The West End Historic District of

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, is a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains historic building, older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal p ...

that includes a area in northwest

downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...

, generally north of Commerce, east of I-35E, west of Lamar and south of the

Woodall Rodgers Freeway Woodall may refer to: People Given name * Woodall Rodgers (1890–1961), attorney, businessman and mayor of Dallas Surname * Al Woodall (born 1945), American football player * Corbet Woodall (1929–1982), British newsreader for the BBC * Derek W ...

. It is south of Victory Park, west of the

Arts The arts or creative arts are a vast range of human practices involving creativity, creative expression, storytelling, and cultural participation. The arts encompass diverse and plural modes of thought, deeds, and existence in an extensive ...

City Center A city centre, also known as an urban core, is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms that exist in ...

, and Main Street districts, and north of the

Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

and Reunion districts. A portion of the district is listed on the U.S.

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as Westend Historic District. A smaller area is also a Dallas Landmark District. The far western part of the district belongs to the Dealey Plaza Historic District, a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

around structures and memorials associated with the

assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Kennedy was in the vehicle with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onas ...

History

The area that would become the West End originally consisted simply of a trading post, established by

John Neely Bryan John Neely Bryan (December 24, 1810 – September 8, 1877) was a Presbyterian farmer, lawyer, and tradesman in the United States and founder of the city of Dallas, Texas. Early life Bryan was born to James and Elizabeth (Neely) Bryan in Faye ...

. In July 1872, the Houston & Texas Central Railroad arrived downtown, attracting manufacturing companies whose warehouses would come to define the architecture of the West End. The district reached nationwide prominence in the 1960s, when President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...

was

assassinated Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

in a Presidential motorcade traveling through

Dealey Plaza Dealey Plaza is a city park in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas, Texas. It is sometimes called the "birthplace of Dallas". It was also the location of the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963. The Dealey Plaza Historic ...

. While the assassination brought the attention to the West End, the district's economy still struggled, with many businesses leaving the city center for suburban locations. As development changed downtown Dallas and older buildings were demolished, local developer Preston Carter Jr. began the revitalization of the West End in June 1976 in an effort to preserve its history. Old warehouses and other brick buildings were converted to restaurants and shops. In November 1978, the West End Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, over seven million people visit the West End annually, making it one of the city's leading tourist attractions. In recent years the area has suffered a decline. The West End Marketplace, a massive mall/entertainment complex, closed its doors on June 30, 2006. Due to the recent development of Victory Park, the main marketplace was redeveloped into an apartment and business complex.

Attractions

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial The John Fitzgerald Kennedy Memorial is a monument to United States president John Fitzgerald Kennedy in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States, erected in 1970, and designed by noted architect Philip Johnson. ...

Old Red Museum Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

Dallas World Aquarium The Dallas World Aquarium is a for-profit aquarium and zoo located in the West End Historic District of Dallas, Texas, USA. It aids conservation and education by housing many animals that are threatened or endangered as part of a cooperative br ...

* Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education & Tolerance *The Sixth Floor Museum, located in the

Texas School Book Depository The Texas School Book Depository, later known as the Dallas County Administration Building and now "The Sixth Floor Museum", is a seven-floor building facing Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. The building was Lee Harvey Oswald's vantage point du ...

, the building from which

Lee Harvey Oswald Lee Harvey Oswald (October 18, 1939 – November 24, 1963) was a U.S. Marine veteran who assassinated John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, on November 22, 1963. Oswald was placed in juvenile detention at age 12 for truan ...

shot President

according to the conclusions of four government investigations. File:West End Marketplace.jpg, A giant dinosaur greets visitors to the

West End Market Place West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...

(Picture circa 2002. No longer there) File:DART's West End Station in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas.jpg, Looking west along Pacific Street at West End Station

Transportation

Light rail

* DART: , , , ** West End Station

Education

The district is zoned to schools in the

Dallas Independent School District The Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD or DISD) is a school district based in Dallas, Texas, United States. It operates schools in much of Dallas County, Texas, Dallas County and is the second-largest school district in Texas and t ...

. Residents of the district south of Pacific are zoned to City Park Elementary School,

Billy Earl Dade Middle School Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) * Billy (surname), a surname (and list of people with the surname) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (py ...

, and James Madison High School. Residents north of Pacific are zoned to Hope Medrano Elementary School, Thomas J. Rusk Middle School, and

North Dallas High School North Dallas High School is a public secondary school located in the Oak Lawn area of Dallas, Texas, United States. It enrolls students in grades 9- 12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. As of 2017, the principal administ ...

.Dallas ISD
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City Park
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Madison
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References

External links

* {{National Register of Historic Places in Texas Dallas Landmarks Economy of Dallas National Register of Historic Places in Dallas Warehouse districts of the United States Romanesque Revival architecture in Texas Chicago school architecture in Texas Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas