National Register Listing

Munger Place Historic District

Roughly bounded by Henderson, Junius, Prairie, and Reiger Sts., Dallas, TX

Munger Place represents one of the most intact early 20th-century neighborhoods in Texas. The historic district contains two-story Bungaloid- and Prairie Style-influenced houses, as well as a few examples of Neo-Classical architecture, concentrated in an area of approximately 12 blocks. As Dallas's third subdivision, Munger Place still reflects the original layout and scale of the residential area as established by the restrictive covenants. The district also served as the home for many of Dallas' most prominent citizens.

Munger Place was the brain child of R.S. Munger. A pioneer in the Southwest for the manufacturing of cotton gins through his Continental Gin Company, Munger decided to try his hand at real estate. For years, he made serious observations of the developments in that field. After watching the progress of restricted residential districts in Birmingham, Alabama, Munger decided in 1900 to attempt such a venture in Dallas. By 1905, having completed his plans and purchased the land, he opened the area for public sale. His son, Collett H. Munger, was designated general manager of what was only the third residential district in Dallas. In his planning, Munger reflected farsightedness in his consideration of all aspects of a modern housing development. He offered the prospective buyer and builder of 1905 all of the available conveniences. There was electricity, sewage, and running water. Telephone lines were strung, concrete sidewalks were poured, and the streets were given curbs. New bitulithic paving was used in the streets, offering quiet and ease on horses' feet. All sites were landscaped to be from one to four feet above street level so that water could drain. Easy accessibility to schools, churches, and the downtown area was also taken into account. These features, combined with the building restrictions, produced the elite residential district in Dallas during the first quarter of the 20th century.

Because of its layout and physical beauty, Munger Place attracted the social elite of Dallas. A list of the district's original inhabitants reflects people of high socio-economic status and key community figures.

Slaughter, Christopher Columbus
One of the most prominent figures to reside in the area was Colonel Christopher Columbus Slaughter, who lived at 4834 Tremont. Born February 9, 1837, he was the first child of the new Republic of Texas to be born of American parentage. A man of great enterprise, Slaughter was involved in many operations in the fields of business, philanthropy, and livestock. In 1873 he organized the City National Bank of Dallas, and he later served this concern as president. Slaughter aided in establishing the American National Bank in 1884, which later consolidated with the National Exchange Bank to become the American Exchange National Bank, a strong financial concern in the South. Until his death, Slaughter served as the first Vice-President of this organization. He helped found and endow a number of Christian colleges, such as Baylor University, and was involved in many philanthropic enterprises. A great Texas cattle baron, Slaughter accumulated enough land to have been considered the world's greatest individual landowner. In the field of cattle raising, he was a leading figure. He helped organize the Cat- tlemen's Association of Texas. He also worked to develop better beef stock in Texas. He introduced 2000 head of Hereford cattle to the state in 1897 and later purchased two champion bulls, Ancient Briton and Sir Bridwell. Through these endeavors, Slaughter earned his various titles as a financier, King of the Cattlemen, and Texas' greatest philanthropist.

Love, Thomas B.
Another leading figure of Munger Place, who lived at 5123 Victor, was Thomas B. Love. A partner in Love and Rutledge, Attorneys at Law, he was associated with many important legal matters in Dallas after 1899. Love was also involved in politics. A member of the Democratic National Committee, he also served in the state legislature for six years, during which time he was elected Speaker of the House. During World War I, Love spent over a year in Washington in the role of Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

Hill, Charles D.
With his home at 4936 Junius, the architect Charles D. Hill was a major Dallas figure who resided in Munger Place. Having studied architecture at the Art Institute of Chicago, Hill moved to Dallas in 1905. Here he organized C.D. Hill Company which was later to be responsible for the designing and construction of many important buildings throughout Texas. These structures included the Municipal Building and Auditorium, Galveston; The Dallas Country Club; the First Presbyterian Church, Dallas; the Dallas City Temple; the South Texas Commercial National Bank Building, Houston; Austin College, Sherman; the Lakewood Country Club, Dallas; the Tennison National Bank; the Oak Lawn Methodist Church, Dallas; the Sumpter Building, Dallas; and many others.

McFarland, S.J.
McFarland, who later lived at 4936 Junius as well, was a leading financier in the Southwest and a major community figure. He was Vice-President of the Security National Bank, Dallas, organizer of the Bank Trust Company, Dallas, and the Vice-President of the Guaranty State Bank, Dallas. McFarland also served as President and Director of the First State Bank of Seagoville, the Farmer's Trust State Bank of Moody, and the Citizen's State Bank of Richardson. In the capacity of Vice-President and Director, he was affiliated with the Citizen's State Bank of Bullard, the Merchants and Planters' State Bank of Windsborough, the First State Bank of Killeen, and the First State Bank of Tatum. McFarland was also a leading church figure and chairman of the Board of Trustees for Texas Christian University and Carr-Burdette College. He was also chairman of the Board of Education of the Christian Church in Texas.

Hughes, Owen Thomas
Living at 4917 Junius was Owen Thomas Hughes, a partner in and President of Hughes-O'Rourke Construction Company. This organization was responsible for the construction of many noted buildings such as the First National Bank Building, the Praetorian Building (one of the first skyscrapers in Texas), the Dallas Union Terminal, the Masonic Temple, the Lone Star Gas Office Building, and the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

Baldwin, George Isham
Baldwin, President of Western Engineering Company, resided at 5006 Junius. After studying civil and mechanical engineering in Chicago, Baldwin's first position in Texas was with the Mun- ger Cotton Gin Company in Dallas. In 1900, he started the Western Engineering Company, which erected cottonseed oil mills throughout the South and Southwest.
These are just a few of the many prominent figures who lived in Munger Place. Others include:

Gibbs, W.L.: 5201 Reiger, Vice-President of Clem Lumber Company.

Olmstead, Harry: 4921 Junius, Vice-President of Southwest Paper Company.

Clem, Rowe: 5001 Junius, President of Clem Lumber Company.

Durham, J.S.: 5000 Tremont, General Manager of J.I. Aldridge Company.

Bethard, Albert D.: 5003 Victor, Vice-President and General Manager of Missouri, Kansas & Texas. Railroad.

Gratigney, Belmont W.: 5011 Victor, Vice-President and General Manager of Bush & Gert Piano Company of Texas.

Knox, W. Frank: 5107 Junius, President of Gulf, Texas and Western Railroad.

Murray, T.V.: 5105 Victor, President of Dallas Optical.

Scumalder, Walter G. : 4527-29 Tremont, Assistant General Manager of Texas Power and Light.

Head, W.B.: 4841 Tremont, Chairman of the Board, Texas Power and Light, and Vice-President of the Union Trust Company.

There were also physicians such as Dr. Isak J. Morris who lived at 4914 Victor, and Dr. John Henry Dean, son-in-law of C.C. Slaughter, who lived at 4834 Tremont. Besides Hill, there were two other architects in the district. Severin L. Stielvig lived at 5025 Junius, and J.W. Nail re- sided at 5016-18 Victor. John Fay, a leading Dallas saloon keeper, lived at 5124 Victor, and band leader, Ferdinand Riek, resided at 4934 Tremont.

Munger Place continued to develop and remained an elite district into the 1930s. Then, housing shortages around World War II brought about a change in the area's makeup. Many dwellings were converted into rooming houses. The zoning laws of the 1950s and 1960s hastened the trend, and eventually, most of the houses were converted into structures that would accommodate more than one family. The situation is now rapidly changing.

Local significance of the district:
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1978.