Introduction to Dallas
Dallas, Texas, the state's second largest city and the seat of Dallas County. It is situated on rolling prairie along the Trinity River in the northeastern part of the state, some 30 miles (48 km) east of Fort Worth. Texans often refer to Dallas as “Big D.”
The Trinity River, running roughly northwest-southeast through the city, nearly bisects Dallas. The downtown business district, centrally located just east of the river, has a prominent skyline of towering hotels, banks, and office buildings.
Elevations in Dallas range from about 450 to 650 feet (137 to 198 m) above sea level. Maximum dimensions are approximately 26 miles (42 km) north-south and 21 miles (34 km) east-west.
Dallas is the dominant city in a large metropolitan area that includes, in addition to suburbs, Fort Worth and much productive farmland. Suburbs include Irving, Arlington, Garland, Grand Prairie, Mesquite, and Richardson. University Park, Highland Park, and Cockrell Hill are independent cities surrounded by Dallas.
Economy
Dallas is one of the nation's leading industrial and commercial cities. In the Southwest, it vies with Houston for supremacy as a business center. Major manufactured products include aerospace, electronic, and electrical equipment; processed foods; transportation equipment; and nonelectrical machinery. Dallas is a major wholesale and distribution center. The Dallas Market Center, a complex of buildings housing specialized wholesale merchandising firms, is one of the world's largest centers of its kind.
There are large oil-producing fields in the Dallas area, and the petroleum industry and its suppliers play an important role in the city's economy. Dallas is a center of banking and insurance for the American Southwest. The Dallas Cotton Exchange is the home of one of the largest cotton markets in the nation.
Dallas is also a noted convention city and the center of a large clothing and fashion industry. Printing and publishing also contribute to the economy.
Dallas is served by trunk railways, commuter rail service, and a network of highways, including four Interstate highways. The Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, located about midway between the two cities, provides domestic and international service.
Main Attractions
In Fair Park, site of the annual Texas State Fair, are clustered many of the city's leading cultural and educational institutions. Located here are the Museum of Natural History, the Historical Society's museum (Texas Hall of State), the Science Place, the Dallas Aquarium, the Age of Steam Railroad Museum, and the Music Hall. Also in the park is the Cotton Bowl, home stadium of Southern Methodist University.
Old City Park Museum, located just south of Dallas's downtown business district, is an outdoor museum with restored 19th-century buildings and exhibits pertaining to the city's early times. In the downtown area are the Dallas Museum of Art and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza, site of a monument near the spot where President Kennedy was assassinated. Overlooking the plaza is The Sixth Floor, a museum in the former Texas School Book Depository, where the shots that killed the President were fired. Thanks-Giving Square features a spiralshaped chapel designed by Philip Johnson. Reunion Tower is one of the city's most distinctive downtown landmarks.
Near the downtown area is the American Airlines Arena, home of the Dallas Mavericks (professional basketball) and the Dallas Stars (professional hockey). The annual New Year's Day Cotton Bowl game, a highlight of collegiate football, is played in Dallas. The Dallas Cowboys (professional football) and the Texas Rangers (an American League baseball team) play their home games in suburban stadiums. Six Flags Over Texas, a theme park, is located midway between Dallas and Fort Worth.
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra performs in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center; Dallas Opera in the Music Hall in Fair Park. The Dallas Theater Center, the only theater designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, presents repertoire and experimental productions.
There are a number of educational institutions in the Dallas area. These include Southern Methodist University, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, the University of Dallas, and Dallas Baptist University.
History
In 1841 John Neely Bryan, a Tennessee trader, settled on the site of Dallas. Dallas was incorporated as a town in 1856 and as a city in 1871. The arrival of railways in the 1870's brought substantial growth. Growth was especially rapid after 1900, in part because of the development of the oil industry.
Dallas was the site of the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936 and the Pan-American Exposition in 1937. There was great industrial expansion during and after World War II. In 1963 President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while visiting the city.
During the 1970's and 1980's, Dallas became an important center for the insurance, banking, aerospace, and electronics industries. In the 1990's, redevelopment of the downtown area was undertaken.
In 1995, Dallas elected Ron Kirk, the city's first African-American Mayor. A bond issue passed in 1998 to revitalize the Trinity River corridor, however, cost concerns and political opposition have delayed the plan.
Population: 1,188,580.