Dallas is known throughout the country for its outstanding barbecue, abundance of Tex-Mex, and fanatic love for Cowboys football. While these stereotypes are well-founded, there are several other reasons to know and love Dallas. Even if you think you know Texas’ second largest city well, you may find some of these fascinating statistics and historical factoids interesting.
DFW is the country’s largest landlocked metropolitan area
The New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago metro areas all have larger populations than Dallas. But like most large cities, they’re situated on navigable bodies of water. Dallas is not. But even without a container port or easy access to maritime trade routes, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington has grown into the fourth largest metro area in the country. And it’s still one of the fastest growing metro areas, in terms of both GDP and population growth.
Dallas is home to the nation’s largest urban arts district
The Dallas Arts District is the largest urban arts district in the United States. Located downtown, the 68-acre performing and visual arts district is a hub for creativity and inspiration. Highlights include the Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Theatre Center, Morton. H. Meyerson Symphony Center, and Nasher Sculpture Center. The Dallas Arts District is just one mile from Uptown Dallas apartment rentals at AMLI Quadrangle.
The Cowboys were first called the Steers
With five championship trophies and eight Super Bowl appearances to its name, the Dallas Cowboys’ success is a source of great envy and admiration in the pro sports world. During its 58-year tenure, the club has called three different fields home and seen hundreds of players come and go. But it hasn’t changed its franchise since its inaugural year. Dallas’ NFL team kicked off its career as the Steers, then spent a few weeks playing as the Rangers before general manager Tex Schramm settled on the Cowboys.
AT&T Stadium is the world’s largest column-free room
AT&T Stadium, the Cowboys’ home field since 2009, boasts the world’s largest column-free interiorEven with the retractable roof closed, the Statue of Liberty could stand inside the stadium with 15 feet of clearance.
The Dallas Zoo opened with an animal population of four
In 1888, the City of Dallas bought two mountain lions and two deer from a Colorado City resident. The city placed the animals in pens in City Park, and the Dallas Zoo was born. Today, the award-winning zoo is home to 2,000+ animals, with more than 400 species represented.
Dallas is home to the country’s largest model train exhibit
Eight trains run simultaneously on the two-story model railroad, on permanent display in the lobby of the Children’s Medical Center Dallas. The free exhibit is wildly considered one of the most engaging and family-friendly attractions in the DFW metroplex.
Dallas is the only city to host the Super Bowl, World Series, and NBA Championship games in the same calendar year
AT&T Stadium was selected to host Super Bowl XLV long before we knew who would compete for the title. The Cowboys did not end up playing for the trophy. But a few months after the Packers defeated the Steelers in Arlington’s first Super Bowl match, the Mavericks brought three 2011 NBA championship games to American Airlines Center. In October, Sporting News recognized Dallas as Sports City of the year. A few days later, the Rangers brought even more championship action to the metro area. The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Rangers in an exciting seven-game series. But the Rangers’ American League championship is all that was required to give Dallas this exciting trifecta of sports championship action.
Highland Park Village was the nation’s first planned shopping center
Long a pioneer and leader in retail innovation and sales, Dallas has a well-deserved reputation as a shopping mecca. When Highland Park Village was developed in 1931, it was the first and only planned cluster of retail shops in the country. Today, DFW boasts more retail space per-capita than any other metro area in the country.
DFW is the world’s third-largest airport
With a surface area totaling more than 30 square miles, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is larger than the isle of Manhattan. The world’s third largest airport is also one of the busiest. In the United States, only Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta, LAX, and Chicago’s O’Hare airport see more commercial airline traffic.
Bonnie and Clyde hail from these parts
Infamous crime duo Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were both born on Dallas’ outer reaches. Before their time on the lam came to a fatal end, Bonnie and Clyde spent 21 months robbing local banks, gas stations, and restaurants. For much of that time, they hid out in Fort Worth’s historic Stockyards Hotel. To this day, guests can book a night in the “Bonnie and Clyde suite.” Both outlaws were also laid rest in Dallas, albeit in different cemeteries.
Like what you just read? Why not subscribe to the AMLI Blog so you don’t miss another post?
View All Posts by Jason Ernst