Old City Park’s Antique Collection Goes Public

Old City Park’s 22,000 antiques, including furniture, artwork, and unique items, will be sold to the public from April 29th to May 4th due to management changes, according to a Kera News article. They say, 

“An estate sale of the more than 22,000 antiques and artifacts in Old City Park will be held April 29th to May 4th. And it’s open to the general public.

There’s furniture, artwork, quilts, silverware, office equipment, carriages. There’s practically an entire history of typewriters and dictaphones. There are Tiffany lampshades — not the whole lamp, just the shades. There are items that were used, not as historic displays, but just for the employees working there — like an old pickup truck.

The sale’s happening because the Dallas Park and Recreation Department will take over managing the park in May. The Dallas County Heritage Society has operated it since 1967, but it’s currently in its last days in charge.”

After over 50 years, the Heritage Society’s management of Old City Park ends on May 26, with Dallas Park and Recreation taking over. The society owns the park’s 22,000-item collection, according to a Dallas Morning News article. In it they say, 

“For more than five decades, the Heritage Society has operated the city’s first park. On May 26, it’s contract will expire and Old City Park will be run by the Dallas Park and Recreation Department.

“What’s challenging here is what most people don’t understand is the Dallas County Heritage Society owns nearly 22,000 items that are in our collection that we’ve acquired through the years,” said Michael Meadows, CEO of Dallas County Heritage Society.

The city of Dallas and the Park and Recreation Department are responsible only for the land and buildings within the park.”

Proposition B in the May 2024 bond election allocates funds for Old City Park’s improvements. Post-takeover, the city plans to maintain events and collaborate with the Cedars neighborhood.