Dallas is not an old city by east coast standards. Although John Neely Bryan first
settled the Trinity River Bottoms in 1847, it was only in the 1870s, when the rail road
came through, that Dallas became the city it is today.

Dallas is a city with a very storied past. The Dallas Historical Society has recognized
that, but unfortunately city leaders haven't yet. This must be the only town in the
entire Southwest that doesn't want to be considered a southwestern city. Dallas'
City Hall is always striving to be "cosmopolitan," and in doing so razes untold
buildings, condemns neighborhoods for ugly highways, and completely ignores its
oldest neighborhood, Oak Cliff. The amount of decay that permeates downtown
Dallas, where the majority of storefronts hide liquor stores, is astounding.

Yet there's a real 'hidden history' feel to Dallas. Because it's been  neglected, you
can find old, dilapidated evidence of what the city used to look like, before the 1970s
and 1980s urban "planning" completely obliterated most city scapes. Check out
West Dallas, called the "Devil's Back Porch" during the 1930s by notorious
gangsters, like Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker (click here to take a tour of Bonnie
& Clyde sites). Walk around the Reunion area, which used to be a bluff over the
Trinity before the river was diverted. Shuffle past hundreds of homeless to catch of
glimpse of the Railroad past around city hall. Drive under that monstrosity, Interstate
30, and marvel at the pride of Dallas, Fair Park - a true gem of Art Deco culture (and
where the mythic State Fair takes place). Visit The Dallas Museum of Art and the
Nasher Sculptures.   And of course, stroll Dealy Plaza and visit the Texas
Schoolbook Depository. An "x" in the middle of Elm Street marks the spot where
President Kennedy received the fatal bullet.

I might sound like a critic, but that's because I love Dallas. I hope that city hall will
finally get it together and realize that Dallas needs a permanent county history
museum, more preservation efforts, and a city plan that reroutes the concrete
behemoths that slice through the heart of the city.
Mission Hotel, Oak Cliff
Old Red - this magnificent courthouse is now a small
visitor's center. I will be adding new photos soon, as
the courthouse is now a museum - and the
courthouse has been restored to its original, 1893
look! This is GREAT NEWS for Dallas.
The Lucas Diner, situated where
Oak Lawn becomes Preston
Avenue, has its days numbered. A
new restaurant is scheduled to take
its place.
Abandoned Santa Fe building near City Hall.
Underneath this building are several old tracks (15
railroads converged in Dallas at one point)! Today,
the old tunnels and lines are cemented over.
The old Dallas Zoo bridge. I remember going over it to
visit the zoo when I was a kid (the bridge is now closed).
The Dallas Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the nation,
started in 1888. By the way, this bridge was featured in a
fight scene for Walker, Texas Ranger!
A grave with shells at the Old Settler's
cemetery, close to City Hall. Putting shells on
graves is a custom that probably originated
in Africa, and was adopted by other cultures.
All burials in this cemetery are Anglo. The Old
Setter's cemetery is an astonishingly
ill-maintained graveyard in the middle of
downtown, where many prominent Dallasites
have been laid to rest.
The Dallas County Criminal Courts building is where
Jack Ruby was tried and where 1930s gangster
Raymond Hamilton escaped (because it used to be a
jail, too!)
Dallas is quickly losing its neon past. This
great sign, advertising a long-gone motel off
of Northwest Highway, is now gone.
Way More to Come!
Iron
staircase
inside the
courthouse
Remnants of Dallas
A crypt in the middle of downtown. Yes, it's empty!
White Rock Lake
boathouses,
built in the
1930s. White
Rock Lake is
considered
Dallas' Central
Park. The Dallas
Arboretum is
close by.
A modern but also vintage Dallas scene
A gentle light
illuminates the
infamous Triple
Underpass,  Dealy
Plaza, Criminal Courts
Building, and Old Red.
Pegasus
amid
glass
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