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Named
after local philanthropist Dorothea Leonhardt, a man-made lagoon lies
east of the African
American Museum and south of the Midway. It was constructed with
funds from the WPA to serve as a peaceful, beautiful place to take
a break from the bustle of the exposition exhibits. As part of the
overall design, George Dahl placed it at the center of the civic section.
Leonhardt Lagoon was surrounded by a science museum, an art museum,
an aquarium, and a band shell.
Over the years, the lagoon slowly died from environmental neglect.
The surrounding lawn was often given fertilizers, which always flowed
into the water whenever it rained. This, in turn, resulted in an overgrowth
of algae and the appearance of green slime over the water. To make
matters worse, the shoreline erosion brought dirt, mud, and grass
into the equation. The fish died, the animals stayed away, and the
plants refused to flourish. Furthermore, the eroding edge proved to
be unsafe.
In 1981, Pat Johanson was asked to redesign the lagoon because the
sculptor from New York City had previously shown her skills at garden
design while working for Cyrus Field and House & Garden Magazine.
Unfortunately, a lack of funding delayed the project until 1985. The
first step involved completely draining the lagoon. All the excessive
vegetation was removed. |
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Leonhardt Lagoon
Photo courtesy Clint Skinner, February 2016 |
Sculpture
Photo courtesy Clint Skinner, February 2016 |
While this
was going on, Johanson built two sculptures. She based the first sculpture
on a Texas plant called the delta duck-potato, known for its tangled
roots. The second one referenced a native fern called pteris multifida.
Both structures were dedicated to the memory of Dorothea Leonhardt
after she completed them.
Once the artist finished her work, the lagoon was refilled with water,
followed by the introduction of plants native to the region. Afterward,
aquatic plants capable of living in shallow water were added while
bulrushes and wild rice were placed on the shoreline. The final step
involved the introduction of fish into the area. The lagoon has prospered
since its restoration and remains a wonderful place to relax in a
peaceful, natural setting. During special events, visitors can enjoy
riding paddleboats modeled to look like white swans.
November 19, 2016
© Clint
Skinner |
References:
1.Bigtex.com
2.Dallashistory.org
3.Dallas Morning News Archives
4.Fairpark.org
5.Slate, John H. Historic Dallas Parks. Arcadia Publishing, 2010.
6.Tshaonline.org
7.Watermelon-kid.com
8.Wikipedia.org
8.Winters, Willis Cecil. Fair Park. Arcadia Publishing, 2010. |
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| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and vintage or recent photos, please contact
us. |
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