Dallas

—Dallasite, n.

/dal"euhs/, n.

1. George Mifflin /mif"lin/, 1792-1864, U.S. diplomat: vice-president of the U.S. 1845-49.

2. a city in NE Texas. 904,078.

* * *

City (pop., 2000: 1,188,580), northern Texas, U.S. Located on the Trinity River, it was first settled in 1841 and was probably named for George Dallas.

While cotton fed the town's growth, the discovery in 1930 of the great East Texas oil field made the city a major centre of the petroleum industry. It saw spectacular growth after World War II, when several large aircraft-manufacturing firms located in the area. These were followed by electronics and automobile-assembly plants. It is the headquarters of more than 100 insurance companies and the Southwest's leading financial centre, as well as a transportation hub. Its many educational institutions include Southern Methodist University (founded 1911). It is known for its cultural activities; the Dallas Theater Center is the only theatre designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

* * *

▪ American television show

      American television soap opera that revolutionized prime-time drama and was among the most popular programs of the 1980s. Dallas started as a five-part miniseries on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) in April 1978 and continued to air for 13 full seasons (1978–91), becoming one of the era's signature shows and a global phenomenon.

      The show was the brainchild of David Jacobs and was set in the Texas city of the title. It focused on the tumultuous personal lives and vicious, Machiavellian business exploits of the Ewing family, whose members all live under the same roof at the sprawling ranch known as Southfork. The clan included “Jock” Ewing (played by Jim Davis) and “Miss Ellie” Ewing (Barbara Bel Geddes), the patriarch and matriarch, respectively; their three sons, foremost among them the eldest, J.R. (Larry Hagman, previously best known for his comedic role on I Dream of Jeannie [1965–70]), and his long-suffering, alcoholic wife, Sue Ellen (Linda Gray). As the ruthless, devious oil tycoon that audiences loved to hate, Hagman redefined the soap opera villain-protagonist. The show borrowed a familiar premise from Romeo and Juliet—young lovers from feuding families—for one of its key plotlines: the marriage and subsequent drama between J.R.'s youngest brother, Bobby (Patrick Duffy, in a career-defining role), and Pamela Barnes (Victoria Principal), the sister of rival oil tycoon—and J.R.'s chief nemesis—Cliff Barnes (Ken Kercheval).

      A whirlwind tale of wealth and power, scheming intrigue, and dramatic feuds, Dallas quickly became an international favourite, and the exploits of the Ewing clan and their assorted relatives, allies, and enemies were broadcast in more than 130 countries. Amid the never-ending saga of secret affairs, backstabbing (both business and personal), gunfights, car accidents, and various dramatic twists and turns, Dallas became best known for its cliff-hangers at the end of each season, the most notorious of which was the “Who Shot J.R.?” episode at the end of the second season, which ended with J.R. lying on the floor of his office, felled by an unknown attacker. After a summer of frenzied speculation, the first episode of the third season, which revealed the identity of the assailant, broke American television ratings records, and the phrase “Who Shot J.R.?” entered the lexicon of American popular culture.

      Dallas was nominated for 21 Emmy Awards (it won 4), as well as numerous other awards. The prototypical prime-time soap opera, it ushered in a new era of complicated, big-budget serial dramas and served as a model for other shows, including Knots Landing (a Dallas spin-off), Dynasty, and Melrose Place.

▪ Texas, United States

Introduction

  city, Dallas, Collin, Denton, Rockwell, and Kaufman counties, seat (1846) of Dallas county, north-central Texas, U.S. It lies along the Trinity River near the junction of that river's three forks, in a region of prairies, tree-lined creeks and rivers, and gentle hills. Its winters are mild with brief cold spells, but summers are hot with moderate to high humidity. Dallas is the state's third most populous city (after Houston and San Antonio) and the metropolis of the sprawling Dallas–Fort Worth urban area, known locally as the Metroplex. Fort Worth lies 30 miles (48 km) west; other major cities in the metropolitan region include Arlington, Carrollton, Denton, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, Lewisville, Mesquite, Plano, Richardson, and University Park. Dallas has a council-manager form of government that was established there in 1931. Inc. town, 1856; city, 1871. Area city, 385 square miles (997 square km). Pop. (2000) city, 1,188,580; Dallas-Plano-Irving MD, 3,451,226; Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington MSA, 5,161,544; (2007 est.) city, 1,240,499; Dallas-Plano-Irving MD, 4,111,529; Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington MSA, 6,145,037.

History

      In 1841 John Neely Bryan, a lawyer and trader from Tennessee, built the first cabin (now restored) in the area on the riverbank. Other settlers moved into the region, and a town site was laid out in 1844. The origin of the community's name is uncertain; most likely it is named for early settler Joseph Dallas or for George Mifflin Dallas (Dallas, George Mifflin), vice president (1845–49) of the United States. Its early settlement was augmented by Swiss and German immigrants and in the late 1850s by French artisans from the unsuccessful Fourierist (Fourierism) utopian colony at nearby La Réunion. Large numbers of African Americans moved into the area after the American Civil War.

      Commercial growth was stimulated by the arrival of the railroads in the 1870s. A huge wholesale market developed, with many of the city's retail stores serving the American Southwest; one, Neiman-Marcus (Neiman Marcus), has become internationally known. The adjacent communities of East Dallas and Oak Cliff were annexed in 1889 and 1903, respectively, greatly expanding the city's size.

      Locally produced grain, leather, and especially cotton (grown in the black-clay fields around Dallas) fed the city's early growth and were followed by insurance and, later, oil. The Dallas Cotton Exchange was organized in 1907 and in the early decades of the 20th century was one of the world's largest cotton markets. In addition, the city was a top manufacturer of cotton-ginning machinery. Also during the early 20th century, Dallas was a centre of food processing and the manufacture of textiles and leather products, and an automobile plant and a branch bank of the Federal Reserve System were established there. Mexican immigrants contributed to the population growth. In 1930 C.M. (“Dad”) Joiner discovered the great East Texas oil field, which attracted investment and made the city a major centre of the petroleum industry. Dallas's Central Centennial Exposition (1936), the state's official observance of the Texas revolution centennial, was a boon to the city's Depression-era economy, and one of the country's first shopping centres opened in 1931 in the suburb of Highland Park.

      The city began a period of spectacular growth during and after World War II, when several large aircraft-manufacturing plants were established in the area. These were followed by electronics and automobile-assembly plants. Dallas was thrust abruptly into the international spotlight on November 22, 1963, when U.S. President John F. Kennedy (Kennedy, John F.) was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through the downtown area. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974, drawing business to the region and making it an attractive location for corporate headquarters. The oil business reached its peak in the early 1980s; however, by the end of the decade the industry had gone bust, and thereafter its contribution to the economy decreased dramatically. In 1987 Annette Strauss became the city's first elected female mayor, and in 1995 the first African American mayor, Ron Kirk, was elected.

The contemporary city

 Dallas today is a cosmopolitan city known for its high concentration of restaurants and shopping centres. Skyscrapers, such as NationsBank Plaza (1985) and Reunion Tower (1978), create a striking night skyline. The population density is unusually low for a major metropolitan area, reflecting the predominance of single-family homes (about two-thirds of all dwelling units). The city is ethnically diverse, with less than half its population being of European descent. About one-fourth of the residents are African American, and more than one-third are Hispanic. Dallas became well-known in popular culture as the setting for the eponymous television drama series (originally broadcast 1978–91); the ranch where the show was filmed is now a tourist attraction and convention centre.

      Dallas's modern economy is well diversified. A top global wholesale market, the city is the home of the Dallas Market Center (1957), the world's largest wholesale merchandise complex. In addition, it is the world headquarters of the U.S. Army and Air Force Exchange Service, which provides goods and services to military personnel. Wholesale and retail trade combine with services (particularly business, financial, and health) to form the backbone of the economy. Dallas is the leading banking, financial, and trade centre for the Southwest, and some 6,000 companies have their corporate headquarters there. The city is also a busy convention centre and a hub of airline services. It is a well-known medical centre; the headquarters of the American Heart Association is there, as are Baylor (Baylor University) College of Dentistry (1905) and the University of Texas (Texas, University of) Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (1943).

      Dallas has one of the country's largest concentrations of telecommunications and high-technology manufacturing and services companies. The top technology fields include software production, computer services, and manufacturing of computer hardware, semiconductors, and wireless communication equipment. Food processing, publishing, printing, and advertising are also important. Clothing manufacture is less significant than in the past, but the city is still known as a regional fashion and women's apparel centre. Aerospace manufacturing remains an economic factor, although production greatly decreased during the 1990s. Hundreds of oil companies are still headquartered in Dallas, as are many drilling-equipment supply firms and geophysical exploration firms; however, oil and gas extraction now has little economic impact. Cotton's importance to the city has also declined.

      Dallas is a major transportation hub and the trucking and distribution centre of the Southwest. The international airport is one of the world's busiest, and the amount of cargo passing through it ranks it as the largest inland port in the United States. The city operates a second major airport, Love Field, and a smaller facility for corporate aircraft and general aviation. The region has an extensive network of highways and commuter-rail and light-rail transit systems.

      The Dallas–Fort Worth region is one of the state's principal centres of higher education. In addition to the schools mentioned above, institutions in the Dallas area include Dallas Baptist University (1898), Southern Methodist University (1911), the University of Dallas (1956), the University of Texas at Dallas (1961), and several community colleges.

      The city is known for its cultural activities, including opera, ballet, musicals, and symphony concerts; a notable facility is the Kalita Humphreys Theater (1959; part of the Dallas Theater Center), designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (Wright, Frank Lloyd). Dallas's arts district is the frequent site of shows and festivals and includes the Dallas Museum of Art, sculpture gardens, galleries of Asian art, and the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center (1989), designed by I.M. Pei (Pei, I.M.). Pioneer Plaza at the Dallas Convention Center features a life-size bronze sculpture of a cattle drive, complete with 70 head of cattle and 3 cowboys. Old City Park preserves some three dozen restored North Texas buildings, most from the 19th century. The John F. Kennedy Memorial Plaza is near the spot where that president was assassinated; the Sixth Floor Museum (in the building facing the plaza from which the assassin allegedly shot) is dedicated to the assassination and its aftereffects.

      Fair Park contains extensive recreational facilities, including the Cotton Bowl (home of the annual American collegiate gridiron football classic), a music hall, several museums (including African American art, natural history, and science), a planetarium, an aquarium, a horticulture centre, and the fairgrounds of one of the country's largest annual state expositions. The Dallas Zoo is noted for its reptile collection. Texas Stadium in Irving is the home of the Dallas Cowboys (American football) and the team's famous cheerleaders; other professional sports teams include the Texas Rangers (baseball), Dallas Mavericks (basketball), Dallas Stars (ice hockey), and Dallas Burn (football [soccer]). Several lakes in and around the city provide outdoor recreational opportunities; White Rock Lake, a reservoir in the northeastern part of the city, is surrounded by parkland that includes an arboretum.

* * *