History
Before The Bridges at Preston Crossings transformed into the community it is today, it was the site of Cattle Baron’s Balls and Polo Tournaments, where celebrities and statesmen arrived by helicopter for glittering galas featuring the biggest names in music. A huge equestrian facility echoed with the thunder of horses, and the property boasted some of the best Bass fishing in the area. The Double-M Ranch was the place for excitement and relaxation for Dallas society, and that legacy lives on at The Bridges.
In 1983, Dallasite Myron Martin purchased the ranch property, eventually expanding it to over 1500 acres.
“I was looking for a place where I could go on the weekends, close enough to Dallas where I could go up there for the day and come home. I fell in love with it immediately… I could get up there in 45 minutes.”
In 1986, Double M Ranch hosted the Dallas Cattle Baron’s Ball benefiting the American Cancer Society. They had never had a rodeo at one of the balls before and really wanted to have one. Myron built the current equestrian arena and grandstands to accommodate the event.
“I must have had 3,000 people on the ranch for that event. It was so much fun,” she said.
Celebrities arrived by helicopter for the event including Larry Hagman. Hagman also attended the 1993 Cattle Baron’s Ball held again at Double M Ranch.
The popularity of the ranch grew over the years. Myron reminisced: “Once Larry Hagman started coming to the Ranch, the rumor started that the house was owned by his mother Mary Martin who played Peter Pan.”
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We used to ride horses all over the property. It was so much fun! I had a speed boat and the young people just loved waterskiing. Everybody that came up had to go fishing. There are some huge Bass in that lake! And the water is so pure, you could drink it,” Myron said. “It’s just so peaceful there. You don’t know there’s anything going on in the world.”
To this day, The Bridges offers a secluded, country-style way of life that is second to none. And by preserving the amenities – and the beauty – of the legendary Double-M Ranch, we hope to preserve a bit of Texas lifestyle, where horses gallop over vast green fields, and fishing, hiking, and the outdoors aren’t just a vacation memory… they’re part of your daily life.
Come and see this part of Texas history for yourself… and live it at The Bridges.
