My roots run deep in my hometown, Farmers Branch. I grew up here, attended Carrollton-Farmers Branch public schools, bought a house here (in the same neighborhood as my mom and late grandparents), and now I’m raising my kids here.
This suburb just north of Dallas is called the City in a Park for a reason. There are many wonderful things about Farmers Branch. Here are a few of my favorites …
Our Historical Park
Farmers Branch is the oldest settlement in Dallas County, and the Historical Park is a great place to visit. It’s a bit of a hidden gem but encompasses 27 acres and features pieces of history tracing back almost 200 years. The Historical Park features the 1856 Gilbert House which is the oldest stone home in Dallas County and is on its original foundation. There is also a beautiful 1885 Queen Anne Victorian Cottage and the original 1877 Depot. The Historical Park has more than 100,000 visitors annually and hosts many special events. If you’ve been to Halloween in the Park, my family’s favorite local event, you will recognize the space.
Our Farmers Branch Market
I love our city’s farmers market so much. The twilight hours make it so much more practical for us. The Farmers Branch Market is open 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Saturdays from May through September at the Grove at Mustang Crossing. There is live music, concessions, entertainment for the kids and vendors offering everything from fresh fruits and veggies to handmade arts and crafts. There is plenty of parking at the nearby Children’s Health StarCenter and it’s right by the Farmers Branch DART Station.
Our Recreation Center & Aquatics Center
The Farmers Branch Community Recreation Center is awesome. The 60,000-square-foot space includes a fitness center, camps and classes for kids (and adults!), and hosts special events such as the annual Daddy Daughter Dance. The Margaret Young Natatorium and The Frog Pond Water Park are fun and popular spots too. My little ones are always excited to visit the rec center. There are non-resident options for people who want to use the facilities but live outside the City in a Park.
Our (Many) Parks & Gardens
Why is Farmers Branch called a City in a Park? Because there are more than 30 parks in our city’s 12 square miles. We also have beautiful rose gardens, the 104-acre John F. Burke Nature Preserve and an organic community garden which is entirely nurtured by gardeners who live here, work here, attend school or church here or are otherwise active Farmers Branch. The walking paths in the rose gardens are a great place for photos.
Our Growth
I love seeing our city grow and evolve as more people realize what a great place this is to live and work. I count myself lucky to work, live and send my kids to school here. It makes for a pleasant commute even with the roughly 10,000 people who have added to our population in the last couple decades. We are getting The Barney Wood Bark Park dog park next to the recreation center this summer, there’s a Starbucks under construction near the Grove at Mustang Crossing and Cedar Creek Brewhouse and Eatery is coming to Mustang Station which is slated to feature more than 40,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space.
Thankfully it’s easy to keep up with all the news, events and updates from our City in a Park by following Discover Farmers Branch on Instagram and Farmers Branch City Hall on Facebook. There are so many more things I could share with you about my hometown so I’ll probably be back again to brag on our restaurants, ice rink, trails, colleges, community theater, library, schools and more.
What park is the first picture(with the train structure?)
Hi Jessie! This park is adjacent to The Farmers Branch Manske Library. 🙂