Fair Park Introduction

In 1936, Texas commemorated the 100th anniversary of its independence from Mexico with a series of state-wide celebrations.  A central exposition was proposed, with four cities waging a sometimes bitter campaign to secure the rights to stage this event.  At stake for the host city was unparalleled national exposure and a strong economic boost in the midst of the Depression.  Using the existing grounds and buildings at Fair Park as the basis of its bid, Dallas out-hustled its competitors and was selected to host the Texas Centennial Exposition.  The fair was planned by chief architect George Dahl, with  legions of designers and artists, who collaborated to produce one of the great American world's fairs of the 1930s.
Excerpts taken from Chapter 2: Deep Ellum/Fair Park

Credits: Excerpts taken from The American Institute of Architects Guide to Dallas Architecture, published in 1999 by the American Institute of Architects, Dallas Chapter. The editor of this book was Larry Paul Fuller. The Fair Park Introduction and entries were written by Willis Winters, AIA.

Permission to publish these excerpts was granted by The American Institute of Architects, Dallas Chapter, in October 2002.

Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park (Aquarium)
Fair Park Band Shell (Band Shell)
Centennial Building (Transportation Building, Chrysler Building)
Fair Park Coliseum
Cotton Bowl (Fair Park Stadium)
The Esplanade (Reflecting Basin)
Food and Fiber Pavilion (Agriculture Building)
Hall of Administration
Hall of State (State of Texas Building)
Texas Discovery Gardens (Horticulture Museum)
Magnolia Lounge (Magnolia Petroleum Building)
Dallas Museum of Natural History
Fair Park Music Hall (General Motors Building)
Old Mill Inn (Flour Milling Industry Building)
Pan American Arena (Livestock Coliseum)
Parry Avenue Entrance
Science Place I and Imax Theater (Museum of Fine Arts)
Science Place II (Domestic Arts Museum)
State Fair of Texas Building (Police, Fire, Hospital and WRR Building)
Swine Building (Livestock Building No. 2)
Tower Building (U.S. Government Building)

For additional information, see the Fair Park Art and Architecture Fact Sheet