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My daughter and I are currently on a mission to explore the world. However, recently we went back to our hometown to spend the holidays with our family. During our time in Dallas, I decided to look at our city through the eyes of a traveler. To my delight, I discovered that Dallas had a rich and fascinating history. I want to share some of my findings with you in this article.
Let’s take a little round trip with these fun facts about Dallas!
1. The world’s first 7-Eleven
7-Eleven began in Dallas as Southland Ice Company in 1927. Originally, the convenience store sold ice for food preservation. The company eventually added more products to its stores and changed its name to 7-Eleven in 1946. The name reflected its new opening hours at the time: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
7-Eleven is still headquartered in Dallas. It now operates in 20 countries and has nearly 80,000 locations. 7-Elevens look different in each country, and it’s fascinating to see what they offer in other parts of the world.
2. Dallas is nicknamed “Big D”
The 1956 musical, The Most Happy Fella, has a song in it called “Big D.” The song is about Dallas, and the refrain spells out the name of the city: “Big D, little A, double L, A, S.” After numerous prominent singers of the era recorded the catchy tune, it gained popularity and the nickname “Big D” stuck.
You can listen to the song here.
3. The Pegasus is a symbol of Dallas
The original red Pegasus sign sat atop the Magnolia Hotel from 1934 to 1999 until it was taken down due to structural issues. Another Pegasus was built to replace it, and the original Pegasus went into storage for more than a decade. During that time, it got misplaced, so a search team was assembled to find it.
The Pegasus was eventually located at a storage facility near White Rock Lake and restored for $200,000. The 1934 Pegasus sign now sits on an oil derrick in front of the Omni Dallas Hotel.
4. The State Fair of Texas
The renowned State Fair of Texas began in 1886 and has been held every year with few exceptions. The fair did not take place in 1918 due to World War I, from 1942 to 1945 as a result of World War II, and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There is a 55-foot (16.8 m) cowboy statue named Big Tex which has been a symbol of the State Fair of Texas since 1952. Big Tex was destroyed by a fire in 2012, then, rebuilt in 2013. The fair usually begins the last Friday of September and runs for a few weeks.
The State Fair is a kid-friendly event that boasts tons of rides, games, and interesting foods to try.
You can read more about the State Fair of Texas on its official website.
5. The Old Red Courthouse
The Old Red Courthouse was built between 1890 and 1892. This makes it one of the few remaining structures from 19th-century Dallas. The Romanesque Revival-style building is made of red sandstone and blue granite.
The first courthouse in Dallas was built in the same location in 1846. It was a 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 m) log cabin.
6. The Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys, a well-known American football team, is worth around $8 billion USD. The team was established in 1960. The Cowboys are also known by the nickname “America’s Team” because their popularity extends beyond the Dallas area.
7. A fire destroyed nearly all of Dallas in 1860
On July 8, 1860, Dallas went up in flames, and nearly every structure in the city was destroyed. At the time, the population was about 700 people. Most of the buildings in the area were made of wood, and there was no fire department to respond to the disaster.
8. There’s a 360-degree view of Dallas from the Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
The GeO-Deck of Reunion Tower is a great place to take kids. This observation deck gives you a spectacular view of Dallas from 470 feet (143 m) above. Along the inner wall of the GeO-Deck, you can interact with touch screens designed to teach you more about the history and geography of the area.
9. The Dallas World Aquarium
The Dallas World Aquarium opened to the public in 1992. In order to construct the aquarium, the old warehouse that was earmarked for the project was gutted and rebuilt. Later, the aquarium acquired an adjacent empty building and expanded in size. In 2000, a vacant lot was obtained to create the Mundo Maya exhibit, which opened to the public in 2004.
The Dallas World Aquarium is an amazing place to visit with kids. There is more to see than ocean life.
The facility is home to different animal species from all around the world. The aquarium has monkeys, sloths, bats, and various types of birds.
10. The cattle drive sculpture at Pioneer Plaza
Pioneer Plaza is the most-visited landmark in Dallas after Dealey Plaza. The sculpture at the plaza depicts a 19th-century cattle drive with three cowboys moving a herd of 49 Texas longhorns. The project was completed in 1994 by artist Robert Summers.
Each longhorn is six feet high and is made of bronze.
Thanks for joining me on this fun-facts trip to Dallas!
Have you visited Dallas, Texas? If so, we would love to hear from you! If there are other attractions not to be missed, please comment below.
Maybe you are planning to visit soon, tell us what you are looking forward to seeing most.
Did you enjoy these fun facts about Dallas?
Check out also other articles in our Fun Facts Series:
10 Fun Facts about Boulder, Colorado
20 Fun Facts About Charlotte, North Carolina
10 Fun Facts About Washington D.C. for Kid
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Lidia
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- 10 Fun Facts About Dallas, Texas for Kids - February 27, 2023
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