Preston Hollow People: Leaders, Legends & Landmarks 2017

August 2017 Special Section

2  AUGUST 2017 | LEADERS, LEGENDS & LANDMARKS | PEOPLE NEWSPAPERS

History Worth Celebrating

A

ccording to the Texas State Historical Association, the original Preston Trail was part of a Native American trail that ran from St. Louis to Southwestern Texas.

In the 1840s, Republic of Texas soldiers surveyed the land and carved out a road that ran from the town of Preston Bend in Grayson County to the community of Cedar Springs near present-day Dallas. And while the road’s importance to interstate travel would soon decline, the section north of Dallas would become the major artery for development in the 20th century.

In the early part of the 1900s, developers created the communities of Highland Park and Preston Hollow along Preston Road as a place for professionals to live close to booming Dallas.

Nearby University Park began as a group of homes near the newly created

Southern Methodist University. In the 1920s, the fledgling community asked to be annexed into Highland Park and then Dallas. It was denied both times.

Highland Park was also rejected by Dallas in 1913.

By the 1940s the three thriving communities looked more attractive to Dallas, which hoped to annex them all. Preston Hollow voters agreed to a union in 1945. Highland Park and University Park voters decided to remain on their own, creating the municipal boundaries that more or less exist to this day.

Over the decades that followed, each community carved out an individual identity different from each other as well as the larger city that surrounds them. The people who live there and the places they created are all products of the unique environment in which they were formed. These are some of the leaders, legends, and landmarks of our community.

4 AUGUST 2017 | LEADERS, LEGENDS & LANDMARKS | PEOPLE NEWSPAPERS

Ruth Sharp Altshuler

Jayne Mansfield

Universally recognized as one of Dallas’ most important philanthropists, Altshuler is the longest serving member of SMU’s board of trustees, and also serves on the Salvation Army’s DFW Command Advisory Board.

The 1950s and 60s-era movie star and Highland Park High School graduate is generally regarded as one of the biggest sex symbols of her time. Her acting career began with some small theater work at the University of Dallas. She later moved to California and got her big break when she landed the lead role in the 1957 film The Burglar.

Mansfield died tragically in a 1967 car accident when she was only 34.

Stanley Marcus While his father and aunt founded the store, Stanley Marcus, who died in 2002, was the man credited with transforming Neiman Marcus into Dallas’ signature store. His collection of papers, manuscripts, publications, and documents reside at SMU’s DeGolyer Library.

Ebby Halliday

Luke and Owen Wilson Actors Owen and Luke Wilson both attended St. Mark’s School before moving on to Hollywood. The duo rose to fame with their roles in the 1996 movie Bottle Rocket, which Owen co-wrote with Wes Anderson.

Halliday, founder of her namesake real estate company, moved to the area in 1938 to manage the hat department at the W.A. Green store. Legend has it that businessman Clint Murchison recognized her talent, remarking that if she could sell “those crazy hats,” maybe she could sell “crazy houses.” His instinct would prove correct. Her company handled more than $6.6 billion in transactions the year before her 2015 death.

Stephanie March The Park Cities native may be best known for her recurring role in the television series Law & Order. She also serves as an advocate for victims of crime and abuse, and has supported the organizations Safe Horizon and Planned Parenthood.

Dirk Nowitzki Born in Wurzburg, Germany, Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki moved to Preston Hollow in the mid-2000s. The 2011 NBA Finals MVP is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in league history.

6 AUGUST 2017 | PEOPLE NEWSPAPERS | LEADERS, LEGENDS & LANDMARKS

KEEPING UP WITH THE BUSHES

‘Portraits of Courage’ Visit the exhibit through Oct. 1 at the George W. Bush Presidential Center at the SMU campus.

Visit bushcenter.org for copies of the book.

Prices start at $30.

People Newspapers Home to team owners and corporate CEOs, west Preston Hollow boasted a presidential reputation before the Bushes “retired” to their gated cul-de-sac.

But as prestigious as an address in the estate area known as “the honey pot” can be, 10141 Daria Place just isn’t 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. “Life in the White House is pretty nice,” Laura Bush reminisced at the George W. Bush Presidential Center during a program this spring on the roles of first ladies. “It’s hard to live without a chef.”

The Bushes’ 8,500-square-foot home is barely more than a 5-mile drive to the Bush Center at SMU, where the 71-yearolds spend time advancing such causes as international health, women’s rights, leadership, freedom, and wounded veterans.

“We believe that deep in everybody’s soul is the desire to be free,” the former president told those attending a June 26 graduation ceremony for the third class

of the George W. Bush Institute’s Liberty and Leadership Forum.

Twenty young Burmese adults, including a member of the Burmese Parliament, participated in the year-long mentoring program.

“

If you run into a vet, thank them. We need them for the future of the country.

“

By William Taylor

G E ORGE W. BUSH

“You are the ones who can build what you need to really have a free Burma,” Laura Bush told them.

Post presidency, George Bush has become something of a painter in chief, though he adopts a different title for himself.

“He likes to call himself the ‘heckler in chief,’ ” said Jason Stamer, a retired U.S. Army infantry master sergeant who

has golfed with the former president and been featured in a Bush painting. “He makes you laugh.”

Stamer was among 1,300 people who turned out in early June to meet the nation’s 43rd president, get signed copies of Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors, and check out a related exhibit.

Wearing a suit without a tie, Bush shook hands and joked with those coming through the line.

“You got me so excited I threw my pen at you,” he said as a writing instrument took flight.

Bush credits his decision to paint to the example of Winston Churchill, another wartime leader who took up art out of office.

“I basically said, ‘What the hell, if he can paint, I can paint,’ ” Bush said this spring as he promoted his book on radio and television.

Uninterested in art previously, Bush found a Dallas-area painting instructor after leaving office.

She hadn’t voted for him, Bush told Jimmy Kimmel. “As I’m sure you can un-

derstand the art community was not exactly my base of support.”

He graduated from pet portraits and began painting wounded veterans from submitted photos.

The result: a book featuring 66 full-color portraits and a four-panel mural of veterans who have served since 9/11 along with stories about their service.

“This book to me means our stories are getting out there,” Stamer said.

Stamer also has spent time on the golf course with Bush, including at the Bush Institute’s Warrior Open, which followed the AT&T Byron Nelson in May. Bush hopes getting wounded vets together for golf and mountain biking will create opportunities for them to counsel each other.

“Some vets come with an unwillingness to talk about their injury,” Bush explained during a May radio interview on 96.7 FM The Ticket. “Events like this help them come out of their shell.”

Other Americans can also help, he added. “If you run into a vet, thank them.

We need them for the future of the country.”

8 AUGUST 2017 | PEOPLE NEWSPAPERS | LEADERS, LEGENDS & LANDMARKS Andy Beal The founder and chairman of Beal Bank, one of the state’s largest private banks, is a businessman, mathematician, and entrepreneur. He became a real estate investor at age 19. In addition to his business success, Beal also received attention for his success in high-stakes poker during the mid2000s. Last year, he purchased the former Preston Hollow estate of Tom Hicks — the most expensive home transaction in Texas history, reportedly. In January, he put the home back on the market with an asking price of $48.9 million.

Melinda Gates

Perot Family

Roger Staubach

Dallas native and Ursuline Academy alum Melinda Gates has made her mark in philanthropy and global development through her work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2016, President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work.

H. Ross Perot’s third-place 1992 presidential run is not forgotten. A silver “Ross for Boss” campaign coin was listed recently for $38 on eBay. Longtime residents remember the Dallas business magnate for Electronic Data Systems, the Plano company he founded and later sold. Newer residents may better identify the name with the Perot Museum.

His children continue to expand on the Perot name’s place in business and charitable work. Katherine Perot Reeves, Margot Perot, Nancy Perot, and Carolyn Perot Rathjen participated in the groundbreaking for the Perot Family Campus. Construction of the North Texas Food Bank’s $25.5 million Plano distribution center begins in August.

The Perots have committed $12 million toward the project.

In 2016, Roger Staubach put on his cleats again to leave his footprints in cement for a Ring of Honor Walk at The Star in Frisco, a 91-acre multiuse development and site of the Dallas Cowboys headquarters.

Now, the Hall of Fame NFL quarterback, nicknamed “Captain America” for his play in the 1970s, is teaming up with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and former center Robert Shaw to develop a 17-story luxury residential tower at The Star. Construction will begin in January.

“Robert and I were Cowboys years ago, so it’s a great fit for us to be back on the team again and with the Jones family,” Staubach said.

Chace Crawford The 2003 Trinity Christian Academy graduate worked as a model in Dallas before pursuing his acting career. After moving to California to attend Pepperdine University, Chace was signed by the first talent agent that interviewed him and committed full-time to acting.

His most popular role was playing the character Nate Archibald in the television show Gossip Girl. Crawford’s sister, Candace, worked as Dallas television reporter and is married to Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

Don Henley The longtime drummer, singer, and co-songwriter for the Eagles makes his home in Preston Hollow these days. He recently celebrated his 70th birthday with a concert at the American Airlines Center. His 2015 album, Cass County, included collaborations with Mick Jagger, Merle Haggard, and Dolly Parton.

Jennifer Staubach Gates An Ursuline graduate and daughter of a Dallas Cowboys legend, Gates has represented District 13 in the Dallas City Council since 2013. She chairs the budget, finance and audit committee, and also the domestic violence task force. The grandmother of two has been married to John Gates for more than 30 years.

P H O T O B Y TA N N E R G A R Z A

Clay Jenkins A rare Democrat in a Republican-dominated area, the two-term county judge was first elected in 2010, and garnered national attention for his role in overseeng the response to Dallas’ 2014 Ebola virus scare. A lawyer by trade, Jenkins also serves as president of the firm Jenkins & Jenkins.

Angie Harmon

Real estate developer Fred Trammell Crow founded his namesake company in 1948. Among his most well-known projects was the Dallas Market Center built in 1957. His son Harlan Crow is responsible for some of downtown Dallas’ most iconic structures, including the Trammel Crow Building and Chase Tower, as well as the Trammel Crow Museum of Asian Art. Harlan’s brother, fellow developer Trammell S. Crow, is one of the nation’s leading environmental philanthropists, supporting numerous green initiatives, such as Earth Day Texas and the Audubon Society’s climate change initiative.

Jerry Jones Family

Gerald J. Ford

While fans may debate the Dallas Cowboys owner’s success on the field, there is no doubt that he and his family have left an indelible mark on the community. His children, Stephen Jones, Charlotte Jones Anderson, and Jerry Jones Jr., all play important roles in the front office. His wife, Gene, has been lauded for her many philanthropic endeavors, and in 2016 his grandson John Stephen Jones led the Highland Park Scots to their fourth football state title.

Ford made his mark in the business world by turning around failing banks. In addition to investing in real estate, he has earmarked a large amount of his fortune to SMU, which is evident through the on-campus football stadium that bears his name.

Nancy Goodman Brinker

Highland Park native Harmon may be best-known for her role on television’s Baywatch and its spinoff series, Baywatch Nights.

She was also a regular on NBC’s Law & Order, and won a Peoples Choice Award for her work in the television series Rizzoli & Isles.

After her sister, Susan, died from breast cancer at the age of 36, Brinker established a nonprofit dedicated to fighting the disease. Susan G. Komen is the largest breast cancer fighting organization in the United States. Brinker also served as an ambassador to Hungary during the President George W. Bush administration.

Clayton Kershaw

The internationally known singer, songwriter, and guitarist attended St. Mark’s, where he met fellow musician Steve Miller. Scaggs joined Miller’s band as a lead vocalist while Miller taught him guitar. After recording his debut LP in Stockholm, Scaggs returned to the United States in 1967. His 1970s-era songs are probably his most well-known.

He continues to tour regularly at the age of 73.

The three-time winner of the Cy Young Award and pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers attended Highland Park High School. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Ellen Melson, whose mother, Leslie, served as president of the Highland Park ISD Board of Trustees for three years.

Crow Family

Boz Scaggs

Annette Strauss The second female mayor of Dallas served consecutive, two-year terms between 1987 and 1991. She presided over the racially divisive realignment of the City Council into single-member districts. Before running for office, she worked on behalf of a number of local organizations, including the United Way, Crystal Charity Ball, the Dallas Symphony, and SMU. The Annette Strauss Artist Square in downtown Dallas is named in her honor.

Pierce Allman The veteran reporter and Highland Park High School alum rose to fame after President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. A twist of fate found Allman face-to-face with Lee Harvey Oswald moments after the fatal shooting. At the time, Allman was looking for a payphone in hopes of becoming the first journalist to report the shooting. He did not recognize the significance of the chance encounter until later.

Allman and his wife went on to cofound Allie Beth Allman and Associates, where he has continued working well into his 80s.

PEOPLE NEWSPAPERS | LEADERS, LEGENDS & LANDMARKS | AUGUST 2017 9

VA N C E M I L L E R ( L E F T ) , H E N RY S . M I L L E R J R . , A N D H E N RY S . M I L L E R

God’s Businessman’s Legacy Continues Henry S. Miller Jr. was once considered God’s businessman — a title bestowed for both his business acumen and extraordinary generosity.

The son of Henry S. Miller, who was the patriarch of the Miller family and founder of the commercial real estate company that bears his name, Miller Jr. joined his father’s company after returning from World War II. He expanded it from a one-man venture into a growing company with a diverse portfolio.

“I’m definitely standing on the shoulders of giants,” said Greg Mill-

er, a fourth-generation Miller and current CEO of Henry S. Miller Company.

“I have no illusions. I’m doing the best I can to carry on my family tradition.”

It’s safe to say Henry S. Miller Company has grown right alongside the city it calls home. After celebrating its 100year anniversary in 2014, the company is witnessing another period of growth with a bevy of new developments in the pipeline.

And it’s not just the business that the family inherited from Henry S. Miller Jr., but his legacy of goodwill and hard work also has inspired subsequent generations of this distinguished family.

The Millers are actively involved in Lift Literacy, an adult literacy program, The Family Place, the American Red Cross, YMCA, and the Crystal Charity Ball.

The family is also active in local education, with Geraldine “Tincy” Miller serving more than 30 years on the State Board of Education.

As a member, she has been a strong advocate for children with dyslexia, facilitating the creation of the state’s first Dyslexia Handbook in 1988.

Greg Miller was reminded of something his father Vance C. Miller used to say, “ ‘The night is darkest just before dawn. Just keep pressing on.’ This kept everyone fired up and moving, and we as a family hope to keep up this mentality.”

ety and members of Walker’s family gathered for a big celebration and placed a marker on the sidewalk to note the home’s history.

The house still has its original curved doorways. One bathroom has vintage pink tile, and the kitchen has its original china cabinet and floor. The home also includes a small display of Walker memorabilia.

Now that her children have moved out, Hathaway said she and her husband soon plan to move to a smaller lake home. When they find the right buyer, they intend to leave the memorabilia with the house, where it belongs.

The House Before Doak Built His

Randy Allen

In the years following World War II, Dallas’ Cotton Bowl stadium became known as “The House the Doak Built.”

It was so named because of the gridiron exploits of Doak Walker, a three-time All-American running back for SMU between 1947-49, and winner of the 1948 Heisman Trophy.

Prior to that, he led the Highland Park Scots to their first football title in 1945.

When Billie Hathaway moved to University Park in 1992, she had no idea that Walker had grown up in her Stanford Avenue home. Eventually, after talking to neighbors, she and her husband learned of the home’s significance.

A few years ago, a local historical soci-

Mark Cuban

Coach Allen was already a Texas football legend before leading Highland Park High School to another state title last year. His 361 wins are the fourth most in state history, and second among active coaches. In January, the National Football League named him its 2016 Don Shula High School Coach of the Year.

The Preston Hollow resident and Dallas Mavericks owner first rose to prominence by co-founding the video portal, broadcast.com, in 1995. Four years later, he sold it to Yahoo for $5.6 billion. Non-sports fans may know him best as one of the regular judges on the ABC show Shark Tank.

10 AUGUST 2017 | LEADERS, LEGENDS & LANDMARKS | PEOPLE NEWSPAPERS

LANDMARKS

1. Lakeside Park - Teddy Bear Statues 2. Ashley Priddy Memorial Fountain 3. Santiago Calatrava “Wave” Sculpture at SMU Meadows Museum 4. Preston Royal Shopping Center 5. Mark di Suvero “Ad Astra” sculpture at NorthPark Center 6. Ursuline Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 7. Highland Park Pharmacy 8. Jesuit giant fiberglass Pegasus sculpture 9. Strait Lane 10. Inwood Theatre 11. The Wall at Forest Lane 12. Highland Park City Hall 13. Highland Park Village Theatre

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