History of Edgemont Park

1891 Map of Mesquite, Edgemont Park is outlined with pencil.

FINALLY, a picture of Hodges Lake. This is like you at the end of Rusk Street and Avis looking out to what is now 6-25. Lucille Hodges house is in the far right corner! YEA! Best Birthday present ever!

This is April 1963      -7 years before the damn was broken and 6-35 was built.

Hickory Tree Road was once a farm road used for wagons and horses. Edgemont Drive and Hickory Tree were once the only route of our community. According to the old-timers of Mesquite, from Edgemont Park Baptist church men, our area has great ties to the development of the Mesquite Rodeo. Folks used to graze their horses and ride to the rodeo! How fun is that?

Did you know that Edgemont Park used to be the Diamond D Ranch? It was a cattle farm before it was a community!

The house at the corner of Hickory Tree and Springlake was the original farmhouse!

- Early Settlers-

Our neighborhood dates back to the Republic of Texas! The Bennett Family was one of the original settlers to Mesquite!

http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tx/dallas/cemeteries/bennett.txt

• On an old map I have, made for me from the Dallas Historical Society, M.C. Toyer, it shows that the Bennett Cemetery used to intersect at what is now LBJ and the tract of land that is right of Edgemont Park. The original home of the Bennett Farm and homestead.

  • Once home to the Bennett School and Lucille Hodges Homestead.
  • Our area was once the Bennett Farm. Also, the Diamond D Ranch
  • L.A. Fonville, was one the developers of Edgemont Park, he was the descendant to W. H. Bennett.
  • L.A. Fonville’s daughter ,Avis Hodges was how our main street is known today as Avis.

W. (William)H. (Hardy) Bennett 30 May 1825 - 30 May 1898 (D)
(son of Hiram Bennett & Dosia Dobbs) were the original settlers!

Descendants are known today as the Hodges Family.

- Development History

• Mr. Melton, of Melton Interprises (was one of the developers) of Edgemont Park. In 1960, he was the Chairman of the Fund Committee of the Mesquite Division of Dallas County Homebuilders Group.
• He once donated $5,000 to the city to build the first youth center in Mesquite.

- Fun Facts:

Originally, our community had a private membership to access a fishing pond, Hodges Lake, unfortunately it was drained when LBJ (6-35 was built).

- Old Pictures of Community

Zoning Map of Edgemont Park (above) and the old Hodges Farm platt. The area north on the acreage on right of Edgemont Park is considered a FEMA floodzone.
- Pictures of Original Edgemont Park Citizens.

He grew up here and his Mother moved here in 1963 from Freedom, Oklahoma!

SAME GUY ALL GROWN UP!

My Uncle in the 60’s with the Rusk Street Raiders!