Diana Petterson North American Continent, Texas Treasures, U.S. Travels

Backyard Traveler: Downtown Dallas

The Old Red Dallas County Courthouse, built in 1892 is now a museum. Sept. 26, 2015

Having worked in downtown Dallas for more than 27 years (subtracting a 4-year stint in our nation’s capital) and now living just a stones throw away in Uptown, yesterday, I got to really see parts of downtown up close. Along with 20 or so photographers, I took part in The Dallas Photo Walk. It was my first time with this group and I can honestly say, I enjoyed myself. The photo walk began at Dealey Plaza, down Main Street, up Commerce Street to the Dallas Pioneer Park Cemetery and for me, back to the A. Maceo Smith Federal Building.

The original Pegasus whose home was on the roof of the Magnolia Building on Main Street in downtown Dallas was installed this year by the Omni Hotel. But the bronze-looking building seen behind it is the A. Maceo Smith Federal Building, my workplace. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The photo walking group met yesterday morning by the statue of George Bannerman Dealey, an early publisher of the Dallas Morning News and civic leader. The area surrounding the statue, Dealey Plaza, is a National Historic Landmark. This area is also more known and associated with the tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The pergola along Elm Street is part of Dealey Plaza but is also the area known as the “grassy knoll,” for those who believe there may have been a second assassin of the president who could have been on the grassy hillside. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The Old Red Dallas County Courthouse, built in 1892 is now a museum. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The Old Red Dallas County Courthouse, built in 1892 is now a museum. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The museum entrance to the old and beautiful Old Red Courthouse. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The John F. Kennedy Memorial is behind some stately trees. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The Kennedy memorial was designed by Phillip Johnson and is an open air square granite tomb. (Sept. 26, 2015)
A view of the Old Red Dallas Courthouse to the right, the Reunion Arena Tower in the middle and the Kennedy Memorial to the left…with the Dallas County Records Department behind it. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The Union Park is a restaurant, that I’ve never eaten in, but I love the architectural elements of this building. I tried to find more historical information about this former Republic Bank Building on Main Street but didn’t come across much. (Sept. 26, 2015)
A close up of the architectural details of the former Republic Bank Building, current Union Park restaurant on Main Street in downtown Dallas. (Sept. 26, 2015)
My attempt at a selfie. (Sept. 26, 2015)
Pegasus Plaza at the corner of Akard and Main Streets in downtown Dallas. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The mosaic-tile art work at the St. Jude Catholic Chapel in downtown Dallas. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The restaurant-lined street leading to the “All Seeing Eye.” (Sept. 26, 2015)
The all seeing “Eye,” is a 30-foot tall eyeball sculpture. Having spent time in Chicago, the Eye, by artist Tony Tasset, has been on exhibit in Dallas since 2013. (Sept. 26, 2015)
Eying the “Eye” close up. (Sept. 26, 2015)
Entrance to the Main Street Garden which includes a cafe, shaded area, splash fountain, dog park and a children’s play area. It covers the block of Main, St. Paul, Harwood and Commerce. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The shaded area of the Main Street Garden. (Sept. 26, 2015)
A view of downtown Dallas from the Main Street Garden. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The Mercantile National Bank Building, now called The Merc Apartments, has been gracing the Dallas skyline since 1943. (Sept. 26, 2015)
This piece of art is on the Mercantile Continental Building on Commerce Street. The 30-foot high mosaic sculpture by artist Millard Sheets includes a cowboy, native Americans, horses and wild animals made of carved stone, brightly colored Italian glass tile and 22-karat gold. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The flagship and corporate headquarters for Neiman Marcus. (Sept. 26, 2015)
Pedestrian passageway by Neiman Marcus. (Sept. 26, 2015)
This landmark is the Magnolia Hotel, which opened as the 29-story skyscraper Magnolia Petroleum Building in 1922. In 1934, the Pegasus…the original, was erected on the building’s roof. (Sept. 26, 2015)
Close up of the Magnolia Hotel building. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The fabulous facade of the Adolphus Hotel, which was opened in 1912, is currently under renovation. (Sept. 26, 2015)
An old photo of Dallas on the side of an apartment complex on Field between Jackson and Wood Streets. (Sept. 26, 2015)
Headstones at the Dallas Pioneer Park Cemetery which has evidence of burials since 1846. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The Pioneer Plaza cattle drive sculptures commemorate the 19th century cattle drives that took place along the Shawnee Trail through Austin, Waco and Dallas. The 49 bronze steers and 3 trail rider sculptures were created by artist Robert Summers. (Sept. 26, 2015)
One of the bronze trail riders of the Pioneer Plaza cattle drive sculptures. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The Pioneer Plaza cattle drive sculptures commemorate the 19th century cattle drives that took place along the Shawnee Trail through Austin, Waco and Dallas. (Sept. 26, 2015)
The bronze sculpture cattle drive and across the street is my workplace, the A. Maceo Smith Federal Building…and across from it is the Omni Hotel.   (Sept. 26, 2015)
What use to be the front door entrance to my workplace, the A. Maceo Smith Federal Building and the Omni Hotel across the street. (Sept. 26, 2015)
This is just part of my work day Dallas view from the 7th floor of the A. Maceo Smith Federal Building. The ball is the Reunion Tower and the former Belo Building to the right is undergoing a renovation. (Sept. 26, 2015)