Garland’s Story, Written in Buildings and Public Spaces
Garland has more documented history within its borders than most people who drive through on the way somewhere else would ever guess. From a catastrophic Thanksgiving Day fire that reshaped the entire town center to a Pullman coach car that carried troops in World War I, the city’s past is still visible if you know where to look. This guide walks through the real places and institutions that preserve and celebrate that history.
Heritage Crossing and the Landmark Museum
The best single starting point for understanding Garland’s history is Heritage Crossing, which anchors the city’s flagship history site. The Landmark Museum is housed inside Garland’s 1901 Santa Fe Depot, a building that once served as the commercial and transportation lifeline for the young city. Alongside the depot sits a refurbished 1910 Pullman Coach Car — number 582 — which played a documented role in troop transportation during World War I, and the 19th-century Tinsley-Lyles House. The museum is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., staffed by volunteers from the Garland Landmark Society.
Historic Downtown Garland Square
The origin story of Downtown Garland Square is the kind of detail that sticks with you. On November 30, 1899 — Thanksgiving Day — a fire swept through the town center, burning until it ran out of fuel. Rather than simply rebuilding what had been there, the community used the cleared lots to create a proper public town square, and a new brick business district rose around it. That square still exists today as the physical and civic heart of Garland. The Historic Downtown Garland area was significantly redesigned and unveiled in October 2023, with a grand opening concert by Garland’s own LeAnn Rimes drawing more than 10,000 people.
The Plaza Theatre
Sitting on the Downtown Square, the Plaza Theatre is one of Garland’s most recognizable landmarks and a genuine piece of art-deco architecture that survived long enough to be appreciated again. It opened on April 4, 1941, with the film “Western Union” and operated as a neighborhood movie house before falling into disrepair. The City of Garland refurbished the Plaza Theatre in 2001 and now owns and operates it as a performance venue. The domed lobby features a chandelier worth pausing under, and the 350-seat interior includes velvet seating, professional lighting and sound, and a motorized waterfall curtain that remains a talking point for first-time visitors.
The Granville Arts Center
In 1983, Garland became the first Dallas suburb with its own dedicated arts center — a distinction that still matters to longtime residents. Now known as the Granville Arts Center, the facility is home to the Garland Summer Musicals, Garland Civic Theatre, and the Garland Symphony Orchestra. The center includes the Brownlee Auditorium, which seats up to 720, and a smaller theater accommodating up to 200. As a piece of local history, it represents a deliberate civic investment in cultural identity at a time when Garland was growing rapidly and could have simply deferred to Dallas for arts programming.
Central Park and the Bankhead Highway
Garland’s first municipal park has roots going back to 1854, when the 60-acre property along Duck Creek was part of the G.W. “Wash” Routh homestead — a tributary of the Trinity River that still runs through the wooded grounds today. Central Park received a Garland Landmark Society historical marker recognizing it as a historic community gathering place, and a Texas Historical Commission marker installed in 2011 acknowledges its position along the historic Bankhead Highway, one of America’s earliest transcontinental road routes. The Bankhead connection runs deeper than a single park: the Bankhead Cultural Arts District, designated an official Cultural District by the Texas Commission on the Arts in 2023, traces the highway’s path through Downtown Garland and encompasses the Granville Arts Center, the Landmark Museum, Central Park, Lou Huff Park, Garland High School Academy of Fine Arts, the Carver Senior Center, and Historic Magic Eleventh Street.
The Garland Landmark Society
Behind much of the preservation work described in this guide is the Garland Landmark Society, founded in 1972. The organization’s volunteers create museum displays, plan historical events, and keep the Landmark Museum open to the public. Their website at garlandhistorical.org hosts a historical timeline, archival maps, and resources for anyone researching Garland’s past — useful whether you are a lifelong resident or a newcomer trying to understand the city you moved to.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the oldest building open to the public in Garland, TX?
The 1901 Santa Fe Depot, which houses the Landmark Museum at Heritage Crossing, is among the oldest surviving structures in Garland that the public can visit. The adjacent Tinsley-Lyles House dates to the 19th century as well.
When is the Garland Landmark Museum open?
The Landmark Museum at Heritage Crossing is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hours can change, so it is worth confirming directly before visiting.
Why is Downtown Garland Square shaped the way it is?
The square’s layout traces back to a fire on Thanksgiving Day 1899 that burned through the original town center. Community members used the cleared land to create a formal public square, and the surrounding brick business district was built around it — a layout that still defines the area today.
What is the Bankhead Cultural Arts District in Garland?
The Bankhead Cultural Arts District is a walkable corridor through Downtown Garland named for the historic Bankhead Highway, one of America’s early transcontinental routes. It was designated an official Cultural District by the Texas Commission on the Arts in 2023 and includes the Granville Arts Center, the Landmark Museum, Central Park, and several other cultural and community institutions.
