Bringing History to Life: Farmers Branch Historical Park

Left is the Peters Colony Land Grant Office and right is a replica log cabin at the Farmers Branch Historical Park.

As you might have guessed from my previous posts, the only thing I like more than learning about history is learning about history for free. That is why I was so excited to find out that the Farmers Branch Historical Park offers visitors the chance to get a glimpse through time without spending a dime. Even better, the park provides several “hands on” opportunities for guests.

“As you’ll see, there’s no Plexiglas and we offer one-on-one tours,” said Barbara Judkins, Museum Educator. “Our attitude is 'Come on in and get immersed in the history'.”

The cornerstone of the Historical Park is the Gilbert House, which was built in 1856 and is the oldest structure still on its original foundation in Dallas County. The dogtrot style of the house means that the rooms branch off from a large central breezeway. Like so many historical homes, the Gilbert House experienced renovations by new owners over the decades. For example, one room was plastered in the 1930s to cover the limestone walls. A later owner varnished the visible limestone walls to prevent frequent cleanings as the original mortar tended to crumble, causing dust inside the home.

The Bassinger House is a Queen Anne Victorian Cottage.
The other notable buildings were brought to the park from other areas. For example, a gorgeous Queen Anne Victorian Cottage was built around 1885 for the Bassinger family in Gainsville and was relocated to the park in 1992, more than 100 years later. The Bassingers were known for adopting and raising orphans, so I imagine they would smile to see that their home now sits across from an historic school building.

According to materials provided at the park, Farmers Branch had the first organized school in Dallas County when classes were held in the Methodist Church on Isaac Webb’s property in 1846. The schoolroom at the park was originally built in 1900 near the intersection of Valley View and Dennis Lane, but was brought to the Historical Park in 1985 to be restored and used to represent a North Texas one-room school. I really liked that each desk held chalkboards that clearly were recently used by visiting children.

This schoolroom dates to 1900 and is still used to educate children, though these days the school groups are only visitors. 

By the way, did I mention how gorgeous the entire Historical Park property is? That’s largely due to beautiful gardens throughout the property and a well-manicured grass lawn. This, along with an 1890s-era church from Renner, Texas, makes the park a popular spot for weddings.

Near the property’s log cabin is a living history garden maintained by Dallas County Master Gardener Association. Currently, the garden is home to green and dark brown cotton. Judkins shared that these different colors of cotton were grown during the pioneer era, but was not as popular for use as white cotton because the shorter fibers were harder to twist into material usable for creating cloth.  As for the grass lawn, it’s currently used as a field for “Vintage Baseball,” which is baseball played using 1860s rules. Check out the team’s Facebook Page by clicking here.

The park is fantastic to simply walk around, but has a lot more to offer to guests who call ahead for tours. By calling ahead, visitors can ensure that a docent will be available to provide a personalized experience. Be sure to check out the Farmers Branch website to learn about upcoming events for the park, such as a Star Party on September 10 for the astronomy inclined, or a classic car show on September 14 called the “Pickups-N-Panels Annual Car and Truck Shoot-Out.” While the park is free, special events may have admission costs so please be sure to review the details of each event.

Farmers Branch Historical Park
2540 Farmers Branch Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234
(972) 406-0184
www.fbhistoricalpark.com

The Historical Park is open Weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekends from noon to 6 p.m. The park is closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years’s days. Admission is free but call in advance to schedule a tour.

This simple country church built in the 1890s is available for weddings

Location: 2540 Farmers Branch Lane, Farmers Branch, TX 75234, USA

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