Picture this a small unassuming plaque nestled within a landscaped garden. This is the Maple Avenue Plaque in Dallas. It’s a testament to a bygone era a time when community spirit and government collaboration transformed a humble hospital campus.
The plaque itself commemorates a significant beautification project undertaken between 1938 and 1939. The National Youth Administration partnered with local garden clubs and Dallas County officials. Their efforts enhanced the grounds of Old Parkland Hospital Dallas’s first public hospital.
Old Parkland Hospital had humble beginnings. It started as a wooden structure in 1894. A new three-story brick building replaced it in 1913. This building was the first brick hospital in Texas. It boasted high ceilings spacious rooms and even tea parlors. The hospital was situated among oak trees and meadows. People believed the fresh country air aided patient recovery.
The hospital expanded. Three new wings were added in the mid-1930s. This expansion included a psychiatric ward and a venereal disease clinic. The hospital’s name changed to Parkland when its growth extended onto city-owned parkland.
As Dallas grew Parkland Hospital needed a larger facility. A new Parkland Hospital opened in 1954 on Harry Hines Boulevard. The Old Parkland campus continued serving the community. It offered services for various ailments. It even had a ward for severely obese patients. The old hospital finally closed in 1974.
Later the Old Parkland campus had a new life. Trammell Crow a prominent Dallas developer purchased it. He preserved the historic buildings and added new ones in a similar style. Today the campus houses numerous businesses. It’s a thriving and beautiful business complex. The Maple Avenue Plaque in its small circular garden remains a quiet tribute to a collaboration that significantly improved the Old Parkland Hospital grounds. It stands as a reminder of a bygone era and a remarkable transformation.