by Frances James This information is taken in part from DCPA member Frances James’ brief summary to the Texas Historical Commission sometime back in the 1980’s. “By 1876 the Dallas County Commissioners decided our county needed a poor farm. The site that was selected was 339 acres owned by W. J. Keller south of the…
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(One of our vintage articles on Old City Park) by Michael V. Hazel Old City Park: The Historical Village of Dallas occupies the site of Dallas’ oldest park, established in 1876 as City Park. That year, James J. Eakins gave the city ten acres of land south of downtown Dallas, which were set aside as…
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[From Proud Heritage, Volume III by DCPA. This 352 page hardcover book is now available online.] Dallas Morning News columnist Steve Blow wrote early in the twenty-first century that Bryan’s Smokehouse was the oldest restaurant still operating in Dallas. With a wink to Vincents (1898) this might be true. Elias and Sadie Bryan moved to…
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Sensation and Lurid Scene at Pleasant Valley Church YesterdayJune 27, 1897 An unusually large congregation assembled at the Pleasant Valley church, five miles east of Garland, yesterday forenoon to hear the Rev. Dr. Patterson, of Ellis county, preach. The preliminary service of song and prayer was over, and the preacher was about to announce his…
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The oldest hospital in Dallas, Parkland Hospital Hospital was opened May 19, 1894, in a group of wooden buildings on a seventeen-acre wooded tract called Parkland, at Oak Lawn and Maple Avenues. An ambulance was purchased, but it was two years before a horse was acquired to pull it. A meningitis epidemic in 1911 underscored…
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Discover These 8 African American History Sites in Dallas Texas Historical Commission listing of Eight Sites for African American History in Dallas
KILLING AT ELM ST. HAT CO.Frank Mewshaw Killed In Dallas At S. G. Davis Hat Company (No date on article, but trial started March 11, 1912) Frank Mewshaw, well known in Garland, was shot and killed by A. T. Stewart in Dallas yesterday. The following account of the killing is taken from the Dallas News of…
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Compiled by Frances James The Order of the Sons of Hermann is a German fraternal organization sponsoring social and benevolent activities that helped preserve German traditions while easing the transition of the German immigrant for American Society. The benefits were extended to the widows, orphans, and disabled members of the order.[i] The Order is named…
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Magnesium Fire Levels Bomb Plant In 1943 the headlines of the Dallas Morning News said “Magnesium Fire Levels Bomb Plant.” The article continued describing the most spectacular fire in Dallas History on December 15-16, 1943, when the government’s entire stock of magnesium was lost. Austin Bridge Company, also known as ABCo at that time manufactured incendiary bombs…
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Dr. Graves (1846-1921) moved to Dallas in his later years. He was a well known physician but perhaps less well known for his role in the story of the legendary Texas artillery pieces known as the “Twin Sisters” which played a role in the Texas Revolution. The “Twin Sisters” refers to two field pieces (artillery…
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