Historic Walking Tours Of DFW
Dallas and Ft. Worth are not known as "walking cities" but they are steeped with historical areas that are fun to explore. Lace up your walking shoes; there are a few areas that can be explored in a day.
Old City Park aka Dallas Heritage Village
1515 Harwood St.
Dallas, TX 75215
(214) 421-5141
www.dallasheritagevillage.org
Dallas' first public park is home to Texas' largest collection of 19th century Victorian homes. Strolling through 20 acres of trees, homes and commercial buildings transports you back to a time when things appeared to be simple. Dallas Heritage Square has tours and reenactments throughout the day to explain more of the detailed history of the property. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors (65+) and $5 for children (4 to 12 years).
Bishop Arts – Oak Cliff
Bishop St. Market
419 N. Bishop Ave.
Dallas, TX 75208
www.bishopartsdistrict.weebly.com
Bishop Arts is a well-established trendy shopping and dining area near Bishop and Davis Street located just south of the city of Dallas in the north end of the neighborhood known as Oak Cliff. It is home to over 60 independent boutiques, theaters, bars, restaurants and art galleries. Oak Cliff is also the home of the famed Texas Theater. The "Texas" was the first in the area to feature air-conditioning and talking pictures when it opened in 1931. It is also famed for being the location in November of 1963 when police stormed in to arrest a man who entered the building without paying. The man was a suspect wanted in connection with the slaying of Officer J.D. Tippit and later President John F. Kennedy. The man's name was Lee Harvey Oswald.
White Rock Lake
Garland Road
Dallas, TX 75218
www.whiterocklake.org
White Rock Lake was built from White Rock Creek, an area where Native American tribes brought bison to drink and graze along its banks. Beautiful homes were built by European settlers of the area (McCommas, Fisher, Cox) and communities grew around the creek. It became a water supply for the growing City of Dallas when its banks were damned, creating White Rock Lake. It grew into the "People's Playground" when a park was created complete with sandy shores for a "beach." Under President Franklin D. Roosevelt as part of his "New Deal," the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) took up residence at the eastern tip of the lake. Several tours take place in the spring and fall to showcase some of the unique, historic homes. White Rock Lake is home to the several rowing teams, Bath House Cultural Center and the Dallas Arboretum.
Related: Best Indie Movie Theaters In DFW
West End
Market St. and Ross Ave.
Dallas, TX 75202
www.dallaswestend.org
The historic West End District includes the infamous Grassy Knoll, Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum formerly known as the Book Depository Building, the first city jail and Old Red Courthouse. This area originally started as a trading post along the Trinity River. When the Houston and Texas Railroad came to downtown, the city began to bloom. Now, the area is a history and dining mecca. Conspiracy theorists gather at Dealey Plaza to discuss the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Sundance Square – Ft. Worth Stockyards
201 Main St.
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 255-5700
www.sundancesquare.com
Sundance Square is Ft. Worth's center attraction. It boasts three different fountains – jetted, wave wall and commemorative. Unique shops, services, hotels, dining, concerts and special events all utilize the Square. It doesn't die down when the sun goes down. The Sundance lights up with music and theatrical performances from the venues that flank the square. While in Ft. Worth, one should "boot scoot" down to the Ft. Worth Stockyards. The attraction is its history. In the late 1800s, more than four million cattle were driven through the area, which is how Ft. Worth acquired the name "Cowtown." A processing and packing plant joined the stockyards as well as a telegraph company and other supporting business and established Ft. Worth as the "Wall Street of the West."
