By Anita Curtis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Once again, the Dallas Blooms Festival at the Arboretum showcases its springtime blaze of color with more than 3,000 azaleas, pansies, tulips, and bright yellow daffodils in abundance. There are 66 acres of blooming color, native trees, and lush lawns set against the backdrop of White Rock Lake, with views of the downtown Dallas skyline. The festival runs through mid-April, and the Arboretum is open year-round.

Highland Springs residents often visit this famous Dallas landmark known as one of the most magnificent botanical gardens in the nation. Dot Lovett, who lives at Highland Springs, enjoys volunteering there, she says, for the joy it brings into her life.

Joy came to Highland Springs recently by way of Margaret Duncan, a volunteer from the Arboretum who revealed details that many of the site’s 400,000  visitors each year never hear about.

During her lecture, Duncan explained that the DeGolyer estate—on the premises of the Arboretum— passed through several hands before the city of Dallas finally purchased it. The historic 21,000-square-foot DeGolyer home was built in 1940 by a wealthy family in the oil industry.

“Did you know,” Duncan asked her audience, “that the wealthy Mr. DeGolyer was so poor while in college that he shared a suit with his roommate for Sunday church services? That’s why he could only go to church every other Sunday.” Despite poor beginnings, he went on to pioneer new methods of locating oil as a petroleum geologist. He earned one college degree and received seven honorary degrees for his accomplishments in the oil industry.

The result of several dreams and many efforts, the elaborate setting of the Dallas Arboretum now provides a spectacular site year-round for visitors from around the globe. It is open to the public for tours.