Editing University Park, Texas (section)

==History==

[[Image:A church in University Park, Texas.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Highland Park Presbyterian Church (Dallas, Texas)|Highland Park Presbyterian Church]] (HPPC) in University Park]]
University Park began as a cluster of homes surrounding the fledgling [[Southern Methodist University]], which was founded in the then-rural [[Dallas County, Texas|Dallas County]] in 1915. The university supplied these homes with utility service until 1924, when the growing population could no longer be supported by the school's utilities. In response, the area's homeowners first sought [[annexation]] into the town of [[Highland Park, Texas|Highland Park]], but were refused due to the high cost that would have been required to provide the necessary utility and safety services. Shortly thereafter, [[Dallas]] also refused a request for annexation on similar grounds.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chang |first1=Yushan |title=Newcomer's Handbook Neighborhood Guide: Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and Austin |date=October 2006 |publisher=First Books |isbn=978-0-912301-70-9 |pages=24–25 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=131SQLhqScMC&pg=PA25 |language=en}}</ref>

Community leaders organized to incorporate as a separate individual city. According to state law, incorporation required that area residents hold an election on the issue before the new city could be officially formed and recognized. On April 24, 1924, voters approved the measure by a 5:1 margin. Operating under the [[City commission government|commission form of government]], the city began the work of shaping the new government and addressing the pressing need to establish basic municipal services. To provide for the financial needs of the city, another election was held soon thereafter to authorize the issuance of [[municipal bond]]s. Passing by a near unanimous margin, the $150,000 bond issue funded the installation of a new water supply system, street paving, and the construction of a new city hall and fire station. When first incorporated, the city encompassed {{convert|515|acre|km2}}, 380 homes, and 1200 residents.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

As a result of efforts to build and improve the city, University Park grew to a population of over 20,000 residents by 1945 and had become one of the most prestigious locations in the area. In fact, the community's attractiveness and tax value had risen to such an extent that the city of Dallas now wanted to annex University Park into its boundaries. At the time of the election,{{when|date=February 2024|reason=Taken from this source:
https://www.uptexas.org/387/City-History}} even the [[Board of Commissioners]] favored the annexation. In the largest voter turnout to that date and still one of the largest in city history, the annexation was denied by a 53% to 47% margin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=City History {{!}} University Park, TX |url=https://www.uptexas.org/387/City-History |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=www.uptexas.org}}</ref>

In 1946 an election to adopt a [[Home Rule]] Charter was held, but the measure failed and the city continued to operate as a General Law city. In 1989, voters approved a Home Rule Charter which officially adopted a [[Council-manager government|council-manager form]] of government and expanded the three member board of Commissioners into a five-member city council.

Since the 1940s, the population and area of University Park has stabilized at 24,000 residents and 2,350 acres (4.7 square miles). The city is now surrounded by Dallas on three sides and the town of Highland Park to the south.

Originally University Park was a middle class community.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gray |first=A. W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LeipDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT138 |title=Poisoned Dreams: A True Story of Murder, Money, and Family Secrets |date=2014-09-15 |publisher=Blackstone Publishing |isbn=978-1-4821-0187-4 |language=en}}</ref> Highland Park residents spearheaded the creation of the [[Highland Park Independent School District]] and asked the neighbors to the north to become a part of the district; taxes were lower since the district included University Park's population.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gray |first=A. W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LeipDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT140 |title=Poisoned Dreams: A True Story of Murder, Money, and Family Secrets |date=2014-09-15 |publisher=Blackstone Publishing |isbn=978-1-4821-0187-4 |language=en}}</ref> HPISD had no racial diversity in the 1950s and 1960s, when other Dallas-area school districts dealt with racial integration and [[white flight]]. The federal court orders to integrate had no effect in HPISD since it did not receive federal money.<ref>Gray, A.W. ''[[Poisoned Dreams: A True Story of Murder, Money, and Family Secrets]]''. [[AudioGO]], September 15, 2014. {{ISBN|1482101874}}, 9781482101874. [[Google Books]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=LeipDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT140 PT140]-[https://books.google.com/books?id=LeipDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT141 PT141].</ref> As a result, values of HPISD-zoned properties in University Park rose dramatically and the demographic makeup became wealthier, with smaller houses being replaced by larger ones circa the 1970s.<ref>Gray, A.W. ''Poisoned Dreams: A True Story of Murder, Money, and Family Secrets''. [[AudioGO]], September 15, 2014. {{ISBN|1482101874}}, 9781482101874. [[Google Books]] [https://books.google.com/books?id=LeipDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT144 PT144]-[https://books.google.com/books?id=LeipDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT145 PT145].</ref>