Deep in the shadows of downtown skyscrapers sits one of the last remnants of Dallas’ first Mexican American community. Pike Park was the centerpiece of the once-bustling Little Mexico neighborhood and home to genera- tions of Mexican pioneers who settled in Dallas. Original inhabitants were predominantly Jewish, but by 1910 immigrants from south of the border began arriving in large numbers seeking employment and to escape the Mexican Revolution. By the 1920s there were an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 Mexico-born residents crowded into the small, 10-square-block neighborhood.
Pike Park, established in 1914, was a favorite gathering place in the burgeoning neighborhood, and the park grew and flourished along with the Mexican American population. Originally named Summit Play Park, it expanded
to include a field house with shower baths, reading rooms, an assembly hall and year-round playgrounds with tennis courts and a wading pool.
Left The Pike Park gazebo in Little Mexico provides shade, shelter and ornament. Right Colorful, folk- loric dancers entertain.
During World War II, soldiers who grew up in the barrio would meet at the park with their families and friends before leaving for duty and upon returning from the war.
Albert Valtierra, chair of the Dallas Mexican American Historical League’s (DMAHL) Pike Park Preservation
Committee, says the park was “the cultural heart of the Mexican American community,” playing host to legendary Cinco de Mayo and Mexican Independence Day celebrations.
In 1969, Anita Nañez Martinez became the first Mexican-American official elected to the Dallas City Council. When planning her elec- tion festivities, she deemed the most appropriate place to hold the inaugural celebration was Pike Park, a tribute to the neighborhood in which she grew up. Over the years she’s fought hard for improvements to the park and continues to promote Hispanic pride and culture throughout the United States.
In 1978, the field house was converted to a Mexican-style structure with red tile roof and arched windows. The gazebo and adjacent community center were recognized in 1981 as a historical landmark by the Dallas County Historical Commission and, in 2000, became a Dallas City landmark.
In addition to local celebrities, other well-known individuals grew up in the barrio, including singer, musician and actor Trini López, featherweight boxer Roberto Marroquin and World Cup soccer player Omar Gonzalez.
NATIVE SONS (from left) Trini López, a guitarist, singer and actor who hit gold with the song “If I Had a Hammer”; Roberto Marroquin, a super ban- tamweight boxer who won a gold medal at the 2006 National Junior Olympics; and Omar Gonzalez, who plays soccer for the U.S. Men’s National Team as a defender, all grew up in Dallas’ Little Mexico area.
The centennial dedication of Pike Park in 2013 corresponded with proposed city-approved renovations. The DMAHL, led by Dallas County Historical Commission president Juanita Nañez, has been tenacious in its quest to have the now-silent recreation center brought back to life and has established a committee dedicated to preserving the park complex. One idea is to have the building house a multicultural museum and event venue.
The Dallas Park and Recreation Board has been gracious in collaborating with DMAHL in renovating the facilities thus far and has sought input from the committee regarding a feasibility study for restoration of the Pike Park field house.
While little remains of the historic neighborhood today, the non-profit DMAHL is recording and preserving the rich culture of Little Mexico and the Hispanic community. The league also provides educational programming, curates exhibitions and hosts events throughout the year in partnership with local public broadcast station KERA, whose offices are two short blocks from Pike Park and the Latino Cultural Center operated by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.
“Pike Park is a part of us and our story,” Nañez notes. “We grew up with the park. We vanished together when the North Dallas Tollway was constructed through our neighborhood, but we’ll continue to champion restoration of the park. Maybe it can’t be the same as it was, but maybe it can continue to play a significant role for our community and for its new urban environment and visitors.”
Celebration returns to the park once again when the DMAHL hosts Fiesta Diez y Seis, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The festivities will include live Tejano music, traditional games and activities, and free food while it lasts. Parking is available in the garage of the American Airlines Center. Visit www.dmahl.org for the latest fiesta information.
