One afternoon while wandering the city, I came across a surprising nature center in the middle of an Oak Cliff neighborhood. After a little research, I learned that the Twelve Hills Nature Center was created by the neighborhood with the help of area businesses on a plot of land that once was the abandoned Twelve Hills Apartment complex.
The apartments, as often are the case, started out a safe and friendly place to live. In its final days, the buildings became crime ridden and in disrepair. In 1992, the 500 unit, 20 acre complex was torn down and the city, county and DISD took over the land in lieu of unpaid taxes. A portion of the land was used for the new Rosemont Elementary. Another section was was sold to a developer, who turned over 5 acres to the neighborhood to be used as a nature center.
The center was completed with $260,000 in donations
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| The entrance plaza to 12 Hills Nature Center |
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| The main trail at the neighborhood nature center |
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| The Modern Homes of the Kessler Woods Neighborhood looks out onto 12 Hills. |
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| One of Oak Cliff's best kept secrets, Kessler Woods, was built next to the nature center |
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| The trails give a glimpse to what came before, bricks and concrete from the old apartment complex peek out |
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