Dallas Part 1: The City

Dallas is the third largest city in Texas and the ninth largest city in the United States. I visited Dallas on my third trip to the state of Texas, after previous trips to the cities of Austin and Houston.

Most times I've been to Dallas, I've flown into Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW). From way up in the clouds, it was impossible to tell that I was about to land at the second largest airport in the U.S., by land mass. Be forewarned, DFW is so big that you can fit the entire island of Manhattan in it.

I know, I know, "everything is bigger in Texas." I can't count how many times I heard that saying during my visits to the state. As annoying as it was to hear that, (or any phrase repeatedly), this one is rooted in some truth. Texas is indeed large. In fact, it is the second largest U.S. state by land mass after Alaska. It's not exactly a close second though, as Alaska measures more than twice the size of Texas.

Plaza Cattle Drive

Let's get back to Dallas, though. On my first visit, I spent about three days exploring Dallas, not including some additional time I spent in the DFW Metroplex, a vast metropolitan area that includes the city of Dallas, its twin city of Fort Worth and more than 200 other incorporated cities and towns. (More on those locations to come in future posts.)

The city of Dallas was founded by a farmer and lawyer named John Neely Bryan just after Texas declared independence from Mexico, but before it became part of the United States. This was during the time when the first, major, northern cattle drives began. To commemorate that history, you will find close to 50, bronze longhorns and three statues of cowboys on horseback in Pioneer Plaza, as you can see in the video above.

Old Red Museum of Dallas County History and Culture

If you're looking for an overview of Dallas, visit the building photographed above. It served as the Dallas County Courthouse until 1966. After restoration, it was reopened as a museum in 2007. Inside you'll find artifacts and exhibits about the history of Dallas.

Spirit of Communication

If museums aren't your thing, set out to explore the city and discover bits of Dallas history along the way. That is what I chose to do. One of my first stops was at the AT&T Discovery District, located in Downtown Dallas. This tech-infused, mixed-use space, centers around AT&T's headquarters, which moved from New York City to Dallas. The 24-foot tall, 16 ton, bronze statue, pictured above, used to stand atop a skyscraper in Manhattan, but when the AT&T headquarters moved, so did it. Now, it is located in the Dallas Discovery District.

Also in the Discovery District, you'll find this 30 foot tall, immersive, lighted art installation. The tunnel is created by 15 giant, steel ribs and 300,000, color changing LEDs. The idea is that as you walk through the tunnel, the music and lighting change based on your speed, your movements and the number of others walking through at the same time. Once was enough for me.

I moved on and settled in for a drink at an outdoor table in the Discovery District. Still a lot of neon, but more enjoyable because, well, who doesn't want to be serenaded by a cowboy while sipping a cocktail?

As I explored more of Dallas, I kept seeing images of a red Pegasus.

In fact, it was difficult to cover more than a mile without passing some image or tribute to the winged horse. I had associated a very famous and eponymous television show with the city of Dallas, as well as Reunion Tower (seen in the background of the photo above), but never this Greek mythological symbol.

Was this the Dallas mascot? The answer was "yes," as I came to find out, or at least "sort of." If the Pegasus isn't the official mascot of Dallas, it's certainly the unofficial one.

Original, Restored Pegasus

The glowing, red Pegasus you see above, was first placed on the city's tallest building in 1934, which at that time, was the 29-story Magnolia Hotel. This original Pegasus was damaged by weather in 2000, removed from atop the building, restored and now sits at the entrance to the Omni Dallas Hotel where I photographed it before having cocktails with a new friend.

The Pegasus' history, I have confirmed. Not so with this light post, which a local told me is the oldest working light post in the United States. Hmmm... not sure that checks out, buddy.

Nevertheless, it's lovely and reminds me of so many of the historic, ornate, bronze light fixtures I would pass when I lived in Washington D.C., so I thought I would share the photo. The style is Classic or Victorian or ... why don't I just stick to what I know, which is that I have a passion for architecture coupled with very limited knowledge. (Feel free to jump in here, SD and CT, my genius, architect friends.)

Dallas City Hall

Speaking of architecture, this building, which serves as Dallas' City Hall, caught my eye immediately. I found out it was designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. Its imposing, right-triangular prism shape is a hallmark of Brutalist architecture, which features geometric shapes, repetition of modular elements and exposed concrete.

First Baptist Church Jeffress Plaza Fountain

Also eye catching was this, the First Baptist Church of Dallas, established in 1868. The historic sanctuary of the church burned to the ground in July of 2024 and has since been rebuilt. One element that survived the fire was this four-story cross, surrounded by a prominent, musical fountain with dancing jets of water.

The streams of water are choreographed to classic hymns. I thought that was pretty cool, but not as cool as the fact that church members actually get baptized in this heated fountain. I mean, most churches just use a blow up pool. Talk about leveling up.

At the base of the fountain are the words of Jesus recorded in the Bible in John 4:14, which read:

"... but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give them will become in them

a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Texas Tantrum Tots and Pals

And from John 4:14, we will make a very unnatural segue to this mural that everyone was photographing in the Deep Ellum neighborhood. Dallas is not particularly known for its street art like Cincinnati or Miami, but this piece by an artist named Ron English was certainly known by seemingly everybody but me.

I was told that English, who started his career in Dallas in the 1980's, is apparently considered the "Godfather of street art" today. The mural above, called "Texas Tantrum Tots and Pals," is a collection of his most famous characters.

Wall of Praise

My favorite place in Dallas was a hidden oasis called Thanks-Giving Square. This park-like setting is intended as a place for quiet reflection and thanksgiving. The ceremonial entryway to the park is a path adjacent to a Wall of Praise that blocks out the sight of the bustling city. The wall is lined with granite markers bearing quotes from various faiths such as the one photographed above and found in the Bible in Deuteronomy 5, Matthew 22, Mark 12 and Luke 10.

Golden Rule Mosaic

Also on the wall is this beautiful mosaic of the painting Golden Rule by Norman Rockwell, installed in 1996. The original, oil painting was created in 1961. The people of differing races, religions and ethnicities serve as the backdrop to the phrase "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," a biblical scripture found in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31.

I continued on the path for a bit until I found this fountain. Next to it is the inscription, "Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream." This phrase is found in the Bible in Amos 5:24 and was famously quoted by Dr. Martin Luther King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. when he gave his "I Have A Dream" speech on August 28, 1963.

Glory Window

In prayerful contemplation and thanksgiving, I continued down the path and over a bridge until I reached the Chapel of Thanksgiving. Look up when you enter and you'll be amazed at what is called the Glory Window, though it is actually a collection of 73 stained glass windows that spiral upward.

The Glory Window was designed by French artist, Gabriel Loire. You'll notice that as the windows ascend, the colors get brighter. Loire intended the progression to convey that life is culminating to a point of light at its apex and center.

As I was leaving Thanks-Giving Plaza, I passed this 50-foot Bell Tower, atop which are three, bronze bells modeled after the Liberty Bell. Under the bells are flags of the United States, Texas and Thanks-Giving Square. Yup ,the square has its very own flag. At the bottom of the bell tower is the 14-foot Ring of Thanks with inscriptions of thanks in various languages.

Reunion Tower

After those moments of quiet reflection, prayer, contemplation and serenity, it was back out to the streets of the city and headed toward the most prominent symbol of Dallas - the geodesic dome of Reunion Tower.

Reunion Tower is Dallas', iconic, 561-foot, observation tower. If you make your way to the top, you'll get 360 degree views of the city from the observation deck, which is 460 feet off the ground. If not, you can still appreciate Reunion Tower from afar. It's especially impressive at night when the LED light shows begin.

I think Reunion Tower is great and all, but I expected it to be near the center of the skyline as numerous photos, like the one above, imply. Before visiting, I envisioned myself ascending to the top of the tower to find myself smack dab in the center of all the downtown high-rises and action.

Reunion Tower and Margaret McDermott Bridge at Sunset

Well, I was disappointed and I don't want you to be so, here's the reality. Reunion Tower is actually situated at the far, southwestern edge of the downtown core, closer to the Margaret McDermott Bridge. It only appears to be central because photographers anchor it as a central focal point due to its architectural uniqueness.

Here is the central, Dallas skyline view, sans Reunion Tower, that I enjoyed from Canvas rooftop bar with a new friend and local. Lovely, isn't it? That's it for the first installment of this Dallas series, "y'all." Ugh, despite several visits to Texas, that phrase still feels so unnatural for this California girl. Nevertheless, I'll see y'all soon with my next installment about Dallas.