THINGS YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED AT WHITE ROCK LAKE

That Peculiar Tree Shrine

Built in the 1930s Big Thicket, across from the sailing clubs on East Lawther, once was a concession building serving dinners, drinks and sandwiches. Today it is a venue that can hold 50 people, available for rental. A plaque on the outer wall pays homage to recently deceased Tal Morrison, the founder of the Dallas Running Club (then the Cross Country Club of Dallas) and the Dallas Marathon (then the White Rock Marathon).

An old tree shading the parking lot features a tattered shrine made up of photos, a broken Dallas Running Club Frisbee and other peculiarities — this reportedly is the work of a rather closed-lipped trio of runners who regularly sit and chat under the tree after their Sunday run. They say the impromptu display happened after a friend declared he was through running forever. It’s essentially a memorial recognizing the death of a running career.

‘WHIRL’ AND THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN

In the early days the area near the Bath House was a beach, and people splashed with impunity in the White Rock waters. Today swimming at White Rock Lake is illegal, but the Bath House offers multiple forms of entertainment. The building, an Art Deco-style historical landmark, plays host to theatrical productions and art exhibitions. Outside are a few public art projects worth noting: the Water Theater, a series of poles where birds perch and “perform.” The city’s Public Art Committee recently recommended the removal of the high-maintenance piece and called for the artists to recreate the artwork at a different site. A sculpture called “Whirl” made in 2008 by artist John Christensen became the centerpiece of a butterfly garden donated and maintained by the Dallas County Master Gardener Association. In the 1980s, artist Branford Graves donated a stone sculpture called “Resaca,” which doubles as a seating area with a magnificent view.