Dallas

Public your articles, FREE
Advertising info: Contact Us

The History of Dallas

In 1925, W.N. Peacock wrote that it seemed "impossible that a city could grow from one log cabin to a great metropolis in less than a century." It would indeed be difficult to list all the players who acted to build Dallas County as we know it.
The region was originally home to the Caddo Indians. It wasn't until February 1841 that the Republic of Texas contracted with W.S. Peters and associates of Kentucky and Ohio to introduce settlers to the area. In November 1841, before Peter's colonists arrived, a young Tennessee lawyer and frontier adventurer named John Neely Bryan established himself at a crossing of the Trinity River near the Old Red courthouse.

Bryan, who had spent the previous few years recovering from cholera, had discovered the location in 1840 while traveling with his dog Tubby and a Cherokee friend and guide named Ned.

Soon two families joined Bryan in Dallas: the Mabel Gilbert and James J. Beeman families. The Beeman family held a special interest for John Neely Bryan. As Mr. Peacock put it, "cupid, ever at work, struck the heart of Mr. Bryan, and he set out lustily to work and won the heart of Miss Margaret Beeman, and the first marriage ceremony in Dallas was celebrated in 1843." In 1845, Texas was admitted into the Union.

The first legislature created Dallas County from parts of Nacogdoches and Roberts counties on March 30, 1846, and designated the town of Dallas as the temporary county seat. After two elections in 1850, the choice became permanent. Though scholars have debated the origin of the name of the city of Dallas, the county was named in honor of George Mifflin Dallas, then Vice-President under James K. Polk.

During the 1850s and 60s, Dallas County grew tremendously until by 1870 there were 13,314 inhabitants. During the 1870s, the Houston & Texas Central and Texas & Pacific railroads came to Dallas and brought with them even more growth. "More than a score of thriving villages dot the country here and there, in each of which a prosperous trade is conducted. The County now has a population of 33,000, and for honesty, intelligence, and enterprise its citizens are unrivalled," the Directory noted.

The county's population doubled between 1880 and 1890 and Dallas was called the wealthiest and most populated county in Texas. Many people were attracted to the agricultural opportunities found here. Located in the blackland prairie region, Dallas County supported crops of cotton, wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, grain, fruits, and vegetables. John H. Cochran wrote 1928, "The prospective resources of the country were great.

The soil was deep and very rich and fertile, promising great production. . . .When their test crops grew to maturity, all were delighted with its fertility and wonderful productiveness." But the land did not always make a favorable first impression. Edward Parkinson wrote, "The immense expanse of Prairie or forest so frequently occurring in this country, afford me but little pleasure, the eternal sameness and consequent tameness of the scene, becomes fatiguing to the senses."

It has been said that Dallas was formed by the sheer determination of its settlers. Of them, The WPA Dallas Guide and History says, "They came to stay and to prosper, and their descendants have stayed and prospered, establishing new enterprises as new opportunities arose." The same can be said of all the families who settled Dallas County, for it took the efforts of every community to forge the "great metropolis."



Angel Island, San Francisco, Chinese Immigration History - aiisf.org 09:12:47 01/20/03 (71)
Hartford's Chinese Community - Stephen Brown 13:02:07 12/24/02 (57)
El Paso's Chinatown - part II - Carry Beverly 11:27:52 12/24/02 (54)
El Paso's Chinatown - Carry Beverly 11:26:11 12/24/02 (53)

Chinatown Yellowpage - Add To

Name:        
        
        

Name in Chinese:      
        
        

Address:        
        
        

City: 
        
        

CITY_AREA:   
        
        

State:   
        
        

Zip:      
        
        

Country:        
        
        

Website: 
        
        

Email: 
        
        

Telephone:   
        
        

Category:        
        
        

 


Automotive
Community
Computers and Internet 
Education and Instruction 
Entertainment and Arts 
Food and Dining 
Health and Medicine 
Home and Garden 
Legal and Financial 
Other Shopping and Services 
Personal Care 
Real Estate 
Recreation and Sports 
Travel and Transportation 


Subcategory: 
        
        

Other:   
        
        

HOME

China Travel [Introducing China] [Chinese Cuisine Guide] [Chinese Shopping Guide] [Chinese Festival Guide] [Ancient China] [Beijing] [Shanghai (2)] [The Great Wall of China] [Provices Map & Guide] [Provices Guide 2 ] new [Books On China] [China Columns] [Doing Business in China] [Laws and Regulations] [China Market] [China Map]

Sponsors

your sponsorship ...

---

Splendid China Vacations YOUR ADVERTISEMENT IS HERE

Hot Sites