Landscape Information
Located in Fair Park between First Avenue and South Second Avenue, and named after philanthropist Dorothea Leonhardt, this approximately three-acre naturalistic water feature was established by the Work Progress Administration in 1936 for the Texas Centennial Exposition. Occupying the area between the Moderne exposition buildings, a pair of monumental sculptures by artist Patricia Johanson flank the lagoon. The work was commissioned by the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts (now Dallas Museum of Art) in 1982 and dedicated in 1986. It was conceived both to restore and engage with the lagoon’s functioning ecosystem, Johanson introduced her site-specific sculptures, made from terra-cotta tinted concrete along the northwestern and southeastern ends of the lagoon, collaborating with scientists to select water emergent plants that would remediate the eroded and degraded water body. She conceived the work to foster art and nature, inviting freedom of movement for wildlife and people.
Inspired by the twisting roots and leaves of two local plant species—delta duck potato and the Texas fern—the ribbon-like sculptural forms invite visitors to go beyond the water’s edge to see turtles and over 70 species of birds. The northwestern sculpture includes a 235-foot-long network of narrow, interwoven, undulating paths that extend toward the lagoon’s center. These curvilinear paths rise above and below the water's surface, creating diverse habitats, while also tracing the shoreline, navigating between bald cypress and cottonwood trees. The sculpture is complemented by a twelve-foot-tall arching bridge positioned on the opposite side of the lagoon.
Animated by a central spray fountain, the irregularly shaped lagoon is surrounded by curvilinear paths and a stepped brick shoreline. On its southwestern and northeastern sides, on axis with the former museum and plaza, are modest stone steps that lead into the water feature.
The historic Lagoon is a contributing feature of Fair Park, listed in the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.
