History of Dallas, TX

Three years after Texas gained independence, John Neely Bryan explored the area around present-day Dallas. In 1839, accompanied by his dog and a Cherokee he called Ned, he planted a pole in the ground in a bluff area near three forks on the Trinity River and left. Two years later, in 1841, he returned to build a permanent residence called Dallas. The origin of the name is uncertain. The official logo says he was named after Deputy President George M. Dallas of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, this is disputed. Other possible sources of information include his brother, Commodore Alexander James Dallas, and his brothers Walter R. Dallas or James R. Dallas. One view gives the latter as a suburb of Dallas, Moray, Scotland, similar to how Houston, Texas, was named after Sam Houston whose ancestors came from the Scottish village of Houston, Renfrewshire. The Republic of Texas was taken over by the United States in 1845 and Dallas County was established the following year. Dallas was officially declared a city on February 2, 1856. In the mid-1800s, a group of French Philosophers founded La Réunion, a living community, on the Trinity River in what is now West Dallas.

With the construction of the railway, Dallas became a center of commerce and development in the late 19th century. It became an industrial city, attracting workers from Texas, the South, and the Midwest. The 15-story Dallas Praetorian Guard, built-in 1909, was the first large building west of Mississippi and the tallest building in Texas for some time. It sets Dallas' prominence as a city. A complete chase was built and the owners established the Dallas Jockey Club. The Trotters rushed the route to Fort Worth, where the same drivers club was established. Rapid population growth has increased job and housing competition.