Casa Linda is a beautiful neighborhood full of homes built in the 1950’s and 1960’s, generally Casa Linda homes are ranch and traditional architecture styles and a little larger than homes you might find in Old Lake Highlands although otherwise the architecture is similar. The recent revival of this area has gotten it more attention as of late but until just recently, Casa Linda homes were largely under the radar. As East Dallas rebounds, Casa Linda and Casa View are experiencing growth as well and homes in Casa Linda are now often remodeled and renovated as price points in the neighborhood continue to rise. The neighborhood has it’s own unique character Casa Linda residents love and with the proximity to downtown and East Dallas attractions, it’s becoming more popular every year. As popularity grows, new shops and trendy restaurants continue to move into the Casa Linda Plaza and in the storefronts along Garland Road. A few years ago Goodfriend showed up on the corner of Peavy and Garland and it’s amazing to see what a little community bar and grill can do to bring some life to a neighborhood! Along with the beautiful parks nearby, Casa Linda is becoming a premier neighborhood and one of the more desirable destinations for new residents in East Dallas.
When family and friends come to visit from out of town, the arboretum is on the short list of places we need to make sure to show them. The arboretum sits on a large piece of land which was once the property of the DeGolyers who donated 44 acres in 1976 to create 2/3 of what is now the Dallas Arboretum, the other 22 acres came from Alex and Roberta Coke Camp. Mrs. DeGolyer was an avid gardener and their home, which was completed in 1940 and is now on the National Register of Historic Places, is used as an event center and is home to a cafe in the back of the property which takes full advantage of beautiful views of White Rock Lake and the downtown skyline. Casa Linda is an easy bike ride to the arboretum and it’s a great outing on a nice day that everyone in the family will enjoy.
If you have kids, the Rory Meyer’s Children’s Adventure garden is a sure way to get them to burn off some energy! Basically a giant playground in a garden, there are water fountains, jungle gyms, and everything else most kids hope to find in a trip to the arboretum. Even in the middle of summer, there are enough misters and water installations to keep you cool and make a trip to the arboretum a great idea no matter how hot it gets, after all, this is Texas, you can’t be scared of a little heat!
There are many events throughout the year to keep residents of nearby Casa Linda busy. Cool Thursdays Concert Series feature great local music in an open garden theater and the 12 Days of Christmas is an amazing holiday experience that completely makes up for our lack of snow in Dallas. Every season brings a new look to the arboretum as volunteers meticulously replace flowers every few months to make sure that no matter what time of year you visit, there will always be plenty of native flowers in full bloom!
White Rock Lake was created out of necessity in 1911 when Dallas was dealing with constant water shortages, it was not recognized or used as a park until the early 1930’s, today, White Rock Lake is no longer a reservoir and is used solely for recreation. Homes around White Rock Lake are among the most extravagant and beautiful in Dallas, some have historical significance like Bella Nora which is an East Dallas landmark located on the Casa Linda side of the lake and others have been built in recent years with modern architecture styling and features.
Casa Linda benefits tremendously from people who are drawn to the lake and often when people want to find a home near White Rock Lake, they are drawn to Casa Linda as a great opportunity to live within walking distance. The lake itself is beautiful and as there are no motorboats allowed on White Rock, it’s perfect for sailing and rowing enthusiasts and the parks surrounding the lake are among the most used in the city. Thanks to recent additions to the trails, White Rock Lake Trail connects to the Santa Fe trail heading south and White Rock Creek Trail going north, it is possible to get from Deep Ellum to north of 635 without ever leaving the trail. Proposed renovations and additions to the Dixon Branch Trail would create a trail that extends into Casa Linda and connects to White Rock Lake which would give East Dallas residents a great way to get to the lake and stay off the streets!