Ari Lynn Even in the ‘60s there was still a lot of activity downtown, at least during the daytime. The new downtown Sanger-Harris on Elm Street (now the DART headquarters) opened in 1965. It had an air curtain you walked through to enter on Elm Street, so no doors. The only apartments downtown then was the Manor House. My mom moved to Dallas in 1943, and worked in the Davis Building from 1953 to about 1982. We would drive downtown or ride the bus to do some of our shopping, especially at Sanger-Harris. A lot of the old buildings downtown, like the Baker Hotel and the Medical Arts Building were torn down in the ‘60s and ‘70s, replaced by parking lots.
@@steveharkins4049 My grandmother always stayed at the Adolphus when she visited, that and the downtown library, and an occasional trip to one of the movie palaces that were yet to be split into plexes before going under the wrecking ball...and once in a blue moon, lunch at the Zodiac Tea Room at Neiman-Marcus’s flagship store-models circulated among the tables in the latest fashions being sold at the store, and the sugar was colored crystals that as a kid were really magical to me. Otherwise, it seemed to my child’s eyes to be all office buildings and pawn shops.
Revitalize downtown in one day: Make Main Street a pedestrian walkway from Downtown through Deep Ellum to Fair Park. That would give Dallas it's own San Antonio like 'waterway'. Add cops walking on patrol, some lunch wagons, and electric carts to move people and you've got a new Dallas. Soon it would revitalize Downtown, Fair Park and Deep Ellum. Then carry the pedestrian walkway over a bridge (that people can walk across the river on) into Oak Cliff and South Dallas, and watch the real estate build up all along the walkway.
Carl, the improvements are nothing different from any other city - far from being progressive in any way, they are the usual corporate response that really don't change or improve anything much.
Carl, each of those projects is a single developer. What I'm talking about is a city plan that supports more than one corporation - supports the city and many small and large businesses. My initial post would help all of downtown, not just one or two residential tower builders.
what you speak of sounds of COMPLETE regentrification. that would put the current people out of their homes and would create more harm than good. please think of this from a perspective that doesnt displace people. not to mention how DPD would patrol things please. in your scenario all i can see are blacks being locked up for being on their own property, and whites moving in claiming those historically black neighborhoods are theirs and we need to leave.
@@DevaJones03 how would turning a street into a pedestrian walk way do that? The only thing guaranteed is less traffic and pollution and more activity downtown for everyone. Would also spotlight Fair Park, Deep Ellum, and Oak Cliff.
My great grandfather worked for a Magnolia subsidiary in Oklahoma during this time. He used to take my grandfather on road trips to Dallas and it was some of the fondest memories he had. It's cool to get a glimpse of what they used to see.
Dude! Allllll that talking about absolutely nothing only to fly through the little clip. What's the hurry? Slow the footage down just a bit so we can take it all in. It would be great if at different points in the clip you showed a side by side shot of current Dallas at the same time so we can see exactly where we're looking at. Downtown is confusing, even more so looking at decades old pics and film.
Could you imagine how beautiful downtown would have been had we just built around all of it and preserved it? We would be the San Fran of the midwest. Its ironic though because we destroyed everything to make way for the new but old is back in style and appreciated more than ever now with the current trends.
Where are the old building now? It seems there's no earthquake in Dallas in history. Are they all knocked down to build some new ones? If so, it's a pity.
Boy, do I love how Downtown Dallas used to be so alive. Watching this makes me love the rich history of our city and appreciate the cities architectural layout and design; scenery during the 30-60's. I wished I could be a part of the project to revitalize downtown with bright lights and all... 🌼🍀🌲🌷
I grew up in Dallas and remember how nice the downtown area was back in the 60s and 70s. Recently it has really declined. It's very dirty and there are bums loitering everywhere, most of them high on drugs.
Renewed vibrancy in downtown Dallas is something to continue to strive for each day. Thanks for sharing this bit of inspiration- what's old is new again, why not downtown Big D?
When me and my family moved to Dallas in 1968, the first thing our host did was to drive us down to see Pegasus. We were thrilled. We actually used to go out to Love Field to watch the planes land. Imagine taking your guests to watch planes land. They would think you were loco.
Pat Melton My parents settled in Dallas in 1968.Actually my dad was already a resident but married my mother from Texarkana. They lived near Love Field in the early 70s and heard the planes fly over the complex often.
Social media. happened. Those were human beings back then full of life and vigor. We have reduced ourselves to sedentary overweight jaba the huts living behind a keyboard with fake cyber identities.
But everyone's skin looked pink and healthy now at least light skinned people look pale or yellow. Something's wrong with the livers and the junk that's consumed.
tritosac While I don’t think that social media or at least the connection and quick flow of information in general is inherently problematic or bad, I do have to agree that how it’s working now is definitely a problem we have to solve.
Most American cities looked like this pre world war 2. After world war 2 and especially throughout the 50s, America decided to destroy its downtown due to suburbanization. Only a handful of cities (NYC, SF) survived the suburbanization. Biggest mistake our country ever did. Nothing wrong with suburbs but we should have been smarter in progressing our cities. Now they are trying to get this back but the allure of the burbs are just too powerful.
It can be a double edged sword. In a perfect world you could keep these grand old structures while also zoning land for the modern skyscrapers etc. But the sad truth is you can't keep the old buildings filled and they eventually fall into disarray. *See Detroit
Back when practically every city looked like it would one day be a large art deco delight, ...short lived clearly. You can see so well what they were planning, that one tower house really was tall near the end and felt akin to something in Manhattan or perhaps a more commercial friendly Chicago, and yet...now what does this city show for. Jack squat thats what! The building is at 4:35 definitely has height, and surely style. The magnolia building...although I oughtta say it isn't that tall, but feels tall.
I think one thing people should keep in mind is that what happened to Dallas happened all across America as someone earlier has pointed out. Cities spread out and people moved out to the suburbs where families could have a larger home and a yard for kids to play safely outside. But what else has changed is the "ownership" of vehicles today versus back then. A much greater percentage of Americans own automobiles today versus back then. Therefore the automobile improved the ability for people to be more mobil. Cities are far larger now than back in the day and the desire to have a city look like this again will require huge increases in mass transit. While these images may look alluring one should keep in mind that a crowd is still a crowd and if our downtowns return to this kind of popularity the long waits for service downtown will create an inconvenience and then the cycle will repeat itself with people again migrating out of the busy downtown city areas. Balance is the key!
People didn’t leave downtown because it was busy. The auto destroyed nearly every large and small city in America. People are now realizing that you don’t need a car to live and that cities are great places to raise kids. Walling yourself out of the city is no way to live. Sitting in traffic, for hours a day, on massive anti-pedestrian interstates that cut through cities was a terrible way of destroying a living and breathing community. Even if people wanted to move outside the city they could have built commuter rail to bring them in, instead of tearing down buildings for more parking lots. What was left, like in Forth Worth, that made the city a place you wanted to live or work? Nothing. NYC doesn’t have even one interstate running across it. You want to come into the city you’ll have to cross a bridge or tunnel that was built many decades ago. Smaller cities like Dallas could have done the same, feeding the city from the perimeter. In NY you don’t see any open air parking lots anymore anywhere near midtown or downtown. The only way cities like Dallas can grow in the decades to come is by building rail. Otherwise people will spend even more time in their cars and will move further out. If that’s your idea of living I feel sorry for you. The auto and all it promised decades ago nearly wiped NYC off the map. Thank god people won. The pedestrian won and cars now don’t take priority. Millions of us live just fine without the responsibility and expense of owning one. I travel all over the world without ever renting one. I even spent a few days in downtown Dallas a couple of years ago. In a newly remodeled old hotel. I spent time with city leaders, the mayors brilliant daughter even, and found Dallas folks to be very interesting and with something to talk about besides fuel economy.
It's really declined in recent years. I was born and raised in Dallas in the early 60s. I moved to St. Louis in 1987 and whenever I visit Dallas I can't believe how ratty the downtown has become. I remember how clean it was back in the 60s and 70s. Now it's so filthy and there are vagrants loitering everywhere.
Gosh this was posted a long time ago! (2014). Ten years later, I am just now stumbling across it in 2024 and it is indeed a happy accident. You'll probably never see this comment but if you do, could you tell me if this was originally black and white footage that was later colorized? I didn't think color film processing had even been invented at that time. In any case, Dallas, even with all it's big city problems, is a special place filled with special people and I enjoyed seeing this wonderful clip. Thanks.
My wife was born in Dallas in 1939. She and I have talked at length about how life was back in her day. I recommend this book: Dallas Then and Now by Ken Fitzgerald.
It's a real shame what happened to Dallas. Not even just Dallas but a lot of major cities west of the Mississippi got so ugly after the rise of cars and interstate highways, we used to actually build our cities for people and legs, now we build them for cars, so now in America if you don't have a car you're practically excluded from society.
Gorgeous. You love to see it. Back when Dallas was a real city. Today is dead, full of disgusting freeways and parking lots. Bring back this FFS. The only cities in the U.S. that remained the same from the 60s are NYC, Boston, and other few. Dallas is dead today.
@ReturnoftheBrotha NewEngland states - composed of 6 states in the north east. People from the area refer to themselves sometimes as being from New England.
I live 20 minutes west of Phoenix Arizona in Goodyear and I was born in Arizona 42 years ago. "Downtown" Phoenix looked almost identical to this part of Dallas from 1930 untill the mid 60's. And now 65% of what was there has been demolished or is completely uunrecognizable. The Phoenix residents gripe and complain that we tore our old city down and "destroyed history" just like Dallas residence do, and they do it as if that kind of transformation is unique to Phoenix. This video is proof that it's not. I'd say at least 50% of major U.S. cities have done the same thing and it doesn't look it's going to stop anytime soon.
The people talking shit about how Dallas isn't the same let's be real no city will be the same like it was in 1939 most of yall saying that shit ain't even from Dallas or Texas in general. I just love to see this type of shit cause it gives us a sense of how it was back in those times, beautiful. Think about it in a couple decades 2018 will be apart of history and there will be vids of us cruising and walking the streets of Dallas tx maybe my grandkids will see how it was in these times
Now I want Robert to continue his Wednesday night show on The Ticket after the season ends and just discuss the history of the area and do it live here on the you tube as well.
You can’t bring that old vibe anymore what really kills now days is the plot of social media, and people’s having cameras and actually having a curfew during those era.
Awesome. I am a native of Norfolk, Virginia which was one of the first cities to receive money from the "Urban Renewal" and other redevelopment projects of the Federal Government. We too lost almost all of the downtown area to open spaces, a new city hall, and property turned over to private interests. I too think, "what if" we hadn't removed about 90% of the history of the area. Norfolk was also a little Manhattan, today, while the density is coming back, it is a bland imitation of modern Atlanta. Shame.
Thanks so much for posting this. I lived in Dallas from 1983 to 2006. At about 3:53 mark, the tallest building, is that the Cotton Exchange Building? It tore me up when they imploded that building. Then at the 4:52 mark on the marque of the Rialto theater, I see Indianapolis Speedway. I wonder if that was a movie, or something else? It struck my eye because I'm originally from Indianapolis.
Back in the golden Era of america. My grandparents and great grandparents fought for this country and this Era was a golden time. Look at the images from then compared to now and the trash and non Americans that infiltrate our streets especially in Dallas where I was born and raised. Every night I watch vintage news,shows, movies etc because it reminds me of a glorious time in our history in Dallas and the US when things were good and not this twisted corporation called America that we see today.
I noticed on the Rialto Theater Marquis, timestamp (4:50) reference to Louis Meyer, first driver to win the INDY 500 , three times...1939 was his final race there.
My grandparents the Mejest lived on Akerd street from the 1920s-1970s. That area was called "Little Mexico ". Jewish immigrants lived in that area before.
My dad worked for Mobil Oil Co(Magnolia ) and yes, it was The Flying Red Horse, when they owned it. Only later on was it called Pegasus. The company called it Flying Red Horse, a real landmark you could see from way outside the city limits. Dallas has changed tremendously, not really for the better. There's too many people. It really used to be a lot of fun in the 50s, 60s, 70s. By 1985, the changes were too much. People always dressed up to go downtown. Then the 70s came and everyone started to dress casual which morphed into what we have now. People have changed. We can change again, you know. Right now going downtown is too dangerous. It really did used to be fun. The big nice stores will probably not be back which is sad. Consider that air conditioning was not everywhere until the 70s. Now, we can't live without that. It is not the same, for sure.
@@mariantreber8055 Did you ever get a chance to go inside? I worked on the 24th floor which would have been executive offices back "in the day" but was just a regular office. One day we were headed home and the elevator got a "shimmy" in it where it shuttered and stopped going down for a couple seconds then it "let loose" and caught up the few feet it had gotten behind. Now I am sure it was only like a foot but in your mind you think it fell two floors and we hit every button we could find to open the doors and dove out nervous as heck. WHEW. The interesting part is to turn on the AC took like 6 big switches that engaged various pumps and fans that reminded me of a Frankenstein movie. To adjust the AC in an office you used like a 10 foot long wooden "stick" with a hook on it that you used to open or close the vents. 24 floors up the windows to my office opened up. Nice Spring day you could open them but my incredible fear of heights made it everything I could do to look out. As a child (born in 65) I remember that horse being the tallest thing around for miles. I think my Dad worked in the building around that time frame as well. I bet you have some great memories.
@@jch450 - I think I've only been in the lobby there. My dad worked in the field lab, which was miles away, on Duncanville Road. It's been gone for years. I wish I could remember more. I sure miss the downtown of old. My parents got married in 1939. We have a long history in this area Dallas and Ellis County. I can barely remember the roads before the freeways. Dallas was a small city, but really fun.
More likely, Oswald and Ruby. In the mid 70's I met an older guy that made a living in the "Burlesque Houses" around town. His name was Uncle Willie. He was a tap dancer and jokester. He MC'd at pretty much all of the "Burlesque" clubs in town. Super nice guy with a ton of stories of Dallas' underbelly in the 40's, 50's and 60's. He told me Oswald frequented the Carousel Club. I asked him if he was ever interviewed by the FBI. He said, and I quote... "They didn't want to know the Truth." Rest in Eternal Peace, Uncle Willie.
Starting at 4:09 you see the two women walking toward the camera. The woman in pink and the other woman with a white blouse and blue skirt. In the next shot the same two women walk into frame but going a way from the camera. The photographer clearly turned in the opposite direction immediately after taking the first shot of the women.
Fort Worth has been doing that kind of thing, but even with the stock yards, there's pressure to keep it intact and build while keeping what's there as it is. They did that with the Montgomery bldg. I'm not crazy about how they did it, but it was batter than razing it entirely and building something new and ugly in its place. Also, I think FW may be trying to be careful about not becoming Dallas. something its always tried to avoid doing.
Doing history on my great grandparents who resided in Dallas Texas during the 1920s up. Ended up on RUclips, if I had the ability to time travel I’d be looking for them. But for any one who is local and current to this era. I’m trying to find relatives of Clyde Herbert Liebrum or Laverna dawn Crain they were married in during that time.
What a great yesteryear clip!!!!! So sad they have torn down so many great structures. Dallas was a beautiful city at one time.....but has lost its character and vibe. Wrong people making terrible decisions.☹️
I was born in Dallas in the early 60s. It used to be a really beautiful city but the downtown area in particular has really declined in recent years. It has become really dirty and there are vagrants loitering everywhere. Also, like you said they have demolished some of the really beautiful buildings. One tragic loss was the Baker hotel next door to the Magnolia building.
I love Dallas and its history, John n e e e l e y Brian couldn't have envisioned what his City would have become since 1841. Hopefully I will die here on native soil. Long live Dallas, hope of blind lemon Jefferson 1926 the first famous blues guitarist
Mighty YoungSir I found the talking to be very informative and gives background to downtown Dallas and why we no longer have this feel to the metroplex because of the freeways and city hall messing everything up
Dallas sure was beautiful in those days. I wish I could have lived back then. In recent years the downtown part of Dallas has really declined. It's become very dirty and there are vagrants loitering everywhere.
This is some good history.I have very pleasant memories of Dallas when I was little. E.Dallas was pleasant growing up in. It was multicultural and then the early 80s came and that went south and so did the neighborhood. I went to OM Roberts,JLong and on to Woodrow Wilson High.The Some of you know these trail names LOL The people aren't the same though. I honestly think Dallas got a bad rep after you know who was assassinated. Dont bite me! Big D is still lovely. Tfs
Setting aside the obviously changed architecture, I was struck by the social contrast. Downtown had lots of pedestrian traffic. People were generally well dressed. Women wearing skirts or summer dresses. Men wearing ties and panama hats or straw boaters. Nobody looking at their phone. One negative, the short glimpse of the pedestrian traffic is pretty much all white. Given the time period this was probably par for the course, but still sad.
I live around seventy miles North of Dallas, and every time I go down there people ask if I'm from Arkansas? I guess I sound like that much of a hick to them. I assure you I do not sound like a hick here.
So you want to bring back the people in the downtown element? Do what the Europeans have done and make more walk around areas with all motor vehicles banned. Allow businesses with shops and cafes with outside dining.
Well 2020 August 6th Having lived downtown since I was a kid and my folks ran a business this year during the George Floyd riots Dallas became a ceas pool genuine for good with Windows shot out Black Lives offices on every corner but its the Hip Hop gangs the smell of exotic pot and the cars all point to why White people will leave Dallas.
Brutalism architecture ruined Dallas like it did all other cities. The best thing of this old video is that everyone was white and downtown did not look like a trashy ghetto like it is today. I think that liquor store was on Ross or near there.
Don't worry I live in Australia where in Sydney and Melbourne we love to tear down majestic old buildings to build car parks too. It makes you cry.
Wow, Downtown actually had life to it?
Ari Lynn Even in the ‘60s there was still a lot of activity downtown, at least during the daytime. The new downtown Sanger-Harris on Elm Street (now the DART headquarters) opened in 1965. It had an air curtain you walked through to enter on Elm Street, so no doors. The only apartments downtown then was the Manor House.
My mom moved to Dallas in 1943, and worked in the Davis Building from 1953 to about 1982. We would drive downtown or ride the bus to do some of our shopping, especially at Sanger-Harris.
A lot of the old buildings downtown, like the Baker Hotel and the Medical Arts Building were torn down in the ‘60s and ‘70s, replaced by parking lots.
Wow. It's dead now.
@@steveharkins4049 My grandmother always stayed at the Adolphus when she visited, that and the downtown library, and an occasional trip to one of the movie palaces that were yet to be split into plexes before going under the wrecking ball...and once in a blue moon, lunch at the Zodiac Tea Room at Neiman-Marcus’s flagship store-models circulated among the tables in the latest fashions being sold at the store, and the sugar was colored crystals that as a kid were really magical to me. Otherwise, it seemed to my child’s eyes to be all office buildings and pawn shops.
Less multiculturalism leads to more life, actually
Right.
Revitalize downtown in one day: Make Main Street a pedestrian walkway from Downtown through Deep Ellum to Fair Park. That would give Dallas it's own San Antonio like 'waterway'. Add cops walking on patrol, some lunch wagons, and electric carts to move people and you've got a new Dallas. Soon it would revitalize Downtown, Fair Park and Deep Ellum. Then carry the pedestrian walkway over a bridge (that people can walk across the river on) into Oak Cliff and South Dallas, and watch the real estate build up all along the walkway.
Carl, the improvements are nothing different from any other city - far from being progressive in any way, they are the usual corporate response that really don't change or improve anything much.
Carl, each of those projects is a single developer. What I'm talking about is a city plan that supports more than one corporation - supports the city and many small and large businesses. My initial post would help all of downtown, not just one or two residential tower builders.
They rather just give you parking tickets...
what you speak of sounds of COMPLETE regentrification. that would put the current people out of their homes and would create more harm than good. please think of this from a perspective that doesnt displace people. not to mention how DPD would patrol things please. in your scenario all i can see are blacks being locked up for being on their own property, and whites moving in claiming those historically black neighborhoods are theirs and we need to leave.
@@DevaJones03 how would turning a street into a pedestrian walk way do that? The only thing guaranteed is less traffic and pollution and more activity downtown for everyone. Would also spotlight Fair Park, Deep Ellum, and Oak Cliff.
My great grandfather worked for a Magnolia subsidiary in Oklahoma during this time. He used to take my grandfather on road trips to Dallas and it was some of the fondest memories he had. It's cool to get a glimpse of what they used to see.
Whats crazy is that we are look at people that were here but now are gone ,that walked the Dallas streets just like us,
You know whats gonna be in 80 years?
Planet Uv Da Kangz?
You have a good sense of perspective.
Dude! Allllll that talking about absolutely nothing only to fly through the little clip. What's the hurry? Slow the footage down just a bit so we can take it all in. It would be great if at different points in the clip you showed a side by side shot of current Dallas at the same time so we can see exactly where we're looking at. Downtown is confusing, even more so looking at decades old pics and film.
Could you imagine how beautiful downtown would have been had we just built around all of it and preserved it? We would be the San Fran of the midwest. Its ironic though because we destroyed everything to make way for the new but old is back in style and appreciated more than ever now with the current trends.
Dallas Has Changed Sooo Much, Dallas is the Best City Ever
+Jonethan Palacios Why?
Where are the old building now? It seems there's no earthquake in Dallas in history. Are they all knocked down to build some new ones? If so, it's a pity.
Dallas was great when it still had Texas in it.
Jonethan Palacios that's a bold statement
Milwaukee is better
Boy, do I love how Downtown Dallas used to be so alive. Watching this makes me love the rich history of our city and appreciate the cities architectural layout and design; scenery during the 30-60's. I wished I could be a part of the project to revitalize downtown with bright lights and all... 🌼🍀🌲🌷
Same here
I'm Bryson Kennedy am from Dallas Texas and you?
I grew up in Dallas and remember how nice the downtown area was back in the 60s and 70s. Recently it has really declined. It's very dirty and there are bums loitering everywhere, most of them high on drugs.
Renewed vibrancy in downtown Dallas is something to continue to strive for each day. Thanks for sharing this bit of inspiration- what's old is new again, why not downtown Big D?
When me and my family moved to Dallas in 1968, the first thing our host did was to drive us down to see Pegasus. We were thrilled. We actually used to go out to Love Field to watch the planes land. Imagine taking your guests to watch planes land. They would think you were loco.
Ya'll would not have happened to move to the Lake Highlands area would yall?
Pat Melton My parents settled in Dallas in 1968.Actually my dad was already a resident but married my mother from Texarkana. They lived near Love Field in the early 70s and heard the planes fly over the complex often.
Lol my dad took me in the 90s and I'm a try to take my kids now
I remember Braniff.
I remember well !
It was beautiful in those days. Even the people look vibrant. What happened?
Social media. happened. Those were human beings back then full of life and vigor. We have reduced ourselves to sedentary overweight jaba the huts living behind a keyboard with fake cyber identities.
Shannonm75 corporations took over and reduced these cities to parking lots and half empty skyscrapers.
But everyone's skin looked pink and healthy now at least light skinned people look pale or yellow. Something's wrong with the livers and the junk that's consumed.
tritosac
While I don’t think that social media or at least the connection and quick flow of information in general is inherently problematic or bad, I do have to agree that how it’s working now is definitely a problem we have to solve.
@@shannonm75 That's just because it was filmed so long ago. The color presented in skin tones aren't equal to what they'd look like in person.
This footage is fantastic! Thanks for sharing it.
Yeah it's fantastic
I'm Bryson Kennedy am from Dallas Texas and you?
I'm from Finland.
Most American cities looked like this pre world war 2. After world war 2 and especially throughout the 50s, America decided to destroy its downtown due to suburbanization. Only a handful of cities (NYC, SF) survived the suburbanization. Biggest mistake our country ever did. Nothing wrong with suburbs but we should have been smarter in progressing our cities. Now they are trying to get this back but the allure of the burbs are just too powerful.
True true. I think Philadelphia is about to rebound and stop the bleeding themselves. We just need Chicago to do the same.
StylistecS to what?
Wtf are you talking about
He's talking about architecture. Omg how can you guys lack so much culture to not know what he's talking about?
It can be a double edged sword. In a perfect world you could keep these grand old structures while also zoning land for the modern skyscrapers etc. But the sad truth is you can't keep the old buildings filled and they eventually fall into disarray. *See Detroit
It's sad to see the downtown Dallas hemmed in by highways. Now it's a giant suburb than a real city.
It is a city
Back when people actually talked to eachother instead of on their phones including me
Yep..."Smart phones " are the worst thing that's EVER happened to our once Great Society!
@@andypistole8363 ok boomer
@@hemprope4326 lol
@@andypistole8363 I totally agree. I wish we could go back to the days before smart phones.
@@andypistole8363 Cars you mean
Back when practically every city looked like it would one day be a large art deco delight, ...short lived clearly. You can see so well what they were planning, that one tower house really was tall near the end and felt akin to something in Manhattan or perhaps a more commercial friendly Chicago, and yet...now what does this city show for. Jack squat thats what!
The building is at 4:35 definitely has height, and surely style. The magnolia building...although I oughtta say it isn't that tall, but feels tall.
I think one thing people should keep in mind is that what happened to Dallas happened all across America as someone earlier has pointed out. Cities spread out and people moved out to the suburbs where families could have a larger home and a yard for kids to play safely outside. But what else has changed is the "ownership" of vehicles today versus back then. A much greater percentage of Americans own automobiles today versus back then. Therefore the automobile improved the ability for people to be more mobil. Cities are far larger now than back in the day and the desire to have a city look like this again will require huge increases in mass transit. While these images may look alluring one should keep in mind that a crowd is still a crowd and if our downtowns return to this kind of popularity the long waits for service downtown will create an inconvenience and then the cycle will repeat itself with people again migrating out of the busy downtown city areas. Balance is the key!
People didn’t leave downtown because it was busy. The auto destroyed nearly every large and small city in America. People are now realizing that you don’t need a car to live and that cities are great places to raise kids. Walling yourself out of the city is no way to live. Sitting in traffic, for hours a day, on massive anti-pedestrian interstates that cut through cities was a terrible way of destroying a living and breathing community. Even if people wanted to move outside the city they could have built commuter rail to bring them in, instead of tearing down buildings for more parking lots. What was left, like in Forth Worth, that made the city a place you wanted to live or work? Nothing. NYC doesn’t have even one interstate running across it. You want to come into the city you’ll have to cross a bridge or tunnel that was built many decades ago. Smaller cities like Dallas could have done the same, feeding the city from the perimeter. In NY you don’t see any open air parking lots anymore anywhere near midtown or downtown. The only way cities like Dallas can grow in the decades to come is by building rail. Otherwise people will spend even more time in their cars and will move further out. If that’s your idea of living I feel sorry for you.
The auto and all it promised decades ago nearly wiped NYC off the map. Thank god people won. The pedestrian won and cars now don’t take priority. Millions of us live just fine without the responsibility and expense of owning one. I travel all over the world without ever renting one. I even spent a few days in downtown Dallas a couple of years ago. In a newly remodeled old hotel. I spent time with city leaders, the mayors brilliant daughter even, and found Dallas folks to be very interesting and with something to talk about besides fuel economy.
I love how the downtown was so alive back then.
It's really declined in recent years. I was born and raised in Dallas in the early 60s. I moved to St. Louis in 1987 and whenever I visit Dallas I can't believe how ratty the downtown has become. I remember how clean it was back in the 60s and 70s. Now it's so filthy and there are vagrants loitering everywhere.
Now it's like if you don't live or work in Downtown Dallas then you have no business being there.
Gosh this was posted a long time ago! (2014). Ten years later, I am just now stumbling across it in 2024 and it is indeed a happy accident. You'll probably never see this comment but if you do, could you tell me if this was originally black and white footage that was later colorized? I didn't think color film processing had even been invented at that time. In any case, Dallas, even with all it's big city problems, is a special place filled with special people and I enjoyed seeing this wonderful clip. Thanks.
My wife was born in Dallas in 1939. She and I have talked at length about how life was back in her day. I recommend this book:
Dallas Then and Now by Ken Fitzgerald.
I liked "old" Dallas downtown. Love older images of towns. Things now are so S T E R I L E !!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a real shame what happened to Dallas. Not even just Dallas but a lot of major cities west of the Mississippi got so ugly after the rise of cars and interstate highways, we used to actually build our cities for people and legs, now we build them for cars, so now in America if you don't have a car you're practically excluded from society.
Gorgeous. You love to see it. Back when Dallas was a real city. Today is dead, full of disgusting freeways and parking lots. Bring back this FFS. The only cities in the U.S. that remained the same from the 60s are NYC, Boston, and other few. Dallas is dead today.
it astonish me that dallas looked at elm street and thought to themselves "hmm... lets get rid of everything and put parking lots"
I'm from New England and when I think of Dallas I think of 3 things; The Cowboys, The TV show, and the Kennedy assassination.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England
Wow. Using a dictionary must be interesting for you, let alone the internet.
ReturnoftheBrotha you must be dumb
Yup
@ReturnoftheBrotha NewEngland states - composed of 6 states in the north east. People from the area refer to themselves sometimes as being from New England.
@@augustusbetucius1572 unfortunately some are just too lazy - my family would refer to being from New England. Anyway you are correct !
I live 20 minutes west of Phoenix Arizona in Goodyear and I was born in Arizona 42 years ago. "Downtown" Phoenix looked almost identical to this part of Dallas from 1930 untill the mid 60's. And now 65% of what was there has been demolished or is completely uunrecognizable. The Phoenix residents gripe and complain that we tore our old city down and "destroyed history" just like Dallas residence do, and they do it as if that kind of transformation is unique to Phoenix. This video is proof that it's not. I'd say at least 50% of major U.S. cities have done the same thing and it doesn't look it's going to stop anytime soon.
This is so amazing. Thanks for sharing this historic footage!
So amazing
I'm Bryson Kennedy am from Dallas Texas and you?
@@brysonkennedy8076 same. Born and raised here.
@@kimberlycampbell1100 That's nice,I'm a widower with one daughter her name is Holly what about you?
Dallas looks beautiful before and today
Excellent. Love this video.
Yes, it's very sad to think of what we've lost. All in the desire for progress, modernization and speed.
The people talking shit about how Dallas isn't the same let's be real no city will be the same like it was in 1939 most of yall saying that shit ain't even from Dallas or Texas in general. I just love to see this type of shit cause it gives us a sense of how it was back in those times, beautiful. Think about it in a couple decades 2018 will be apart of history and there will be vids of us cruising and walking the streets of Dallas tx maybe my grandkids will see how it was in these times
Not as many people walk the streets these days cause more people are fat. I wouldn't want to show my grandkids 2018. It sucks. People today are fake.
@@tritosac you fat or something?
No are you?
This comment aged pretty well. Pre-COVID era is now quite nostalgic for the obvious reasons.
Now I want Robert to continue his Wednesday night show on The Ticket after the season ends and just discuss the history of the area and do it live here on the you tube as well.
I don't see any homeless or thuggish looking person with their pants down walking around. America how much have you changed!
This was pre federal court ordered desegregation.
You can’t bring that old vibe anymore what really kills now days is the plot of social media, and people’s having cameras and actually having a curfew during those era.
It's tragic how severely Dallas destroyed itself in service of cars and suburbs.
nah it was worth it. cars and suburbs are great
Boy. Downtown Dallas is more vibrant in 1930s than nowadays. lol
Awesome. I am a native of Norfolk, Virginia which was one of the first cities to receive money from the "Urban Renewal" and other redevelopment projects of the Federal Government. We too lost almost all of the downtown area to open spaces, a new city hall, and property turned over to private interests. I too think, "what if" we hadn't removed about 90% of the history of the area. Norfolk was also a little Manhattan, today, while the density is coming back, it is a bland imitation of modern Atlanta. Shame.
As someone who lived in dallas i can say that the safety has declined severey
Elm Street before the nightmare
Thanks so much for posting this. I lived in Dallas from 1983 to 2006. At about 3:53 mark, the tallest building, is that the Cotton Exchange Building? It tore me up when they imploded that building. Then at the 4:52 mark on the marque of the Rialto theater, I see Indianapolis Speedway. I wonder if that was a movie, or something else? It struck my eye because I'm originally from Indianapolis.
B250R www.imdb.com/title/tt0031482/
Back in the golden Era of america. My grandparents and great grandparents fought for this country and this Era was a golden time. Look at the images from then compared to now and the trash and non Americans that infiltrate our streets especially in Dallas where I was born and raised. Every night I watch vintage news,shows, movies etc because it reminds me of a glorious time in our history in Dallas and the US when things were good and not this twisted corporation called America that we see today.
Excellent
I noticed on the Rialto Theater Marquis, timestamp (4:50) reference to Louis Meyer, first driver to win the INDY 500 , three times...1939 was his final race there.
Nobody tripping off K2..🤔
My grandparents the Mejest lived on Akerd street from the 1920s-1970s. That area was called "Little Mexico ". Jewish immigrants lived in that area before.
Lovely
I'm Bryson Kennedy am from Dallas Texas and you?
I worked in the old Magnolia Oil building with the flying red horse, A wonderful place to have you first real job
My dad worked for Mobil Oil Co(Magnolia ) and yes, it was The Flying Red Horse, when they owned it. Only later on was it called Pegasus. The company called it Flying Red Horse, a real landmark you could see from way outside the city limits. Dallas has changed tremendously, not really for the better. There's too many people. It really used to be a lot of fun in the 50s, 60s, 70s. By 1985, the changes were too much. People always dressed up to go downtown. Then the 70s came and everyone started to dress casual which morphed into what we have now. People have changed. We can change again, you know. Right now going downtown is too dangerous. It really did used to be fun. The big nice stores will probably not be back which is sad. Consider that air conditioning was not everywhere until the 70s. Now, we can't live without that. It is not the same, for sure.
@@mariantreber8055 Did you ever get a chance to go inside? I worked on the 24th floor which would have been executive offices back "in the day" but was just a regular office. One day we were headed home and the elevator got a "shimmy" in it where it shuttered and stopped going down for a couple seconds then it "let loose" and caught up the few feet it had gotten behind. Now I am sure it was only like a foot but in your mind you think it fell two floors and we hit every button we could find to open the doors and dove out nervous as heck. WHEW. The interesting part is to turn on the AC took like 6 big switches that engaged various pumps and fans that reminded me of a Frankenstein movie. To adjust the AC in an office you used like a 10 foot long wooden "stick" with a hook on it that you used to open or close the vents. 24 floors up the windows to my office opened up. Nice Spring day you could open them but my incredible fear of heights made it everything I could do to look out. As a child (born in 65) I remember that horse being the tallest thing around for miles. I think my Dad worked in the building around that time frame as well. I bet you have some great memories.
@@jch450 - I think I've only been in the lobby there. My dad worked in the field lab, which was miles away, on Duncanville Road. It's been gone for years. I wish I could remember more. I sure miss the downtown of old. My parents got married in 1939. We have a long history in this area Dallas and Ellis County. I can barely remember the roads before the freeways. Dallas was a small city, but really fun.
paved it all away for better car access that turned out to not be better.
Back when having a downtown meant having people in it.
I think I saw lee Harvey Oswald and lbj together talking
More likely, Oswald and Ruby. In the mid 70's I met an older guy that made a living in the "Burlesque Houses" around town. His name was Uncle Willie. He was a tap dancer and jokester. He MC'd at pretty much all of the "Burlesque" clubs in town. Super nice guy with a ton of stories of Dallas' underbelly in the 40's, 50's and 60's. He told me Oswald frequented the Carousel Club. I asked him if he was ever interviewed by the FBI. He said, and I quote... "They didn't want to know the Truth." Rest in Eternal Peace, Uncle Willie.
@@lowes891646 sounds right
I am so fucking tired of conspiracy theories.
@@Discrimination_is_not_a_right thanstay off internet and history channel
@@bradleysmall2230 No.
Starting at 4:09 you see the two women walking toward the camera. The woman in pink and the other woman with a white blouse and blue skirt. In the next shot the same two women walk into frame but going a way from the camera. The photographer clearly turned in the opposite direction immediately after taking the first shot of the women.
🤣
Dallas does not get it history is history I mean when they leave the old buildings alone
Look at Fort Worth they have all the old cattle chute County shit but why does dallas have to tear every damn thing down
Joe Pagan that's called an oil boom
Fort Worth has been doing that kind of thing, but even with the stock yards, there's pressure to keep it intact and build while keeping what's there as it is. They did that with the Montgomery bldg. I'm not crazy about how they did it, but it was batter than razing it entirely and building something new and ugly in its place.
Also, I think FW may be trying to be careful about not becoming Dallas. something its always tried to avoid doing.
Downtown was so pretty back then looks like.
I'd have loved to have seen it but...well, you know...
😬😬😬
It’s weird not seeing all of the overpasses in Dallas
good and bad liquors, awesome
+Jibreel Riley Feel good now. Feel bad tomorrow. HA!
the pinnacle of the latest empire, 30s-50s.
Doing history on my great grandparents who resided in Dallas Texas during the 1920s up. Ended up on RUclips, if I had the ability to time travel I’d be looking for them. But for any one who is local and current to this era. I’m trying to find relatives of Clyde Herbert Liebrum or Laverna dawn Crain they were married in during that time.
Dallas was great when it still had Texas in it.
ZiplineShazam it still has Texas in it
What a great yesteryear clip!!!!! So sad they have torn down so many great structures. Dallas was a beautiful city at one time.....but has lost its character and vibe. Wrong people making terrible decisions.☹️
I was born in Dallas in the early 60s. It used to be a really beautiful city but the downtown area in particular has really declined in recent years. It has become really dirty and there are vagrants loitering everywhere. Also, like you said they have demolished some of the really beautiful buildings. One tragic loss was the Baker hotel next door to the Magnolia building.
I love Dallas and its history, John n e e e l e y Brian couldn't have envisioned what his City would have become since 1841. Hopefully I will die here on native soil. Long live Dallas, hope of blind lemon Jefferson 1926 the first famous blues guitarist
Can't have people knowing their true history.
People were thinner they walked alot Instead of driving everywhere.
My mother was 6 at the time of this footage and lived on Thomas St, north of DT.
That's nice
I'm Bryson Kennedy am from Dallas Texas and you?
Wow one of those buildings is my apartment now lol
I want that CocaCola sign so bad!
damn shame about the signage, they coulda just moved it-
Does anyone know what song is playing in the background when they are showing the film?
Dallas was most definitely old world. I wonder what happened to the bells that were in the roofs
They put the footage at the end of the video and do all this boring talking at the beginning
Mighty YoungSir I found the talking to be very informative and gives background to downtown Dallas and why we no longer have this feel to the metroplex because of the freeways and city hall messing everything up
Downtown Dallas before it was destroyed. I never go there anymore. Horrible place. Move to the country folks.
Dallas sure was beautiful in those days. I wish I could have lived back then. In recent years the downtown part of Dallas has really declined. It's become very dirty and there are vagrants loitering everywhere.
I don't live in Dallas but I visit it every thanksgiving for family and wow. the Metro area is just depressing.
Mass Produced American Citizen I live in Dallas and downtown is just filled with homeless people
Blasto Manto I had a Cousin who lived there. He was a homeless heroin addict for like 8 years
@@blastomanto5687 well, consciously have worked to 'clean-up' downtown in the last several years-
Now downtown has so many homeless people and no history nowadays just overpriced hotels
This is some good history.I have very pleasant memories of Dallas when I was little. E.Dallas was pleasant growing up in. It was multicultural and then the early 80s came and that went south and so did the neighborhood. I went to OM Roberts,JLong and on to Woodrow Wilson High.The Some of you know these trail names LOL The people aren't the same though. I honestly think Dallas got a bad rep after you know who was assassinated. Dont bite me! Big D is still lovely. Tfs
Where are the crazy cart ladies that’ll chase you down the street?
I always wonder if I'll ever spot my grandmother or her mother in a film. I just want to know how my people looked back then. 😕
That’s crazy to think about. We could be ralated to some of those people in the video
anyone in this video at least 40 yrs or older was born in the 1800s 😳
Setting aside the obviously changed architecture, I was struck by the social contrast. Downtown had lots of pedestrian traffic. People were generally well dressed. Women wearing skirts or summer dresses. Men wearing ties and panama hats or straw boaters. Nobody looking at their phone. One negative, the short glimpse of the pedestrian traffic is pretty much all white. Given the time period this was probably par for the course, but still sad.
I noticed the building that President Kennedy was shot from 30 years later.
I haven't seen 1936 or idk this old but isn't the same Dallas but now Dallas looks big and has reunion tower of the day
I agree
I'm Bryson Kennedy am from Dallas Texas and you?
Five minutes of talking, twenty seconds of footage.
Fr 😭😭
My dad said Dallas in the 50s was full of dirt roads. I know his lying ass and couldn't full me.
Tidwell
Dallas didn’t have dirt roads even in the 1890’s I’m sure
Both you intro of saying hi was awkward af. Lmao
I live around seventy miles North of Dallas, and every time I go down there people ask if I'm from Arkansas? I guess I sound like that much of a hick to them. I assure you I do not sound like a hick here.
Franco Grocery on Harry Hines is missing.
I agree
I'm Bryson Kennedy am from Dallas Texas and you?
Rather see the pictures of downtown Dallas instead of you guys talking sorry
Damn Dallas is dead compared to how it was back then.
5:11 Good and Bad Liquors - nothing in between.
Less talking, more footage...
So you want to bring back the people in the downtown element? Do what the Europeans have done and make more walk around areas with all motor vehicles banned. Allow businesses with shops and cafes with outside dining.
Too much talking in this.
it ain't like no mo its no room to walk now
As it looked like 1984.
1984
2021 its the same no big change 😕😕😕
Back when Dallas wasn't a giant cesspool.
you're a giant cesspool
ashley miles What a mature young lady you are...
... it was a joke. People who are offended by jokes are sad individuals.
Michael Rogers Bryan George
Well 2020 August 6th Having lived downtown since I was a kid and my folks ran a business this year during the George Floyd riots Dallas became a ceas pool genuine for good with Windows shot out Black Lives offices on every corner but its the Hip Hop gangs the smell of exotic pot and the cars all point to why White people will leave Dallas.
FORT KNOX GENERAL & UNITED STATES CENTRAL AGENCY DIRECTOR LAMONTE M. WARD...🛰️💻🖱️®️™️©️🔒
I'm from Queensland and Brisbane used to look amazing now it's all ugly and they got rid of trams
there was a casino un dallas
5:00 min talking shi$$ 20 seconds of Footage
It says 90 second clip right up there under the video.
Brutalism architecture ruined Dallas like it did all other cities. The best thing of this old video is that everyone was white and downtown did not look like a trashy ghetto like it is today. I think that liquor store was on Ross or near there.