Barkley Square
Quintessential Ranch Style Homes
Established in 1959, Barkley Square is a 72 acre tract that was developed by Frank H Malone with homes built by Leland G Lee Jr and Lee Construction Company.
Homes in Barkley Square were offered in thirty different designs in period architecture of Mid-Century Ranch and Early American Ranch. Homes were advertised as the “House of Ease” and were constructed including over 20 revolutionary building products by Reynolds Metals Company. Homes were three bedroom, two bath, family room, completely furnished kitchen, two car garage, fireplace, air conditioning with General Electric heat pump and insulation with Owens Corning fiberglass… All for the starting price of $20,000.
The ranch-style home is a uniquely American style of architecture, it began in the 1930’s in Los Angeles and quickly spread across the country. At the end of World War II, war veterans who had been offered generous home loans returned home , ready to resume their lives and raise families. However, scarcity during the Great Depression and the war led to few houses being built and pent up demand. “While architects in Western Europe and the Soviet Union met the need by building high-rise apartment blocks, Americans created a consumer product that people wanted to buy, and that was the ranch-style house.” - Alan Hess, architectural historian
Original Advertisement Barkley Square, 1959, Highland Meadows Preservation Foundation
Leland G Lee Jr., Lee Construction Company & Barkley Square
Barkley Square home builder Leland G lee Jr was a pivotal figure in the Dallas construction community. Lee became President of lee Construction Company in 1953 and served in that position for forty years. He was President of numerous organizations during his career including the Dallas Home Builders Association, and the Texas Home Builders Association. Lee was instrumental in the organization of the Parade of Homes, an annual event featuring luxury, custom built homes.
Leland G Lee Jr partnered with developer Frank H Malone in 1959 to create Barkley Square, a 72 acre development of Mid Century Ranch and Early American Ranch Style homes. The first model homes in Barkley Square opened in November 1959.
Photograph of Leland G Lee Jr., 1965, Geralds - Photographer, Highland Meadows Preservation Foundation
The History of the Ranch Home
by Steven John from Ranch Style House: Everything You Need To Know, Architectural Digest, 2023
“The ranch home was designed not just as a building but as a way to foster a relaxed lifestyle,” says Greg Forest, senior global real estate advisor of Sotheby’s International Realty. “Post WWII, the ranch home became a symbol of family intimacy, and suburban dreams, reflecting the era’s desire for togetherness and larger, more open living spaces.”
The look of the ranch home and that inclusion of outdoor space makes sense given the fact that ranch style homes trace their roots to California in the 1920’s. The houses are indeed partially inspired by the type of home you’d find perched on the wide expanse of a cattle ranch, and the outdoor space makes sense because California climate begs to be enjoyed al fresco.
Key architects like Cliff may, John Lautner and Joseph Eichler were instrumental in popularizing what became known as the symbol of the American suburban dream,” says Forest, adding: “Their designs combined affordability, practicality, and casual elegance, appealing to modern families seeking comfort.” While no one architect can be credited with the inception of the style, by those years after WWII it hardly mattered exactly how this style of home got started; what mattered was that it was unstoppable, spreading across America quickly. Veterans looking to settle down and start families flocked to the suburbs, and the ranch house proved to be the perfect home to accommodate the so-called baby boom. Ranch style homes were affordable, manageable, and plentiful, and, per Country Living, even in our times they are the most popular type of home in a large majority of American states.
Photograph: Architects drawing of a Ranch Home, 1956 - Highland Meadows Preservation Foundation
