DALTX Real EstateDALTX Real EstateDALTX Real Estate
  • Home
  • Guest Post
  • Agents
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise With Us
Reading: Sunset Hill: From Oak Cliff Farm to Urban Charm
Share
Font ResizerAa
DALTX Real EstateDALTX Real Estate
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • Guest Post
  • Agents
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise With Us
  • Home
  • Guest Post
  • Agents
  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise With Us
Follow US
© DALTX. All Rights Reserved.
DALTX Real Estate > Oak Cliff > Sunset Hill: From Oak Cliff Farm to Urban Charm
Oak Cliff

Sunset Hill: From Oak Cliff Farm to Urban Charm

3 Min Read
SHARE

 

Marlborough-Ext
906 S. Marlborough Ave.
Circa 1924

Sunset Hill Addition may have been the last thing John Merrifield wanted to crop up on his circa 1843 farm. A telling indication was the purchase he made of another 1,000 acres before his death in 1873, which helped prevent encroachment from the new Hord’s Ridge development near the farm’s eastern side.

Nevertheless, progress eventually had its way. Although Merrifield’s son also expanded the farm, his grandchildren divided it, and by the 1890s, new home development was underway. Mirrored by the success of Thomas Marsalis’ Oak Cliff subdivision, affluent buyers started flocking to Sunset Hill to buy lots and build large homes.

Marlborough-Ext

In the “build it, they will come” philosophy, more subdivisions followed. By 1913, development was in full swing and after being deemed a Dallas suburb, the City of Dallas annexed Sunset Hill two years later.

Hann and Kendall – two developers of Highland Park – were among the noted builders who brought their brand of pizzazz across the Trinity River to Sunset Hill. In addition to introducing wide, tree-lined streets to the neighborhood, they debuted their two-story California Bungalow. Though it was smaller than the West Coast version, its low slung, airplane style added architectural diversity to the larger homes that likewise included Prairie and Craftsman bungalows.

Marlborough-Ext
902 S. Oak Cliff Blvd.
Circa 1932

While historic homes in Sunset Hill date through the 1930s and 1940s, other architectural styles run the gamut from Prairie Four-square and brick Tudor to Spanish Eclectic. And historic home finds range from contemporary interior upgrades to houses waiting for a new owner to stamp his or her individual style on a spiffy redo.

Despite the people who made history in Sunset Hill and the urban dwellers preserving it, the neighborhood still contains Merrifield land.

Marlborough-Ext

The Merrifield Cemetery at the southeastern corner of Hampton Road and Jefferson Boulevard contains a Texas Historical Marker and two headstones. One marks the graves of John Merrifield and his second wife Elizabeth. The other is for their son Joseph Foreman Merrifield. According to neighborhood lore, an estimated 20 unnamed family members are buried there.

John Merrifield’s great-great-granddaughter lives in Sunset Hill in a home built on the site where the family’s old homeplace once stood.

Here’s a Mansfield Neighborhood That Is a Saintly Place to Live
Female-Owned Mintwood Real Estate is First In Dallas to Break Ground on a Public Facility Corp. Development
Cool Craftsman In North Oak Cliff With Smart Upgrades
A Very Newellian Easter: The Return of a Hollywood Heights Tradition Signals a New Normal
Get Prime Location, Rare Finished Basement In This Newly Listed North Oak Cliff Home
TAGGED:Neighborhood SpotlightNorth Oak CliffSunset HillThomas Marsalis
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Oak Lawn Committee: Storied Lemmon Ave. Plot And Melrose Hotel’s Coming Neighbor
Next Article Jenny Harrison: Organic Garden Ideas for Your New Property
Popular News
DFW Real Estate News

University Park Unveils an Unbelievable Build by LRO Residential

Fairmount Craftsman Shows Historic Neighborhoods and Newer Homes Can Coexist
Title Tip: How to Find Important HOA Information
Annual Texas Homebuyers and Sellers Report Reveals Interesting Findings
A Lifetime of Achievement: Allie Beth Allman Wins DBJ’s Inaugural Award
about us

DaltxRealEstate.com is the largest real estate blog and the only one in North Texas.

Links

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Contact Us
  • Paid Guest Post Submission

Categories

  • Wednesday WTF
  • East Dallas
  • Monday Morning Millionaire
  • Upon Closer Inspection

Get Involved

  • Advertise With Us
  • Write for Us: Submit Guest Post

Find Us on Socials

© DALTX. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?