Just eleven minutes from The Ashton is the largest and finest collection of 19th century pioneer and Victorian homes in the state.

We're talking about the Dallas Heritage Village, and it's twenty-acre grounds allows visitors to discover what life was like for Texans more than one hundred years ago.

The site was once the home of the city's first park as well as the first zoo, and in addition to twenty-one historic structures, it also offers interesting exhibits and fun programs.

Highlights include:

Farina Lecture Series (November 9)

Named for longtime employee Nancy Farina who passed away in 2012, this lecture series features books that focus on Texas authors or stories. For the next lecture, Myra Hargrave McIlvain will discuss her book Stein House. It's set in 1853 and tells the story Helga Heinrich and her four children who sail into the thriving Indianola seaport on the Texas coast to start their new life.

Neighborhoods We Called Home (through December 30)

"Neighborhoods We Called Home" is a fascinating exhibit that explores the city's neighborhoods that served as strong, supportive communities for Hispanic, African American, and Jewish Dallasites from the early 1900s and beyond. The display includes oral histories, clothing, and artistic renderings.

Frontier Blacksmithing

The two-Saturday blacksmithing class is where students learn the fundamental skills needed to make nails, a pair of tongs, and a high carbon steel punch. The class begins with building a coal fire and discovering the difference between mild, iron, and tool steel.

If you're thinking about calling our apartments in Dallas home, please contact us to schedule a tour.