It’s hard to figure out what Michelle Hooper fell in love with first — Swiss Avenue itself or the people who live there. Regardless, when Michelle and her husband, Matthew, moved into their home at 5416 Swiss Avenue they were instantly received by the community. To give back, the Hoopers are opening their home to tourgoers for the Swiss Avenue Mother’s Day Home Tour May 7-9
The pair got the keys and moved into the red brick Georgian Revival in November of 2020, Michelle recalled. “It was literally the week of Thanksgiving,” she said with a laugh, recalling how stressful it was. It was about to get even more complicated as right after that Michelle would give birth to her first child.
It has been a busy year and a half. While the property was in excellent condition when they purchased it — it had just been taken to the studs and built back in elegant fashion in 2018 — there were several projects they had been putting off.
“We consider this an excuse to finish decorating,” Michelle said.
Living History
Obviously, living in a historic property isn’t for everyone. However, the Hoopers couldn’t imagine their home search working out any other way.
“My husband and I love all of these homes on this street, and we were immediately in love with the neighborhood,” she said. “I joined the [Swiss Avenue] Women’s Guild and it has been a great group. I’ve met some really wonderful people.”
There’s a lot to love about the Swiss Avenue Historic District — one of the most well-known neighborhoods in Dallas. The street, sandwiched between Live Oak and Gaston avenues in Old East Dallas, was the first planned development district in Texas and was the place to be for wealthy Dallasites.
Prominent Dallas families embraced the concept, they hired nationally renowned architects to design and build their showplaces. These included Bertram Hill, Lang & Witchell, Charles Bulger, Hal Thomson, Marion Fooshee, C.P. Sites, Marshall Barnett, and W.H. Reeves, among others.
In 1973, Swiss Avenue was designated as Dallas’ first historic district. On March 28, 1974, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is an official Dallas Landmark District.
Today, Swiss Avenue stands as the finest example of an early 20th Century neighborhood in the entire Southwest. Its eclectic mix of homes, spanning its 2.5 mile stretch, represent virtually every popular residential design style of the day, including Mediterranean, Spanish, Spanish Revival, Georgian, Mission, Prairie, Craftsman, Neoclassical, Italian Renaissance, Tudor, and Colonial Revival. It has evolved from one man’s unique experiment in planned urban development to become a living testament to America’s architectural diversity.
Swiss Avenue Historic DistrictIn fact, the Swiss Avenue Historic District was basically the onus for Preservation Dallas, which is now in its 50th year of advocating for Dallas’ built history.
What began in 1972 as a small volunteer-run nonprofit called the Historic Preservation League (HPL) as they tried to get the first historic designation has grown significantly through hard work and dedication. As of 2022, Dallas can boast 21 historic districts, 17 conservation districts, and more than 130 individual landmarks.
Preservation efforts were begun by a small group of neighbors in East Dallas concerned about formally protecting and preserving our city’s historic buildings. Swiss Avenue was on the chopping block back then, with plans for mid-rise multifamily development in the works. It was time to take action.
Karen Eubank, “Preservation Dallas Celebrates 50 Years“But it wasn’t just Swiss Avenue that drew them to the stately brick home. Their home, located just a few steps from Savage Park and just on the other side of Parkmont from the Aldredge House, stood out for several reasons.
“My husband is from Louisiana and he’s in love with the big trees,” Michelle said. “The houses are all so unique — they all have their own story and they are fascinating.”
When Life Gives You Lemons
Writing her own Swiss Avenue story has been a dream for Michelle. She’s already put her own stamp on her favorite rooms.
“The sunroom on the first floor is so special to us,” she said. It’s the place where her lemon tree grows. It’s no ordinary tree, but one that has moved with them. It’s the lemon tree, now potted and cared for like a beloved heirloom, that marked the spot where her now-husband Matthew proposed.
Of course, the home itself is stunning, and there are so many details you don’t want to miss. A lot of that work is due to the sellers, Rob and Stacy Rose, who fixed up 5416 Swiss Ave. and then moved across the street and down a few houses. Michelle says to pay attention to the ceiling medallions in the rooms and be sure to check out the historic documents on the wall when you enter through the front door. There you’ll see part of Michelle’s own history.
“As a wedding gift, my grandmother gave us the naturalization and immigration papers of my great, great grandparents, and they’re framed in the entryway,” she said. “The china and glassware that we’ll be setting in the dining room is from my great grandmother, too.”
Bringing The Community Back
Of course, the Hoopers aren’t the only families that moved into the Swiss Avenue Historic District since the start of the pandemic, notes home tour chair Nancy Phillips. In fact, nearly two dozen new families found their dream homes amongst the 212 houses in the district. So this year’s Swiss Avenue Mother’s Day Home Tour is not just a fundraiser for the historic district. It’s also a homecoming for the neighborhood.
“The two-year hiatus has seemingly sparked a renewed interest in the home tour, and a genuine desire to gather with neighbors and reinvigorate a sense of community,” Phillips said. “We are finally meeting our new neighbors and getting excited to share with visitors a beautifully planned historic district that has stood the test of time; and to feel the sense of accomplishment of working together to serve the community.”
For Michelle Hooper and her family, that’s exactly what they needed.
“This is our first Mother’s Day Home Tour as a family together — just the three of us,” she said, “so this is a really special event for us all.”
How To Attend
Tickets are still available to the Swiss Avenue Mother’s Day Home Tour, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 7 and noon to 6 p.m. May 8. Mother’s Day Brunch at Savage Park is at 11 a.m. on Sunday, May 8, and features an a la carte menu and no reservations are required. Tickets are available via the Swiss Avenue Mother’s Day Home Tour website for $30 per person in advance and $35 on the weekend of the tour.
Want to attend for free? Stay tuned to Daltxrealestate.com for an exclusive giveaway!
