George W. and Laura Bush buy future home in Preston Hollow, Texas

Seems like our former LATimes.com blog "Countdown to Crawford" on the closing days of the Bush administration should have been named "Countdown to Preston Hollow."

George W. and Laura W. Bush have bought an 8,000-square-foot home on a quiet (what other kinds are there?) cul-de-sac in the swanky north Dallas neighborhood of Preston Hollow, named for a leafy local hollow and someone named Preston whose moniker went on a local road a long time ago.

Anyway, Preston Hollow, which voted to join Dallas in 1945, has some rundown shanties that go for $800,000, but most are in the seven-figure range, some well up in the eight-figures. Some of the wealthiest people in Texas live there and after Jan. 20 with a permanent Secret Service presence, probably in an adjacent house, annoying break-ins are even less likely.

Word of the purchase was confirmed today by a White House spokesman after everyone poo-poohed a September Cindy Adams gossip report on the impending purchase in the N.Y. Post.

Without mentioning the neighborhood, Mrs. Bush confirmed in a recent TV interview that the about-to-be-former First Couple would split their time between the 1,500-acre ranch near Crawford and Dallas, where the Bushes lived from 1988 to 1995, while George W. ran the Texas Rangers and for governor. (We have a news video on this down below.)

Dallas is a longtime favorite city especially for Mrs. Bush, who taught there after graduating from Southern Methodist University there and where the current Pres. Bush's future presidential library will be built.

While the senior Bushes always preferred Houston and their quarters at his presidential library at Texas A&M in College Station, George W. and Laura have many friends, favorite shops and restaurants in Dallas.

In 1995, the Bushes with their two daughters Jenna and Barbara, moved to the Governor's Mansion in Austin, which is more of an old museum with a cramped gubernatorial apartment upstairs. The twin girls attended public high school there before heading off to college as their parents headed off for the White House.

During those years the Bushes had a lake home in east Texas. Laura Bush was initially hesitant about her husband's Crawford ranch idea, which was hatched during his nascent presidential campaign in 1999. They would discuss the idea during their frequent cellphone conversations as they campaigned across separate parts of the country.

Until one day Mrs. Bush made her husband's primary campaign day by starting off a call with the simple greeting, "All right, let's do it."

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: L.M. Otero / Associated Press (house); Associated Press

Comments

[PNW Trojan]

So the 'ranch' was just a Ronald Reagan "ME TOO!" pretext...thank Heaven, those dumb texans want someone like bush living there, amongst them....imagine the horror of having 'Gomer' next door to you!

[BRADLEY A SIMONSEN]

Dear Mr and Mrs Bush, congratulations on your sucessfull
transition in finding your new dream house. After you leave the White House I'm sure that you will have plenty of time to think over your past eight years that you served the country with Honor and respect for the White House itself. As this country vividly remembers How the Former President ran rough shod through the White House and made a public discrace out this Dwelling that has Housed this Countries Highest Leaders as well as his Wife and children. I only wish that this country and the majority of its citizens could only take time to pause and reflect on the fact that with Gods Help this is still the greatest country in the entire world whos Ideals and values have never Granted to so many people the rich privilage of being born into a country where no matter who you are or what you went through how ever damaging this country still affords all the possibilities one person could ever find to rise above above all things and become this countries highest leader such as you have Mr, President. And with your very beatiful wife that has been with all these years I trust you will do well in your new home. I only wish I could have met you in person. But who knows maybe I will?? Your Friend Bradley A Simonsen.

[Robert Laughing]

Bradley? For an 8 year old, you are REMARKABLY articulate....BRAVO! If you're NOT 8 years old, and 88, then, you NEED to get back on your MEDS!!!!

[Tim Carpenter]

The cumulative IQ of Texas will now drop a few more points.

Worst prez ever. Pretty bad citizen, too.

[Katrina Plank]

Mrs. Bush sent two letters to me about our PAL program at Anson High School.. I would like to invite her to our awards day where the PALs are recognized and their total hours of service to the community is acknowledged. If I had an address I would send a personal invitation.
You were and are still in my prayers. Thank you for doing such a good job as the leader of our country.

[RB]

Dear Mrs. and Mr. President:

Thank you for your dedicated service and concern for the safety of this country even when people are so disrespectful and ungrateful for your service.Thank you for your moral and pro-life efforts as well as staying in touch with what the Bible has to say for our country. I for one appreciated your service. Mr. President I hope the Lyme disease is far behind you and I thank you for leading our country in the midst of such a debilitating disease. I have it too and hope that you could be a spokesperson for all the sufferers of this disease one day. RB

[Mark Wallace]

george w bush presidency so far is way better than barrack obama's first 6 months in office. barrack presidency has been a failure. he has failed me and my country. i want my vote back

[J.D.Rogers]

Thank you, Pres. and Mrs. Bush, for your courage and stedfastness in raising the bar on our nation's safety issues. You both are appreciated, and I truly hope that your so-called retirement will truly be with joy and peace.