Founded in 1852, Lancaster is the quintessential small town, but thanks to its location on the southern border of Dallas, it offers big city amenities and convenience.
Lancaster's Historic District features homes, businesses, and farms recognized as National Register properties and Texas Landmarks. The Historic Town Square offers quaint shops and a variety of restaurants, while a breezeway between buildings provides a park-like setting for the scheduled 2nd Saturday on the Square events which feature live entertainment and unique arts and crafts vendors.
Across from Historic Town Square is the Lancaster Area Chamber and Visitors Center, located in the old Interurban Building which brought electricity and rail trolleys to the Lancaster area in 1911. Also housed here is a State Auxiliary Museum which is open to the public.
Adjacent to Town Square is Heritage Park and its old-fashioned gazebo. Through most of the year, this park is an oasis of green in the heart of the Historic District, and in December, it is ablaze with holiday lights as part of the annual "Lancaster Lights" and "Christmas in Olde Towne Lancaster" festivities.
In addition to Heritage Park, Lancaster offers a wide range of parks and recreation facilities. Country View Golf Course is a municipal course that was named by "Golf Digest" as one of their select "Places to Play." Just across the street from the Clubhouse at Country View is Lancaster City Park, which features tennis courts, picnic pavilions, paved walking trail along the creek, playgrounds, and more. Bear Creek Nature Park and Ten Mile Creek Preserve offer unpaved hiking trails through land preserved largely in its natural state.
Lancaster's Community Park combines outdoor and indoor recreational facilities, and also includes a library with one of the finest genealogical collections in the state of Texas. The park features a paved walking trail, pond, playgrounds, picnic pavilions, plus baseball, football, and soccer fields. The Recreation Center offers an indoor aquatics center with a leisure and lap pool, water slide, and pool party area, in addition to a gymnasium and fitness center with indoor walking track.
For aviation buffs, Lancaster's Regional Airport and its two museums are a must-see. The DFW Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is located here, with a collection of WWII vintage aircraft in flying condition. The Cold War Air Museum is also at Lancaster Airport, featuring both fixed-wing and rotor-wing aircraft. The airport's 6,500 foot runway can accommodate virtually all sizes of personal and business aircraft; fuel is available at competitive prices, and Runway Café is a great place to watch the comings and goings of an amazing variety of aircraft.
Lancaster is a short 15-minute drive from Dallas and is easily accessible from all directions thanks to its location between Interstate 35E and Interstate 45, just south of Interstate 20.
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