History of Dallas in Timeline

Dallas, Texas, is the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the largest metro area in Texas and fourth-largest in the U.S., with 7.5 million residents. As of the 2020 census, Dallas itself has a population of 1,304,379, making it the ninth-most populous city in the U.S. and third-largest in Texas. Situated in North Texas, Dallas anchors the biggest metropolitan area in the Southern U.S. and is also the largest inland metropolitan area in the U.S. without a navigable link to the sea.

1900: Dallas Cotton Market

By 1900, Dallas was the largest inland cotton market in the world and a leader in cotton gin machinery manufacturing.

1901: First Branch of Dallas Public Library

In 1901, the Dallas Public Library system built its first branch thanks to a grant from Andrew Carnegie.

1903: Oak Cliff Annexation

In 1903, the separate city of Oak Cliff, founded in the mid-1800s, was annexed by Dallas.

July 4, 1906: Lake Cliff Park opens

On July 4, 1906, Lake Cliff Park opened and was called "the Southwest's Greatest Playground".

1907: Dallas Firefighter's Museum Built

In 1907, the Dallas Firefighter's Museum was built along Parry Avenue near Fair Park.

1909: Praetorian Building Constructed

In 1909, the 15-story Praetorian Building was built in Dallas. It was one of the first skyscrapers west of the Mississippi River and the tallest building in Texas for a period, signifying Dallas's growing prominence.

1910: Allen Brooks Lynching

In 1910, a white mob lynched Allen Brooks, a black man accused of rape, at the intersection of Main and Akard in Downtown Dallas.

1913: Turtle Creek Parkway park built

In 1913, Turtle Creek Parkway park was built.

1914: Dallas Selected as Federal Reserve Seat

In 1914, Dallas was selected as the seat of the Eleventh Federal Reserve District.

1921: Mexican President Visits Dallas

In 1921, Mexican President Álvaro Obregón visited Downtown Dallas's Mexican Park in Little Mexico.

1921: WRR-AM licensed

In 1921, WRR-AM, Dallas' original sister station, was licensed and is the oldest commercially operated radio station in Texas.

1925: Texas Cotton Production

By 1925, Texas produced more than 1/3 of the nation's cotton crop, with 31% of Texas cotton produced within a 100-mile radius of Dallas.

1930: East Texas Oil Boom

In 1930, Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner struck oil east of Dallas, starting the East Texas oil boom. Dallas then became the financial center for the oil industry in Texas and Oklahoma.

1930: Demographics in 1930

In 1930, Dallas's population was predominantly White, with non-Hispanic Whites making up 82.8% of the population.

1931: Highland Park Village Opens

Highland Park Village, the second shopping center ever built in the United States, opened in 1931.

1935: Dallas purchases land to develop Reverchon Park

In 1935, Dallas purchased land to develop Reverchon Park.

1936: Fair Park built for Texas Centennial Exposition

In 1936, Fair Park was built for the Texas Centennial Exposition world's fair.

1953: Exhibition game at Reverchon Park

In 1953, the baseball diamond at Reverchon Park was host to an exhibition game for the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians.

1959: Lake Cliff Park pool demolished

In 1959, the pool at Lake Cliff Park was demolished after a polio scare.

1960: Cowboys join the league

In 1960, the Dallas Cowboys joined the league as an expansion team.

November 22, 1963: John F. Kennedy Assassination

On November 22, 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Downtown Dallas' Dealey Plaza.

1963: Kennedy Assassination

According to the Warren Commission Report, in 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed President John F. Kennedy from the Texas School Book Depository.

1968: Dallas Tornado established

From 1968, the Dallas Tornado played in the North American Soccer League

1969: Anita N. Martínez becomes first Latin American councilwoman

In 1969, Anita N. Martínez became the first Latin American to sit as a councilwoman in Dallas's city council.

1971: Frozen Margarita Machine

In 1971, restaurateur Mariano Martinez invented the Frozen margarita machine.

1972: Texas Rangers relocate from Washington D.C.

In 1972, the Texas Rangers franchise relocated from Washington D.C.

1980: Mavericks join the league

In 1980, the Dallas Mavericks joined the league as an expansion team.

1980: Record High Temperature

On June 26 and 27, 1980, Dallas experienced its all-time record high temperature of 113 °F (45 °C) during the Heat Wave of 1980.

1981: Dallas Tornado finished

To 1981, the Dallas Tornado played in the North American Soccer League.

1984: Original Dallas Sidekicks operate

From 1984, the original Dallas Sidekicks operated.

December 8, 1991: Belo purchases Dallas Times Herald

On December 8, 1991, Belo purchased the Dallas Times Herald.

1993: Dallas Stars move to North Texas

In 1993, the Dallas Stars moved to North Texas from Minnesota.

1996: DART Light Rail System Launched

In 1996, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) began operating the first light rail system in Texas.

1997: FC Dallas win Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

In 1997, FC Dallas won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

1998: Dallas Magpies founded

In 1998, the Dallas Magpies, an Australian rules football team, were founded.

1998: Stars win Stanley Cup

In 1998, the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup.

1999: Dallas Stars Stanley Cup

In 1999, the Dallas Stars (NHL) won the Stanley Cup.

1999: Winter of 1999-2000

The winter of 1999-2000 in Dallas had the fewest freezing nights with 14.

2000: Winter of 1999-2000

The winter of 1999-2000 in Dallas had the fewest freezing nights with 14.

2002: City budget for 2002-2003 fiscal year

In the 2002-2003 fiscal year, the city's total budget was $1.7 billion.

2003: Income Comparison

According to the 2003-2007 survey, the male full-time workers had a median income of $32,265 versus $32,402 for female full-time workers.

2003: DISD student data

As of 2003 DISD has the majority of K–12 students in the city of Dallas, and a proportionately larger number of students who are not non-Hispanic white.

2003: Statement from Royce Hanson

In 2003 Royce Hanson, author of Civic Culture and Urban Change: Governing Dallas, stated that the Plano, Richardson, and Wilmer-Hutchins school districts were the "most significant" of the public school students with students in Dallas who were not in Dallas ISD.

2003: HBC acquired by Univision

In 2003, Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation (HBC) was acquired by Univision and became Univision Radio Inc.

2003: City budget for 2003-2004 fiscal year

In the 2003-2004 fiscal year, the city's total budget was $1.9 billion.

2004: 2004 Presidential Election and Lupe Valdez elected Dallas County Sheriff

In the 2004 U.S. presidential election, 57% of Dallas voters voted for John Kerry over George W. Bush. Also in 2004, Lupe Valdez was elected Dallas County Sheriff.

2004: City budget for 2004-2005 fiscal year

In the 2004-2005 fiscal year, the city's total budget was $2.0 billion.

2004: Original Dallas Sidekicks finished

To 2004, the original Dallas Sidekicks operated.

September 2005: Mark Cuban Land Purchase

In September 2005, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban purchased land along Lamar Street near Cedars Station.

2005: Toyota Stadium opens

In 2005, Toyota Stadium, formerly FC Dallas Stadium and Pizza Hut Park, opened.

2005: City budget for 2005-2006 fiscal year

In the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the city's total budget was $2.2 billion.

2005: Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science was designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects.

2005: Wilmer-Hutchins ISD Shut Down

The Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District was shut down for the 2005–2006 year.

2006: WHISD consolidated into Dallas ISD

Following the close, the Texas Education Agency consolidated WHISD into Dallas ISD in 2006.

2006: Good-Latimer Tunnel Demolished

In late 2006, the Good-Latimer tunnel was torn down to accommodate the construction of a light rail line through the site.

2006: City budget for 2005-2006 fiscal year

In the 2005-2006 fiscal year, the city's total budget was $2.2 billion.

2007: Comerica Relocates

In 2007, Comerica relocated its national headquarters to Downtown Dallas from Detroit.

2007: Median House Price

Per 2007's survey, the median price for a house in Dallas was $129,600.

2008: AT&T Relocates to Dallas

In 2008, AT&T relocated its headquarters to Downtown Dallas.

2008: Trinity River Audubon Center opens

In 2008, the Trinity River Audubon Center opened as a gateway to the Great Trinity Forest.

2008: 2008 election favored Barack Obama

Results in the 2008 election favored Barack Obama, with the 44th President receiving 57% of Dallas County voters.

August 2009: Regional Transportation Council Trolley Project

In August 2009, the Regional Transportation Council agreed to seek $96 million in federal stimulus dollars for a trolley project in Dallas and Fort Worth.

2009: Commuting Statistics

In 2009, 78.5% of Dallas commuters drove to work alone.

2009: Allen Americans founded

In 2009, the Allen Americans were founded in the Central Hockey League (CHL).

2009: Cowboys relocate to new stadium

In 2009, the Dallas Cowboys relocated to their new 80,000-seat stadium in Arlington.

2009: Meadows Museum Partnership

In 2009, the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University joined up with Madrid's Prado Museum for a three-year partnership.

2009: Cotton Bowl Classic moves to AT&T Stadium

In 2009, the college Cotton Bowl Classic football game was played at the Cotton Bowl through its game, but has moved to AT&T Stadium.

February 11, 2010: Record Snowfall

On February 11, 2010, Dallas experienced a record snowfall of 11.2 inches (28 cm).

February 2010: TIGER Grant Awarded for Dallas Streetcar Project

In February 2010, Dallas was awarded a $23 million TIGER grant towards the $58 million Dallas Streetcar Project.

December 6, 2010: Orange Line Extension

On December 6, 2010, the first stage of the Orange Line opened, extending its west end from Bachman to Belt Line Station in Irving.

2010: Demographics in 2010

According to the 2010 U.S. census, 50.7% of the population was White (28.8% non-Hispanic White), 24.8% was Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.9% Asian, and 2.6% from two or more races; 42.4% of the total population was of Hispanic or Latino American origin.

2010: Influx of African American Residents

Between 2010 and 2020, the Dallas area had the second-most new Black and African American residents only behind the Atlanta area.

2010: Household Statistics

In 2010 there were 458,057 households in Dallas.

2010: Texas Rangers win American League pennant

In 2010, the Texas Rangers won the American League pennant.

2011: Dallas Mavericks NBA Championship

In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks (NBA) won the NBA Championship.

2011: Texas Rangers win American League pennant

In 2011, the Texas Rangers won the American League pennant.

2011: New Year's Eve Celebration Record

New Year's Eve 2011 set a new record of 32,000 people in attendance at the celebration in AT&T Plaza.

November 6, 2012: Russian-Speaking Population

As of November 6, 2012, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex had an estimated 70,000 Russian-speakers.

2012: Allen Americans win CHL championship

In 2012, the Allen Americans won the CHL championship.

2012: Dallas Sidekicks (2012) established

In 2012, the Dallas Sidekicks (2012), an American professional indoor soccer team, were established in Allen, Texas.

2012: Iranian Americans in Plano-Richardson

In 2012, the Plano-Richardson area had an estimated 30,000 Iranian Americans.

2012: 2012 election favored Barack Obama

Results in the 2012 election favored Barack Obama, with the 44th President receiving 57% of Dallas County voters.

December 2013: Dallas County Foreign-Born Residents

According to U.S. Census Bureau data released in December 2013, 23 percent of Dallas County residents were foreign-born.

2013: Parks and Recreation Data

As of 2013, Dallas had many parks and recreation areas.

2013: Allen Americans win CHL championship

In 2013, the Allen Americans won the CHL championship.

August 2014: Orange Line Final Phase

In August 2014, the second and final phase of the Orange Line opened, providing DFW Airport with rail service.

September 2014: USS Dallas Decommissioning

After her decommissioning in September 2014, the USS Dallas submarine was planned to become a museum ship near the Trinity River.

2014: Christianity in Dallas

According to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center, Christianity was the most prevalently practiced religion in Dallas and the wider metropolitan area (78%).

2014: Evangelical Protestantism

According to the Pew Research Center, as of 2014, evangelical Protestantism constituted the largest form of Protestantism in the Dallas area.

2014: Allen Americans win ECHL championship

In 2014, the Allen Americans won the ECHL championship.

2014: Dallas area hosts NCAA Final Four

In 2014, the Dallas area hosted the Final Four of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament at AT&T Stadium.

2014: Oil Price Drop

Starting in mid-2014, a sudden drop in the price of oil did not significantly affect Dallas due to its diversified economy.

2015: Households Without a Car

In 2015, 10.2 percent of Dallas households lacked a car.

2015: Dallas Economy Strengthening

In 2015, Dallas's growth continued unabated due to national headquarters relocations and expansions of regional offices.

2015: Allen Americans win ECHL championship

In 2015, the Allen Americans won the ECHL championship.

2015: American Community Survey Commuting Statistics

In 2015, the American Community Survey estimated that 75.4% of Dallas commuters drove to work alone.

2015: Dallas Real Estate Boom

Since 2015, Dallas and the greater metro area have been leading the nation in apartment construction and net leasing, with rents reaching all-time highs, and single family home sales and home price appreciation leading the nation.

July 7, 2016: Dallas Police Shooting

On July 7, 2016, a gunman opened fire at a Black Lives Matter protest in Downtown Dallas, killing five police officers and injuring nine others. Two bystanders were also injured in the deadliest day for U.S. law enforcement since 9/11.

October 2016: Jacobs Engineering Relocates

In October 2016, Jacobs Engineering relocated from Pasadena, California to Downtown Dallas.

2016: Households Without a Car

In 2016, 9.1 percent of Dallas households lacked a car, decreasing from the previous year. The national average was 8.7 percent.

2016: FC Dallas win Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and Supporters' Shield

In 2016, FC Dallas won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the Supporters' Shield.

2016: FC Dallas Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

In 2016, MLS team FC Dallas won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

2016: Plano Chinese American population

In 2016, Plano, a northern suburb of Dallas, had the 6th largest Chinese American population among large-sized cities in the United States.

2016: Dallas Wings relocate to The Metroplex

In 2016, the Dallas Wings relocated to The Metroplex from Tulsa.

2016: 2016 Presidential Election

In the 2016 presidential election, approximately 66% of Dallas voters voted for Hillary Clinton, with 28% of city voters voting for Donald Trump.

2017: AT&T Ranking

In 2017, AT&T was the ninth largest company in the nation by revenue.

2017: Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders population

In 2017, the population of Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders was at 606, while at 2019, it was at 312.

2017: City budget for 2017-2018 fiscal year

In the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the city's total budget was $3.3 billion.

2018: Housing Rates

In 2018, the owner-occupied housing rate in Dallas was 40.2% and the renter-occupied housing rate was 59.8%.

2018: City budget for 2017-2018 fiscal year

In the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the city's total budget was $3.3 billion.

2018: Dallas Foreign-Born Population

The 2018 census estimates determined that the city of Dallas's foreign-born population consisted of 25.4% naturalized citizens and 74.6% non-citizens.

January 2019: VisitDallas Audit Released

In January 2019, an audit released cast doubts on VisitDallas' effectiveness in promoting tourism and attracting conventions.

November 2019: Fair Park Revitalization Master Plan presented

In November 2019, consultants presented to the public a master plan to revitalize Fair Park.

2019: Demographics

At the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 estimates, 29.1% of Dallas's population were non-Hispanic White, 24.3% Black and African American, 0.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, 3.7% Asian, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino Americans of any race made up 41.2%.

2020: Christianity in Dallas

According to the Public Religion Research Institute's 2020 study, Christianity was the most prevalently practiced religion in Dallas and the wider metropolitan area (77%).

2020: Population in 2020

At the 2020 United States census the city of Dallas had 1,304,379 residents, an increase of 106,563 since the 2010 United States census.

2020: Influx of African American Residents

Between 2010 and 2020, the Dallas area had the second-most new Black and African American residents only behind the Atlanta area.

2020: Largest Ethnic Group

By 2020, Hispanic or Latino Americans of any race constituted the largest ethnic group in Dallas.

2020: Median House Price

By 2020, the median price for a house was valued at $252,300.

2020: CBRE headquarters moved to Dallas

CBRE moved its headquarters from Los Angeles to Dallas in 2020.

2020: Household Statistics

In 2020 there were 524,498 households in Dallas.

2020: Dallas Murder Rate Increase

In 2020, Dallas recorded 251 murders which was a 20-year high, and gang presence grew significantly.

2020: Dallas Jackals announced as new franchise

In 2020, Major League Rugby announced the Dallas Jackals as a new franchise.

2020: Dallas Population

In 2020, the census recorded Dallas' population at 1,304,379, making it the ninth-most populous city in the U.S.

2020: Presidential Election

In the 2020 presidential election, over 69% of Dallas voters supported Joe Biden.

February 2021: Cold-Sensitive Plants Died Off

During the February 2021 North American winter storm, cold-sensitive plants in Dallas, like Washingtonia palms, died off.

February 2021: North American Winter Storm

In February 2021, Dallas experienced a severe North American winter storm.

February 16, 2021: Low Temperature During Winter Storm

On February 16, 2021, during the February 2021 North American winter storm, the temperature at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport reached −2 °F (−19 °C).

2021: McKesson Ranking

In 2021, McKesson was listed at number seven overall on the Fortune 500 list.

July 1, 2022: Dallas population loss

As of July 1, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Dallas in first years since the 2020 census lost 4,835 people, leaving the city with a population of 1,299,544.

2022: Dallas Murder Rate Decreased

By 2022, the Dallas murder rate decreased to 214.

2022: Fortune 500 Companies in DFW

In 2022, Dallas had 11 Fortune 500 companies, and the DFW region as a whole had 23, representing the second-largest concentration in Texas and fourth-largest in the United States.