Dallas Development Atlas
Office of Economic Development
Section 1: Population Section 2: Transportation Section 3: Land Use Section 4: Housing
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Section 5: Economic Activity Section 6: Education & Culture Overview
Section 7: Social Welfare
1841-1910 1911-1940
Section 8: Environment
1941-1970 1971-1990
Section 9: The Metroplex Section 10: History
1990-Present
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Prepared by: Research & Information Division 1500 Marilla St., Room 5CS Dallas, Texas 75201 (214) 670-1685 dallas-ecodev.org A frontier outpost becomes a major global economic center……..
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Section 10: History
Office of Economic Development
Summary Dallas is rapidly changing from a Southern boomtown to a global center for business and culture. This tenth and final section of the Dallas Development Atlas explores the economic and developmental history of the city and tells the story of how Dallas’ economy grew into the what it is today.
prosperity. New technology firms started in Dallas while others relocated to the newly-emerging region. Dallas continued to grow as a Sun Belt city during the 1970s and 1980s. (p.6) Expansion in aviation, electronics, and the oil and gas industry continued to drive the expansion of the Dallas economy. The opening of DFW International Airport in 1974 con-
Dallas started as a frontier post on the banks of the Trinity River. (p.3) From humble beginnings, Dallas quickly grew to become one of the main cities in the state, led by railroad and cotton production. Dallas served as an early center of finance during the nineteenth century. Railroads arrived in Dallas in the 1870s transformed commerce. The city’s economy transformed from agriculture to shipping and industry by the early twentieth century. (p.4) An increase in manufacturing, banking, and transportation led to the city’s emergence as one of the largest industrial centers in the region. Dallas also became a leader in aviation and petroleum. Dallas’ first municipal airport, Love Field, opened in 1928.
City of Dallas DART Red Line
nected Dallas to the world as never before.
Legend & Scale for Maps Unless otherwise noted Freeways
Development in the recent years has strengthened the city’s position as a key economic leader. (p.7) Dallas has become the center of one of the largest economies in the nation. Continued growth and development keeps Dallas’s spirit as a “cando” leader undiminished since 1841.
City of Dallas - Areas With No Available Data
0
2.5
5
Miles 10
About the Data The picture provided by the data in this Atlas is general and should not be used for small-area analysis. Sources: Geographic data, including boundaries and roads, are from the City of Dallas Office of Economic Development unless otherwise noted. Rail data is provided by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).
Trinity Rail Express DART Blue Line DART Green Line (Under Construction) DART Orange Line (Planned)
H !
DART Rail Stations Freeways Tollways City of Dallas
Historic photographs are taken from the City of Dallas Municipal Archives and the Dallas Urban History collection on Flickr under Creative Commons license for non-commercial use. Material for the historic timelines comes from the Hidden History of Dallas at DallasNews.com, the Dallas Historical Society, and the City of Dallas Municipal Archives Information for the historical summaries comes from the Handbook of Texas (online), City-Data.com, and KERA’s site, “Dallas– Notes Toward an Economic History.”
Production and growth boomed during the mid-twentieth century. (p.5) During and after World War II, booming production and new developments in electronics created a new 2
Dallas Development Atlas
Section 10: History
Office of Economic Development
Dallas’ Early Days 1841-1910
City of Dallas Boundary: 1912
lation growth of the late nineteenth century became the foundation for an industrialized economy.
The city of Dallas began as a frontier trading post. John Neely Bryan founded Dallas at a natural ford in the Trinity River that had been a trading center for Native American tribes for centuries. Several homesteading families arrived during the next few decades, attracted by the rich soils and proximity to the river. An early manufacturing base developed in the 1850s with construction of carriages and wagons, allowing Dallas to become a service center for rural businesses. The city’s economic and political influence increased during the Civil War, when Dallas served as a center for recruitment, food production and distribution. Dallas’ position as a major distribution and trading hub grew after the introduction of crisscrossing railroad lines. By 1873, Dallas became the transportation center of North Texas. The city expanded to serve as the center for agriculture (especially cotton), and finance for the region. Dallas also became the base for the buffalo and leather hide trade. Bankers, insurance companies, developers, and traders contributed to further economic and civic growth by establishing boards of trade and merchant exchanges during the 1870s and 1880s. These efforts helped to make Dallas the largest city in Texas by 1890. Media developed with the first publication of the Dallas Morning News in 1885. The Texas State Fair also began during this period and continues to attract visitors annually. The structural development and popu-
Growth and Change 1856
1910
Change
Population (Dallas County)
678 (1860)
City Area (mi2)
0.5 (1856)
18.31
3,562%
N/A
N/A
N/A
Population Density (people per mi2)
92,104 13,485%
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Houston Street Viaduct, undated. At the time the longest reinforced concrete bridge in the world was completed in 1912, finally linking Dallas’ two halves.
Dallas City Archives
A steamboat struggling on the Trinity River, 1890s. Efforts at river access would be abandoned in favor of railroads.
History Timeline: Dallas’ Early Days, 1841-1910 1856: Town of Dallas founded
1868: Dallas’ first bank organized
1873: North Texas’ first railroad crossing
1885: Dallas Morning News begins publishing
1907: Dallas Cotton Exchange opens
1841
Library of Congress
Entrance to the State Fair of Texas, 1908. The fair has been held annually at Dallas’ Fair Park since 1886.
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By the turn of the century, electric trolleys, lighting, and telephones had become part of everyday life for most businesses and residents. In 1900, Dallas was the nation’s leading inland cotton market, and the largest book, drug, jewelry, and wholesale liquor market in the Southwest. It also led the world in the manufacture of cotton gin machinery and saddlery. Its strategic location allowed the city to transport local goods to industrial centers in the North and East. Business leaders created new chambers of commerce. The city also doubled in size due to land annexations. The development of the city’s skyline began in 1907 with the first skyscraper, the fifteen-story Praetorian Building. Floods along the Trinity River challenged the city in 1908, but the city adopted modernized planning methods, which allowed Dallas to continue to prosper.
1910 1841: Dallas founded as a trading post on a Republic of Texas military highway at the Trinity River crossing
1871: The town of Dallas incorporates into a city
1881: Dallas’ first telephone exchange opens
1889: First electric streetcars in Dallas
Dallas Development Atlas
Section 10: History
Office of Economic Development
The Early 20th Century 1911-1940
City of Dallas Boundary: 1922
During the 1910s, the city saw a transformation from agriculture to industry as the basis for economic viability. The city’s position as a leader in finance and banking became evident to the rest of the nation when the Federal Reserve Bank established a branch office in 1913. Equally, the strength of the city’s manufacturing base led Henry Ford to build one of the nation’s first auto assembly plants. Employment and business opportunities allowed Dallas to become the 42nd largest city in the nation by 1920. Dallas demonstrated its visionary spirit in 1928, with the purchase and development of Love Field. A training site for World War I pilots, Love Field became one of the earliest commercially viable airports in the country. Love Field later became a major contributor to the growth of the city’s aviation industry. Efforts to straighten and redirect the Trinity River to prevent flooding were completed in the early 1930s with the construction of a new levee system. As a result, former floodplains became the center of expanded industrial development close to the downtown area. In 1936, engineers built a triple underpass between Main, Commerce, and Elm streets to help direct traffic flow more efficiently.
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Downtown Dallas skyline as viewed northward from the Butler Brothers Building, near modern-day City Hall, April 1920.
15,000 women in 125 occupations in the city by 1927. In 1925, the precursor to the Black Chamber of Commerce formed, and the predecessor to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce followed in 1940.
Growth and Change City of Dallas Population
1910
1940
Change
92,104 294,734
220%
City Area (mi2) Population Density (people per mi2)
18.31
24.16 (1922)
31.9%
5,030.3
N/A
N/A
Dallas suffered less than the rest of the nation during the Great Depression, due to the discovery of oil in East Texas in 1930. By 1931, Dallas had become the center of petroleum financing, as local banks were the first to lend directly to oil companies on the basis of their reserves. Over 500 startup oil companies made Dallas their headquarters. In addition to oil, food processing, apparel manufacturing, and printing and publishing rounded out the city’s economic base.
Timeline: Growth & Change in the Early 20th Century, 1911-1940 1915: Southern Methodist University opens
1921: WRR is the first municipally owned radio station in the US featuring scheduled entertainment
1928: City of Dallas purchases Love Field
1931: 500 new oil companies move to Dallas during the first six months of the year
1911
Women and minority groups made a marked contribution to the city’s development during this period. There were over
Dallas City Archives
Bi-planes at Dallas Love Field, 1930s
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Fair Park was the home of the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936. The Exposition provided a sense of hope and demonstrated the can-do optimism of Dallas to the rest of the nation. The Exposition hosted over ten million visitors, including President Franklin Roosevelt. Dallas followed with another celebration, the Greater Texas and
Pan American Exposition, in 1937.
1940 1913: Eleventh Federal Reserve District Headquarters awarded to Dallas
1923: Dallas installs the first automatic traffic signal in the U.S.
1930: First Trinity River levees constructed to create a riverfront industrial corridor
1934: The world’s largest revolving sign is constructed in Dallas honoring the American Petroleum Institute
Dallas Development Atlas
Section 10: History
Office of Economic Development
War & Postwar Growth 1941-1970
City of Dallas Boundary: 1969
Manufacturing of military goods, especially in aviation, caused a major economic boom in the early 1940s. Dallas emerged as a major national manufacturer during World War II. Approximately 53,000 residents served in the armed forces, 55,000 worked in war-related industries, and 10,000 assisted in civil defense programs. Industrial employment in Dallas exceeded 75,000 by 1944. After the war, Dallas saw an economic boom unmatched since the arrival of the railroads. By 1949, the city saw five new businesses open each day and thirteen new manufacturing plants each month. 1949 also saw the construction of the Central Expressway, one of the main thoroughfares in the heart of the city. Industrial expansion continued with the development of the Trinity Industrial District, Growth and Change a former floodplain controlled by the new 1940 1970 levee system. Love Field continued to grow 294,734 844,401 as a basis for the city’s transportation net- Population work and supplemented the railroads as City Area (mi2) 24.16 290.13 one of the main modes of shipping and (1922) commerce. Population Density N/A 2,910.4 The postwar boom made Dallas the nation’s third largest technology center, with the presence of the Ling-Tempco-Vought (LTV Corporation), Texas Instruments (TI), and Electronic Data Systems (EDS). In 1957, developers Trammell Crow and John M. Stemmons opened a Home Furnishings Mart that later became the Dallas Market Center, the largest wholesale trade complex in the world.
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(people per mi2)
In the wake of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination on November 22, 1963, local leaders formed Goals for Dallas, a private partnership that helped create a more open, engaged civic environment. Erik Jonsson, the head of Texas Instruments, became the major of Dallas and worked to improve communication and race relations. His programs paralleled President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty. During Jonsson’s tenure, architect I.M. Pei designed a new city hall and Look magazine designated Dallas as an “All American city.” As a result of a the new sense of civic cooperation, Dallas’ efforts at racial desegregation between the 1950s and 1970s are considered by many historians and civil rights leaders to be the most orderly and peaceful in the South.
Change 187% 1,101% N/A
In 1960, the Dallas Cowboys began as an expansion franchise in the NFL. By the end of the decade, the team had become one of the nation’s preeminent sports teams. Since winning their first Super Bowl in 1972, the Cowboys continue to draw a strong national following and is now the world’s most valuable sports team.
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Elm Street at night, Downtown Dallas, 1942
Library of Congress
Former US Highway 80 (modern Commerce Street) approaching Downtown Dallas heading eastward, 1942
History Timeline: War & Postwar Growth, 1941-1970 1947: Chance Vaught Corp. relocates to Dallas in the largest industrial relocation in US history at the time
1959: Dallas dedicates the Southland Center, the largest structure west of the Mississippi River
1962: Daily jet service to Europe begins at Love Field
1941
1970
1943: University of Texas Southwestern Medical School founded
1952: Big Tex, icon of the State Fair, makes his debut
1964: Dallas leads the world in number of million dollar oil companies (120)
1965: The Dallas County Community College District is founded
Dallas Development Atlas
Section 10: History
Office of Economic Development
Modern Dallas Emerges 1971-1990
City of Dallas Boundary: 1990
Voters approved a bond program to sponsor the Dallas Arts District in 1979. The area continues to be a magnet for art and culture, sponsoring several art museums, music halls, and live theaters. The Meyerson Symphony opened in 1989. The city formed the West End Historic District in 1976 to preserve Dallas’ culture, and is now one of the main attractions for visitors.
Dallas continued to grow and prosper during the 1970s, as many Northern manufacturers and distributors moved into the area in order to reap the benefits of a more business- friendly, lower-tax economic climate. The growth of the Sun Belt enabled the region to become a central hub for the transportation of goods, as well as a key leader in international trade. In 1974, the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW) opened. A tremendous boon to the region’s infrastructure, DFW today ranks as both the third largest and third busiest airport in the entire world. While most of the nation struggled under high inflation and recession, Dallas was able to strengthen its position as a leader in the oil and gas industry, by encouraging drilling below 10,000 feet. High returns on petroleum allowed companies to continue to expand. The Dallas skyline developed its modern profile during this period, as the development of new high-rises paralleled the economic optimism of the period. A major slowdown caused by a drop in oil prices during the 1980s stalled economic growth for several years, but following the recovery the city rebounded to grow and diversify. Real estate prices fell, but corporations continued to move to the city both because of lower operating costs and a more centralized location. Dallas’ suburbs also grew substantially during the 1980s. Appreciation for art and history grew along with a commitment to economic growth. 6
The area expanded its sports franchises to include the Texas Rangers (baseball) in 1972 and the Dallas Mavericks (basketball) in 1980. Both teams have won playoff championships and have contributed to Dallas’ position as a leader in high-profile sporting events.
Growth and Change 1970 Population
1990
Change
844,401 1,006,877
19.24%
City Area (mi2)
290.13
385.02
32.71%
Population Density (people per mi2)
2,910.4 2,944.1*
1.2%
*Calculated to 342 sq. mi., area excludes Lake Ray Hubbard
Dallas City Archives
Dallas skyline looking northwest, 1979. City Hall is next to the Convention Center & Arena. In the distance to the west, the ball-shaped Reunion Tower
The city’s ethnic and cultural base diversified during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1986, the Greater Dallas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce formed. It is the largest Asian-American Chamber in the nation today. This era also saw the growth of substantial numbers of newcomers from Latin America, India, and the Middle East, who saw Dallas as a center for new opportunities.
History Timeline: Modern Dallas Emerges, 1971-1990 1971: 52 office complexes built in Dallas, worth $366 million, in one year.
1978: Natural Gas Policy Act expands drilling below 10,000 feet, aiding the growth of Dallas firms
1980: Census reports Dallas is the nation’s seventh largest city
1984: Dallas Convention Center hosts Republican National Convention
1971
1990 1973: The cities of Dallas and Fort Worth collaborate to build Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport; Dallas Convention Center is completed
1979: Dallas residents authorize a bond program to construct a new downtown Arts District
1982: Dallas Arboretum and Samuell Farm open
1989: Meyerson Symphony Hall opens
Dallas Development Atlas
Section 10: History
Office of Economic Development
Today’s Developments 1991-2009
City of Dallas Boundary: Today
verted into condominiums and loft apartments. These new residential opportunities have contributed to an increase in other urban amenities, such as restaurants and art galleries.
Since 1990, Dallas has strengthened its position as the leading city in one of the nation’s largest regional economies. Demographically, the city continues to grow and diversify. Now home to over 1.2 million residents, Dallas is currently the eighth largest city in the nation. It is the center of the fourth largest metropolitan region in the country. In 1993, a new professional hockey team, the Dallas Stars, moved to the city. They have won several division titles, and were the Stanley Cup Champions for the 19981999 season. In 2001, the Stars and the Mavericks moved to the new American Airlines Center, which serves as one of the city’s main locales for high-profile entertainment. The American Airlines Center is one of the focal points for the Victory Park project, just northwest of downtown, which plans to have 4,000 residents and 4,000,000 square feet of office space at completion. Public transportation continued to expand and improve. In 1996, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) began operating the first light rail system in the Southwest. In 2000, DART opened CityPlace Station, the first subway in the Southwest. DART’s light rail is now the seventh-most traveled light rail system in the nation. During the 1990s, Dallas began a revitalization of several areas. Many of the older high-rises in Downtown Dallas were con-
Construction on the Trinity River Corridor project began in 2005. The project includes stronger flood protection, a buildup of a series of wetlands, and three landmark suspension bridges. A new Audubon center, which opened in 2008, provides educational and recreational opportunities for area residents.
Growth and Change 1990 Population City Area (mi2)
2008
Change
1,006,877 1,305,350
29.6%
385.02
Population Density (people per mi2)
385.67
0.17%
2,944.1* 3,816.8*
29.6%
*Calculated to 342 sq. mi., area excludes Lake Ray Hubbard
Fans approach the American Airlines Center at Victory Park north of downtown.
Dallas Office of Economic Development
The Winspear Opera House opened in 2009, as one of the venues in Dallas’ Arts District, the largest of its kind in the United States.
Timeline: Today’s Developments, Tomorrow’s Prosperity, 1991-2009 1996: Dallas Area Rapid Transit Light Rail opens the Red and Blue lines, with 45 miles of service covering much of the City of Dallas
2005: Groundbreaking for the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, a 40-story suspension bridge over the Trinity River
1998: Dallas voters approve the Trinity River Corridor Project
1991
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
A crowded platform awaits a DART train at Mockingbird Station in North Dallas. The DART network serves over 40 stations in the City of Dallas.
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The Arts District is also expanding in this decade. The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts will hold four venues: the Winspear Opera House, the Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, the City Performance Hall, and the Annette Strauss Artist Square. The 10-acre Elaine D. and Charles E. Sammons Park will also be part of the Center. When the development is complete, Dallas will be the only city in the world to have four buildings in one continuous block that have all been designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize winners.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
2009
1991: Dallas celebrates its 150th birthday
Late 1990s: the Dallas area becomes known as the “Silicon Prairie” with a high concentration of telecommunications firms.
2001: American Airlines Center opens
2006: City adopts ForwardDallas! comprehensive plan and Strategic Engagement economic development plan
Dallas Development Atlas
