History of Dallas

Although Dallas is relatively young when compared to many other US cities, its past is as colourful and exciting as any.

Founding the city

In 1839, John Neely Bryan, a lawyer from Tennessee with a penchant for adventure, roamed into the area. He encountered what he believed to be the ideal components for a trading post and ultimately a town: lots of pristine land, Indians to do business with and a river. Bryan returned to Tennessee to sort out his affairs and returned to Dallas in 1841. He claimed 640 acres of land and outlined a town, incorporating a courthouse square and 20 streets.

Slowly and with some difficulty, the young city grew. A ‘can-do’ attitude was instrumental in bringing the railroads to the area in the 1870s; the Federal Reserve Bank in 1914; Southern Methodist University in 1915; Dallas Love Field Airport in 1927; the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936; Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in 1973; and the Republican National Convention in 1984 among others landmarks. Additionally, there have been numerous private enterprise schemes that have helped to put Dallas on the map.

Black gold

In 1930, CM ‘Dad’ Joiner found oil 100 miles east of Dallas. With the discovery and expansion of the East Texas Oil Field, the largest oil deposit in the world at the time, Dallas grew into a centre of oil-related trade. Even though Dallas County itself has never had an operational oil well, the region has served as the financial and technical hub for much of the state’s drilling industry. Trade and business have followed, benefiting the city’s wealth and development.

JFK

In the 1960s, turmoil prevailed in many US cities, with Dallas being no exception. November 22, 1963, marked the lowest point in Dallas’ history, when President John F Kennedy was gunned down on a downtown street. Although history would reveal that Dallas itself was not held responsible, the event put the people of Dallas into a period of profound self-evaluation and introspection.

Resurgence

Under the leadership of Mayor J Erik Jonsson, the city recovered its self-respect at a time when the people had much to be proud of. The Dallas Cowboys football team began their rise to fame in the 1960s, as did tycoons such as Ross Perot and Mary Kay Ash. The Dallas Market Center continued to expand, and Six Flags Over Texas opened in nearby Arlington. But most importantly, it was in 1965 that the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth agreed to build an airport to serve the entire region.

With the opening of the giant DFW International Airport in 1973, John Neely Bryan's vision of a major inland port finally came true. As the 1980s drew to an end, Fortune Magazine named Dallas-Fort Worth the number one business centre in the country. Dallas is also one of the foremost convention destinations in the US due to the city's outstanding convention and meeting facilities, world-class accommodation, many restaurants and huge variety of entertainment and recreational options.