This urban park in Dallas' Uptown neighborhood was once a hub for some 10,000 residents of "Little Mexico," many of whom had fled the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s. First known as Summit Play Park and limited to use by whites only, the city changed the name in 1927 and the policy in 1931, opening the park’s pool to Hispanic swimmers. The outdoor space quickly became the heart of the Mexican American community. As parents worked in factories or on nearby farms, children of "El Barrio" played baseball, basketball, and football, and the community thrived through the 1960s.

This unique and vibrant neighborhood was later split in two by the Dallas North Tollway. More highways and commercial development leave little remaining of the original community, but the park itself and several community structures remain, including the original El Fenix restaurant, the old building that first housed Luna’s Tortilla Factory, and parts of St. Ann's School, which was Dallas' first school for Hispanic children. Today, Pike Park continues to host Cinco de Mayo and Diez y Seis de Septiembre celebrations as new and former residents remember Little Mexico.

Watch the video below to learn more about Dallas' Little Mexico. This video was produced for inclusion in the Hispanic Texans mobile tour, more information about which may be found on our Hispanic heritage page at the following link: http://texastimetravel.com/travel-themes/main-hispanic-heritage