in the Dallas Times Heralds about Mr. Clayton.

It’s Only Original Once

You may have noticed the unassuming house for sale at 4331 N. Hall. Beyond the overgrown shrubs, you will find how many of the homes in Perry Heights looked 80 or 90 years ago. You can see the extremely narrow driveway going straight back to the garage ready for a Model T. The original single-paned windows with weights to steady them as they opened. There is no central air conditioning. The residents used a room full of windows as a back sleeping room, specifically in the summer, to catch a cross breeze. In the kitchen, there still stands the high-end Chambers stove, possibly original to the house (they quit making this model in 1940). They are collectors items today. Some of the light fixtures look to be original 1920 designs, likely with original knob and tube wiring. The bathroom has a cozy, small electric heater built into the wall to warm you up on a cold morning.

This house was built in 1924 and occupied by the Pierce’s, a family with deep ties to 19th century Dallas history. George Foster Pierce was the son of Lora Collum, the daughter of Marcus Hirum Collum, the Dallas pioneer who founded the Oak Lawn Methodist Church. His father, John Foster Pierce was a minister as well. He eventually became a professor at SMU. George moved into the brand-new home with his wife, Hallie Crutchfield Pierce. Hallie was the daughter of the Dallas pioneer and Chisholm Trail rancher Charles Thomas Crutchfield. Charles was the grandson of Thomas F. Crutchfield who owned the Crutchfield House. Built in 1852, it was the first hotel in Dallas.

George and Hallie had three children, George Jr., Elizabeth, and John. Hallie’s uncle also lived in the home on N. Hall as did the couple’s domestic worker, Susie Harris and her husband. George started as a salesman for his maternal uncle’s sporting goods store, Cullom & Boren, which opened downtown in 1902. He eventually became the president of the company. He also was elected president of the Dallas Manufacturers and Wholesalers Association and was credited with making Dallas an international trade destination for goods. The family lived on N. Hall until the mid-1930s when they moved to Highland Park.

By 1960, the Glanges family were living in the home. James John and Lottie Mae Bell raised their two daughters, Evalea and Joanna there. James, an immigrant from Greece, was a chef and cafe owner. Evalea was the North Dallas High School valedictorian in 1958 and became a prominent surgeon in Fort Worth. She was also a special witness to history in 1963. (please see Witness to History on this site). In 1972 James was struck and killed by an out-of-control car while standing in his driveway. By 1977, Lottie passed away and the house was sold.

The most recent resident of this home on N. Hall was Keith Norman Steiger. He and his wife, Dee Ann moved there in the late 1970’s. They divorced, but Keith remained in the house until 2024, when he passed away. Keith was a graphic artist and illustrator. He enjoyed daily walks in the neighborhood. Although he was very private, he was known to help other neighbors.

The house at 4331 N. Hall will soon belong to new owners and they will face many decisions. It would be sad to forever lose the beautiful stone and brick facade, the arched entrance, and the gracious front patio of this house. Other new owners on that same block have restored their houses beautifully keeping the charm and aesthetic of the original 1920’s neighborhood.

Unfortunately, it’s possible the new owner will decide to scrape the entire house and build something completely different. N. Hall and Vandelia streets are not protected with a conservation district designation like our neighbors on Rawlins.

The Lows of the Heights

Any good southern neighborhood celebrates not only its accomplished neighbors, but also its dirty laundry. Here are some stories old timers have told about Perry Heights over the years (but only in whispers). They may be factual or truthful, but they are unquestionably gossip. Gore Vidal said “History is nothing but gossip about the past, with the hope that it might be true.” And as Oscar Wilde said, “There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about.”

The Convicted Murderer Down the Street

In the early morning hours of August of 1991, Walter Lewis (Lew) Perryman killed a 53-year-old Texas Instruments research technician who was working her side job delivering newspapers with her son-in-law in University Park. He then held a judge and his family hostage for three hours before being arrested. Lew was the stepson of a former University Park mayor. He was acquitted by reason of insanity a year later and spent a year in a psychiatric hospital before being released to his wife, who was a resident of Perry Heights. She died in 1994, but Lew stayed in the house in Perry Heights. Soon afterward, Lew parked his truck on the tracks in Argyle, Texas, and was hit by a freight train. He survived. He lived in Perry Heights for years afterward, intensely maintaining his privacy by surrounding his property with dense bamboo and keeping a low profile.

Disastrous Driveway

In September of 1972, the owner of a house on Hall was run over in his driveway by an out-of-control car driven by a teenage girl. He was elderly and eventually died of his injuries. Five years later, his wife was in the same driveway and died of a sudden heart attack.

Neighbor charged in Crime!

In the early 80s, a resident was charged by the State of Texas with practicing law without a license. He had a business with an office that advertised legal help for divorces and traffic violations. No one in the office had a law license. In one case, the office accepted a fee from a person in a divorce case. Later, when the client attempted to remarry, he discovered his divorce was never finalized and no action at all had been taken by the legal assistance firm. In other cases, motorists were arrested by patrolmen for ignoring their speeding tickets, even though they paid the company a fee to have their tickets settled. The same neighbor was arrested five years earlier for operating a nationwide mail-in raffle contest that required a $5 entrance fee, but produced no prizes.

Horrific Explosions!

In 1979 at 11:30 am, the second floor of a home on Rawlins that was being remodeled exploded. The owner was badly injured, but survived. A gas leak was believed to be responsible.

A second explosion occurred up the street on Rawlins later in the 80s, however, several neighbors suspected the renters in the home were making methamphetamine when the explosion and fire occurred. The house had extensive damage and could not be rebuilt.

The Weed House

In the 1990s and early 2000s, a strange glowing light emanated day and night from the windows of a certain house on Hall St. Every day, the unassuming home had numerous visitors. They usually only stayed for a few minutes. Despite several neighbors telling police about the suspicious activity, nothing happened to disturb the pot farm. That is, until the resident reported a burglary. Police arrived, only to realize what type of business it was. The owner was arrested. After that, the glow permanently dimmed.

The Porn House

Years ago, there was an attorney who lived in the neighborhood. His way of giving back to the community was to help recently released ex-convicts find a place to stay. In his home. The second floor had a dormitory-style room furnished with several beds along with a large 10-seat hot tub he purchased from a nearby defunct B&B. Several times a month, vans with filming equipment arrived at the home. Neighbors insisted that in exchange for room and board, the men starred in several hard-core porn movies being filmed in the house and backyard.

Sadly, years earlier, the same house had renters who had been evicted. They had been running a house for runaway youth, but it was discovered that the children were being abused.

That’s Not Neighborly!

A couple was awakened at two in the morning by the headlights on a car that was running in their driveway. There was movement in the car, but what they were doing in the car was a mystery. Police were called and came to find a man slumped over in the front seat. The man was arrested for a DUI and taken to jail while his car was towed to the pound. It was later discovered that the arrested man was a new neighbor who lived a block away, got lost, and couldn’t find his home that night.

Vandelia Tragic Suicide

In October of 1955, a man returned to his home on Vandelia St. after a business trip, only to find his 56-year-old wife, Isabelle, dead from what was ruled a suicide. A rubber tube from a floor gas line was run into the bedroom where she was found.

Next Door Is Where The Heart Is

Once upon a time, not too long ago, a couple lived in a peaceful home in Perry Heights. Unfortunately, the peace was broken from time to time by the sounds of screaming and arguing. The arguments sometimes spilled out into the front yard, even in the middle of the night. The couple eventually divorced. Weeks after the husband moved out, the neighbor next door sold his house and moved in. Maybe it was just a coincidence.

Gentle Reader, they say, Petty, I mean Perry Heights is like a small town within the city, and this small town has many secrets and even more gossip. You are welcome to discuss these stories, however any connections to real persons are purely coincidental. We do not repeat gossip in this neighborhood, so be sure to listen close the first time!

Witness to History

The Glanges family lived at 4331 North Hall in the ’60s and ’70s. James John Glanges and Lottie Mae Bell moved into the home while their two daughters went to North Dallas High School. They had been in the Oak Lawn neighborhood for years. James Glanges was a Greek immigrant (original name Glantzis) who emigrated from Lavrio, Greece, a small Aegean coastal town off the southeast of Greece in 1923. He was a chef and cafe owner in Fort Worth and Dallas, working as a chef for the Worth Cafe on Fitzhugh. He married Lottie Mae Bell and had two daughters, Evalea and Joanna.

Lea Glanges, Valedictorian, North Dallas High 1958

Joanna married Roy Douglas Sikes in 1962 and had three children, settling in Grand Prarie. Evalea, or Lea, as she was called, was valedictorian of her North Dallas High School class. She was also the school newspaper’s editor and had several articles about the high school in the Dallas Morning News. She became a prominent Fort Worth surgeon and in the late 90s was the Chairperson of Surgery at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth. She was married in 1967 to a fellow physician, Dr. Tommy Gene Gleghorn, meeting at Southwestern Medical School, but divorced 9 months later and reverted to her maiden name. She later met Dr. Bena Tomlinson who became her life partner until she died in 1999.

On November 22, 1963, Lea was a second-year medical student training at Parkland Hospital when Kennedy was assassinated and transported to Parkland. She and other students ran to the emergency room ambulance bay area to witness the tragic events. She can seen in various photos and films close to the Presidential limousine. In 2003, after a lifetime as a surgeon, she bravely came forward as one of the numerous eyewitnesses to a bullet hole in the windshield of the Presidential limousine in the History Channel documentary series, “The Men Who Killed Kennedy”. This is her account:

“I was a 2nd-year medical student at Southwestern Medical University in Dallas, Texas. We ran around the side of the building to the Emergency Room exit, and the Presidential limousine was there. Had been standing there for some time just watching the back of the Emergency Room, when I realized that there was a *bullet hole* in the windshield. Talked to my friend standing next to me, and said, ‘Look there’s a *bullet hole* in the windshield!’ and pointed it out to them. At the time I did not know any of the details of the shooting. I was quite shocked when I looked up and saw the *bullet hole*. But it was very clear – it was a through-and-through *bullet hole* through the windshield of the car – from front to back. I don’t believe there were even any cracks associated with that bullet hole. It seemed like a high-velocity bullet that had penetrated – from front to back – in that glass pane. At which point, a security officer of some type raced forward and jumped in the limousine and drove it off – even as I was leaning against it – to an area back of us somewhere. And that was the last time I saw the limousine.”

See her filmed account here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TisPzyrM-0

The Rise and Fall (and Rise?) of Lemmon Ave.

As Perry Heights developed house by house in the 1920s, Lemmon Avenue was the address of some of the grandest homes in the city. Prominent houses and trees lined the avenue from Downtown to Lomo Alto Drive.

November 1939 Dallas Morning News article

Lemmon Ave. was named after William H. Lemmon who was a Confederate captain turned real estate developer in Oak Lawn. He lived at the intersection of Lemmon Ave. and Cole St. Along with Oliver Bowser, he is credited with developing what is now known as Turtle Creek Park. Lemmon, one of Dallas’ first paved streets, was considered a beautiful, long drive from the city. With the rise of automobiles, people drove on Lemmon to not only Oak Lawn Park (currently Turtle Creek Park), but to the Country Club at Lemmon and Walnut Hill Lane to play golf and tennis. There was also Love Field military base, which the City of Dallas purchased in 1927, to watch the small planes take off and land. In 1930, just opposite Love Field, a polo field was opened called the Dallas Polo Association, where matches were held through the 1940s . Craddock Park also had a rose garden that was an attraction in the 1930s.

The late 1940s and 1950s saw more traffic along Lemmon Ave. and the first “suburban retail strip center” at Lomo Alto that was built in 1939. By then, Love Field tripled in size and was flying passenger planes. Lemmon Ave. was the most common route to and from the airport. Even President Kennedy made his way along Lemmon Ave. from Love Field to Downtown Dallas for the parade in his honor on that November day in 1963. Increasing pressure from developers to change the residential zoning to commercial was felt as Lemmon Ave. was widened. Exceptions to the residential zoning began to appear. Moore’s Grocery and later Simon David Grocery were built at the corner of Wycliff Ave. and Lemmon Ave. while small businesses rose beyond the train track bridge on Lemmon Ave. These included Prince’s Hamburgers, BBQ joints and filling stations. Once the city made the decision to change the zoning to commercial, some businesses purchased the older homes and converted them to bars, restaurants, and stores. Others were torn down to create new mid century modern buildings such as Chantly’s Sea Food Restaurant at Lemmon Ave. and Throckmorton St.

The 1960s through the 1980s saw the explosion of franchises along Lemmon Ave. Every fast food establishment wanted the temptation of a drive thru on Lemmon Ave. as more and more of the old homes were demolished. The few still standing became art galleries and second hand shops. In the 1960s the stretch of Lemmon Ave. between Oaklawn Ave. and Wycliff Ave. became known as “Gallery Row”. In the 1970s many of those shops became low quality resale shops and eventually were demolished. A few of the homes became popular live music clubs and restaurants such as Machine Gun Kelly’s, Mother Blues, Gerties, and Mother Pearl’s. Signage along Lemmon became excessive enough to have the city adopt a sign ordinance to reduce the “visual pollution”.

The last standing single family house along Lemmon Ave. was at 3922. It was built in 1915 and occupied by Shelby and Julia Gibson and, later, their children until 1964. After a few businesses inhabited the house, it was finally demolished in 2013.

3922 Lemmon, the last of the homes along Lemmon from the early 1900’s

While the last forty years have seen some improvements to Lemmon Ave., much of it is still in need of urban renewal. Groups such as the Oak Lawn Committee are actively working to make it a more attractive, walkable urban avenue in keeping with the intent of the area’s zoning overlay, PD 193.

E. Gordon Perry’s Dream Neighborhood

E. Gordon Perry, the founder and developer of the Perry Heights neighborhood, had an ideal neighborhood in mind for his family and built his dream from the ground up. Mr. Perry just moved to Dallas from El Paso after establishing the Perry Motor Company selling Model T Fords since 1915. He also began some housing developments there. He now was about to take his company to one of the top three automobile establishments in the country in the late 1920s by selling Chryslers. To do this he needed to relocate to Dallas. He built a three-story auto dealership at Pacific and Pearl and employed 150 people. It included a showroom on the first floor, a large cafeteria, library, club rooms, and lecture room on the second, and a mechanic facility on the third accessed by a huge elevator. If conscious capitalism was a term in the 20’s, Perry would epitomize this. A religious man, he believed that the everyman should devote a good portion of his time to some branch of social service to others. He also needed a neighborhood that reflected his values surrounded by like-minded neighbors. He then discovered a pasture of 53 acres sitting at a slightly higher elevation (Heights) than downtown, owned by Dan Craddock and O.P. Storm.

He is quoted in the initial 1922 sales brochure saying about Perry Heights “It is a little apart from the noise and dust and crowds, where the air is pure and invigorating, where children find more enjoyment at play and develop their bodies more naturally in the health-giving atmosphere-where beautiful breezes blow constantly during the hot summer’s day and afford cool, refreshing slumber at night- where always there is peace and every comfort, as there should be.”

He was active as a director of the YMCA, Boy Scouts, SMU, and the Better Business Bureau, as well as a chairman raising funds for the Salvation Army’s programs. Many of the first residents of Perry Heights were also involved in these same philanthropic organizations. He successfully encouraged the past owner of the Perry Heights development site to donate land for Craddock Park by promising to name the park after him. He had Fooshee & Cheek design the site to purposely have varying-size original lots from 50×150 lots to 75X150 lots to accommodate a variety of house sizes and price points. Perry wanted a variety of families in his ideal neighborhood mixing and encouraging interaction and community. He also demanded several trees planted and encouraged gardens for a natural family environment.

Besides his wealthier business friends, one of his company officers bought into his neighborhood. Jack Taylor started working for Perry in El Paso and moved to Dallas to be the secretary/treasurer of Perry Motors. He and his wife Lenore moved their family of three children (Jack Jr., Marjorie, and Robert) into 4314 Vandelia. Their children and the Perry children (E. Gordon Jr. and Vandelia) all played in the new park as well as the Perry estate which included an 18-hole putting course, a sunken garden, a tennis court, and a pool. Mr. Perry also had a playground on this estate that all of the children of Perry Heights could access.

To add more children to the playground, Mrs. W.H. Rucker, a widow, also moved into the neighborhood at 4512 Vandelia in 1923 with her 6 children (Jean, Mabel, Ethel, Clyde, Carl, and Grafton). Jean and Mabel became beloved local elementary school teachers. Her son, Grafton, and his wife inherited the home and lived there into the 1970s raising their children.

Clockwise: Elementry school teacher, Mabel Rucker in the 1930s, an Ad in the Dallas Morning News showing the names of the first residents of Perry Heights, an Article in the DMN showing a party for Gus Thomasson’s newly married son at the Perry’s home in 1939. Picture from a DMN article from 1965 about the neighborhood. Children’s party for 10-year-old Marjorie Taylor in an article, 1931 DMN article about Marjorie’s 10th birthday party.

The families were constantly hosting each other’s birthdays, showers, weddings, and special occasions as seen in the social pages of the Dallas Morning News. They all participated in various social clubs such as garden club, women’s club, and charity events.

This close neighborhood spirit was also evident later in the 1970’s when traffic was eroding the neighborhood and the neighbors fought for the blocked streets to preserve the neighborhood. When developers became a threat in the 1990s and wanted to take more of Craddock Park and disturb the neighborhood, the neighbors banded together and fought back.

Today, several close neighbor bonds have formed on various blocks of Perry Heights and there is still a close neighborhood spirit as we get to know each other. I think Mr. Perry would be happy that his dream neighborhood of cooperation and community is still alive and ready for any future threats and challenges that our urban location may encounter with our active Perry Heights Neighborhood Association. By keeping that sense of community and service growing to preserve our neighborhood, future generations can experience the peace and comfort we enjoy now.

The Outlaw of Perry Heights

Otto and Norma Beutel married in 1916 and moved into a home on Hood St. in Dallas. Along with Norma’s mother and brother, the household soon added a daughter, Betty G, and a son, Jack Allender Beutel. In 1928, the four members of the young family moved to 4338 Vandelia St. in Perry Heights. Otto was a sales manager for P. F. Collier & Sons Publishing Company and Norma was a soprano in a singing ensemble. The two children eventually attended North Dallas High School. While in high school, young Jack began acting in the Dallas Little Theater, a community theater.

Otto had been born and raised in Dallas. His parents, Fred and Henrietta emigrated from Germany in 1872. They lived on Masten St. (now known as Maryland Ave.) in Oak Cliff. Fred and Henrietta raised eight children with the help of a housekeeper and a cook named Earline. Fred supported his family as a barber. As a teenager, Otto worked in a shoestore.

Otto and Norma lived in the house in Perry Heights until the late 1930s. Betty married and moved out and Jack headed off to Hollywood to break into the movies. The empty-nesters soon moved to a different small house on Hood St. near their first home.

In Hollywood, Jack was working as an insurance clerk while auditioning for film roles. The 5’11” dark-haired, blue-eyed actor soon met millionaire and film producer Howard Hughes. Hughes was looking for an unknown to play Billy the Kid in his new Western to be called “The Outlaw.” In 1938 Jack visited Hughes at the producer’s new offices at 7000 Romaine Street in Hollywood where Hughes signed Jack to a $150 per week contract. Jack’s agent was Gummo Marx of the Marx Brothers and couldn’t strike a better deal. Hughes insisted Jack change his name Beutel to Buetel because Hughes was concerned that people would pronounce it “beetle.” Jack returned to Dallas briefly in 1939 to marry his high school sweetheart, Cereatha Browning then returned with her to Hollywood. The movie was filmed later in 1939 along with another unknown, Jane Russell, in the leading female role.

Although filmed in 1939, the film wasn’t released until 1943. It didn’t receive a wider release until 1946. The Hollywood Code censors had made significant changes to tame the film as the movie’s “sex” scenes, especially those in the hay, shocked them. The movie turned out to be a springboard for Russell, who became a major Hollywood star. For reasons not fully known, Hughes made sure Jack’s career did not take off. Jack had signed an eleven-year contract with Hughes and Hughes used him sparingly in roles. Hughes also refused to lend Jack out to studios that wanted him. Jack, meanwhile, collected his $150 per week from Hughes (the annual equivalent of about $165,000 in 2023). With little to do in Hollywood, Jack joined the Navy for a couple of years to fight in World War II.

Over the years Jack married and divorced several times. He married Cereatha, Jill Meridith, Gloria Jean Bailey, and then finally Joann Jensen in 1962. After his contract with Hughes was over, Jack returned to the movies in 1951 with “Best of the Badmen” and four other movie westerns. He later appeared on television in 1955 as Deputy Jeff Taggart in 39 episodes of Judge Roy Bean. He did several other television projects until 1961. In his later years, Jack lived in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Joann, and his mother, Norma. Joann passed away in 1984, followed by Norma in 1986. After a lengthy illness, Jack passed away in 1989 at the age of 71.