Denton, a charming city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, has many interesting attractions for residents and visitors. The city has a wonderful live music scene, and it also has interesting historical places like the Bayless-Selby House or the Campus Theatre. There are some beautiful natural areas there, too, like Lewisville Lake. Denton also has two universities, bringing youth and vibrant energy to this Texas town. While Denton isn’t a big city, it attracts huge crowds every year for the North Texas State Fair and Rodeo. There is also a rather interesting curiosity in Denton known only as “the purple door.”
The Purple Door in Denton
While some Denton residents aren’t even aware of the purple door, the internet is making this landmark increasingly popular. Enough so that this is one of the most sought-after — and elusive — photo locations in town! There are dozens of pictures on Instagram of Denton’s purple door. Visitors come to town just to seek out that mysterious purple door and take a photograph.
The purple door is simply a vibrant purple door set in a plain concrete wall. A black ladder leads up to the bottom of the door. Visitors can climb a few feet up the ladder and get a wonderful portrait setting, or they can stand back and take in the larger scenery as well.
Since part of the fun is discovering the mysterious location of the door, most visitors post pictures online with no other visible background except the purple door and the concrete wall surrounding it. That said, expanding the frame of the photo gives away enough information to allow visitors to find the purple door rather easily.
What’s So Special About the Purple Door?
Perhaps the ironic part of the purple door is that there’s nothing really special about it at all. It’s really just a brightly painted door on the side of a building. However, since it’s become the subject of many online photographs, the purple door has become somewhat of a local enigma. Those who know the secret of the purple door aren’t always willing to share it. Searching for the purple door is an interesting and entertaining way to explore Denton, and the best part is you’ll end up with a wonderful picture of yourself in front of the purple door to share on social media.
The Key to the Purple Door
Part of the challenge of the purple door is the scavenger hunt you must go on to find it. If you don’t do your research first, you may never figure out where the door is. Perhaps you want to spend a day downtown, searching for that secret door, before you get any clues to where it is? If so, stop reading now, because we’re about to share the secret here. The door’s location is given in three clues, so if you’d like to find its general location and search first on your own, without knowing the specific location, read only the first clue.
Clue #1
For aspiring sleuths, the first clue gives the general vicinity, but not enough information to lead you directly to the purple door. Residents often mention that they’ve driven past the purple door frequently, without even realizing it was there! But once you see it, it can’t be unseen. Clue number one is that the door is somewhere on McKinney Street. You may have to explore the street several times to find it because it’s not directly on the McKinney street front.
Clue #2
Warning: spoilers ahead! By following these directions, you’ll be on the path to the social media mystery in Denton. To find the purple door, visit a small alcove on the south side of McKinney Street. You’ll have to walk between some buildings to get close enough to the door for a photograph, although it may be visible from the street. For a bigger hint, it’s located somewhere between Elm and Locust streets. You may also want to look for a large bird, to help you find the door.
Clue # 3
Have you found it yet? This one is the big reveal. If you have your heart set on getting a picture with the door, and you don’t have the time or the desire to search it out for yourself, it’s actually pretty easy to find the location. The purple door is on the side of the Lane Real Estate building, next to the Dan Black mural of the European robin. You can find Lane Real Estate at 111 W. McKinney St., if you want the precise location. Now you too can take your picture beside the legendary purple door of Denton!
Other Unique Photo Opportunities in Denton
Once you find the purple door and get a photograph, there are still many wonderful areas in town for taking pictures. Denton has many solid bright-colored walls and murals that make wonderful backdrops for photographs. There are several impressive murals in the square, but there are also many amazing murals throughout Denton, such as Eric Mancini’s mural on the side of Veronica’s Cafe on McKinney Street or the black-and-white mural at The Bearded Monk.
There are also some great scenic areas for photography at the Old Alton Bridge or the Jim Christal Bridge. The wonderful huge round windows of the Denton Post Office make a unique background for pictures. The Denton County Courthouse is another popular landmark that’s great for photo sessions. A more whimsical location is The Chairy Orchard, where old chairs go once they are no longer wanted. Once you get a picture with the purple door, it’s fun to explore these other original attractions in Denton.
Did you know about the purple door already? Were you able to find it on your own, or did you need the clues to lead you to the purple door? The team at Huffines Kia Corinth wants to hear about your purple door adventure. Let us know if you were able to find the purple door and how long it took you to find the door. You can also come in and share your purple door photos with our friendly team.