Dallas, Georgia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dallas, Georgia
City
Seal Logo
Motto(s):  "A premier hometown"
Location in Paulding County and the state of Georgia
Dallas, Georgia Location in Metro Atlanta
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Paulding
Town of Dallas	1854
City of Dallas	1951
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	7.42 sq mi (19.21 km2)
• Land	7.38 sq mi (19.12 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation	1,043 ft (318 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,042
• Density	1,902.45/sq mi (734.55/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	30132 30157
Area codes	770 678, 470, and 943
FIPS code	13-21324
GNIS feature ID	2404179

Dallas is a city in Paulding County, Georgia, USA. It's also the main town, called the county seat. In 2020, about 14,042 people lived there. Dallas is a suburb northwest of Atlanta, about 38 miles (61 km) away. The city was named after George M. Dallas, who was a Vice President of the United States under President James K. Polk.

History of Dallas, Georgia

A picture from around 1864–1866 of the "Hell Hole" after the Battle of New Hope Church.

The tail section of Southern Airways Flight 242 after the crash.

The land where Dallas is now was first home to the Muscogee people. Later, the Cherokee people took over the area in 1755. It became an important meeting point for the Cherokee living there.

In 1828, gold was found in Georgia. This started the Georgia Gold Rush. Paulding County was divided into 40-acre "Gold Lots" in 1832. People came from all over to look for gold. However, they found very little gold in the Dallas area. Many settlers then started using their land for farming instead.

Around the time of the Gold Rush, the Cherokee people were forced to leave their lands. President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act. This law made Native Americans move to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. This sad journey is known as the Trail of Tears.

In 1852, the western part of Paulding County became Polk County. The old county seat, Van Wert, went with it. So, a new county seat was needed for Paulding County. The town of Dallas was officially created on May 14, 1852. It was built on 40 acres (160,000 m²) of land bought for $1000. The town was named after George M. Dallas, who was the Vice President at the time.

The Dallas area was important during the American Civil War in 1864. Several battles of the Atlanta Campaign happened here. The Battle of Dallas took place near the city center. The Battle of New Hope Church and the Battle of Pickett's Mill also happened that same week. These are often seen as part of the Battle of Dallas. You can still see the old battle trenches at both the New Hope Church site and the Pickett's Mill Historic Battlefield Site.

After the Civil War, Dallas and Paulding County began to grow. Railroads like the Southern and Seaboard started being built in 1882. The textile industry also came to Paulding County. Both the railroads and textile factories helped the county grow a lot. The first newspaper, The Dallas New Era, also started around this time.

On October 18, 1903, a steam locomotive called "Ole 88" Engine 345 went off its tracks. It damaged part of the Pumpkinvine Creek Trestle. This bridge was first built in 1901. It was rebuilt after the accident. The trestle is over 750 feet long and stands 126 feet above Pumpkinvine Creek. In 1999, the trestle was fixed up. Now, it's part of the Silver Comet Trail.

In 1951, the "Town of Dallas, Georgia" became the "City of Dallas, Georgia." This change helped the city get federal funding for things like housing projects.

On April 4, 1977, a plane called Southern Airways Flight 242 had to make an emergency landing near Dallas. The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 jet was flying from Alabama to Atlanta. It flew into a strong thunderstorm near Rome, Georgia. The storm's heavy rain and hail damaged both of the jet's engines. The engines stopped working. The pilots tried to glide the plane to a nearby airport, but there were none close enough. They found a straight road in Dallas to try and land. As the plane landed, it hit a gas station and other buildings. This caused the plane to crash. Sadly, both pilots and 61 passengers died. Nine people on the ground also lost their lives.

In the early 2000s, the city made big improvements to downtown Dallas. They added new sidewalks and red brick to the roads. A large courtyard was built in the center of town. Old buildings were updated, and a fountain was added near the downtown gazebo. The city also worked to protect its historic buildings.

What to Do in Dallas

Dallas is a great place to live and visit. In 2019, Niche.com said Dallas was one of the Top 50 "Best Suburbs to Buy a House in Georgia."

Dallas Farmers Market

Every Saturday in spring and summer, you can visit the Dallas Farmers Market. Local farmers, cooks, and crafters set up stalls downtown. They sell fresh food and handmade items. It's a very popular event in Dallas.

Dallas Concert Series

The Dallas Concert Series happens once a month during the summer. A music stage is set up downtown for different musicians to play. You can also find many food vendors there. Some famous bands like Night Ranger and Chris Janson have played at these concerts.

Food Truck Friday

On some Fridays in the summer, Dallas hosts "Food Truck Friday." Many different food trucks come together to offer tasty food and drinks. There's usually a local band playing music throughout the afternoon and evening.

Dallas Geography

The meeting point of the Etowah River and Pumpkinvine Creek.

Dallas is located at 33°55′7″N 84°50′27″W / 33.91861°N 84.84083°W / 33.91861; -84.84083.

The city covers about 4.5 square miles (12 km²). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. Dallas is in the Deep South part of the United States. It's one of the highest suburban cities in the Atlanta metropolitan area, with an elevation of 1,043 feet (318 m). Dallas is also part of the Appalachian Mountains region.

The highest point in Dallas is Elsberry Mountain, which is 1,310 feet (400 m) tall. Ray Mountain is the second-highest, at 1,252 feet (382 m).

All the water in Dallas flows into the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin. There are no big rivers in Dallas itself. But there are several large creeks, like Pumpkinvine Creek, which flows into the Etowah River. Both Lake Allatoona and Lake Acworth are less than 15 miles (24 km) away.

Dallas Climate

Dallas has a humid subtropical climate, which is common for all of Georgia. The city gets about 54.43 inches (1,383 mm) of rain each year. The average high temperature is 71.8 °F (22.1 °C), and the average low is 48.3 °F (9.1 °C).

Sometimes, light snow falls in winter. While heavy snow is rare, it can happen. In March 1993, Dallas got 17.5 inches (440 mm) of snow during the Storm of the Century (1993). In December 2017, Dallas received 12 inches (300 mm) of snow in just two days. This was one of the highest amounts in the Atlanta area.

The coldest temperature ever recorded in Dallas was −12 °F (−24 °C) in 2010. The hottest temperature ever recorded was 110 °F (43 °C) in 2012.

Dallas Population and People

How Many People Live in Dallas?

According to the 2020 United States census, 14,042 people lived in Dallas. There were 4,944 households and 3,275 families.

Who Lives in Dallas?

In 2014, about 61.1% of the people were White, and 31.2% were African American. About 7.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average household had about 2.86 people. The average family had about 3.01 people. The median age in the city was 29 years old.

Getting Around Dallas

Main Roads

• U.S. Route 278
• State Route 6
• State Route 61
• State Route 120
• State Route 381

Airports Near Dallas

West of Dallas is the Silver Comet Field at Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport. This airport is for general aviation, meaning smaller planes. It's the ninth local airport in metro Atlanta. It was the first new airport in Georgia that could handle jets since 1975.

The main airport for the region is Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, located in nearby Atlanta.

Walking and Biking Trails

• Dallas Trail Connect
• Silver Comet Trail
• Mount Tabor Park Mountain Bike Trail
• Sara Babb Park Biking Trail

Education in Dallas

Public Schools

East Paulding High School.

The Paulding County School District runs the public schools. It has schools from Pre-School up to 12th grade. There are 19 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, and 5 high schools. The district has over 1,200 teachers and more than 19,000 students.

Private Schools

• Brighton Private School
• Victory Christian Academy

Colleges and Universities

• Georgia Highlands College (Paulding Site)
• Kennesaw State University (Paulding Site)
• Chattahoochee Technical College

Dallas Economy

Major Employers

Many businesses and organizations provide jobs in Dallas. Some of the biggest employers include:

• Atlanta Film Studios - Paulding County
• Metromont Corporation
• City of Dallas
• Wellstar Paulding Hospital
• Chattahoochee Technical College
• Georgia Highlands College
• MG International
• Cadillac Products
• Dallas Millworks
• T&R Fixtures
• Top Flight Aerostructures
• Aerospace Fabricators of Georgia
• Simmons Engineering
• West Cobb Engineering
• Interroll

Fun Things to Do in Dallas

Dallas has many parks for outdoor activities. These include Mount Tabor Park, Orphan Brigade Battlefield Park, White Oak Park, Burnt Hickory Park, Sara Babb Park, Coleman Camp Park, and Elizabeth McCoon Memorial Park.

The Paulding Forest Wildlife Management Area is also a great place. You can go camping, biking, hunting, hiking, and fishing there.

Silver Comet Trail

The Silver Comet Trail in Dallas.

The Silver Comet Trail is a long, paved path for walking and biking. It's 61.5 miles long. The trail follows an old railroad line that was built in the 1890s. This railway used to carry a famous passenger train called the Silver Comet between New York City, Atlanta, and Birmingham, Alabama. The train stopped running in 1969.

Later, the railroad company abandoned most of the tracks in 1987. Different counties in Georgia and the Georgia Department of Transportation bought the land. They wanted to turn it into a path for people. The trail is "Railbanked." This means that if trains are ever needed again, the railroad could buy the land back and rebuild the tracks.

The trail starts in Smyrna, Georgia. It ends at the Alabama/Georgia state line near Cedartown, Georgia. From there, it connects to the Chief Ladiga Trail in Piedmont, Alabama. The combined trail goes all the way to Anniston, Alabama.

The Silver Comet Trail is very popular. Complex.com has ranked it as one of the Top 25 "Best Bike Trails in America". It is also the second-longest rail trail in the United States.

Historical Sites to Visit

An 1800s log cabin at Pickett's Mill Battlefield.

There are many historical sites in the Dallas area. These include Civil War battle sites, old buildings, and monuments. More than 100 historic sites in Paulding County have special markers. Most of these markers are about the Civil War.

One popular historic site is the Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site. It's one of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields in the country. Visitors can walk on the same roads used by Union and Confederate soldiers. You can also see the earthworks (trenches) they built. You can even walk through the ravine where many soldiers died. An old 1800s pioneer cabin is also there and sometimes open for tours.

Other Interesting Places

Since Dallas is in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, there are many activities nearby. The most popular ones are in Atlanta.

• Pickett's Mill Battlefield Site
• Paulding County Historical Society & Museum
• Paulding Forest - Wildlife Management Area
• High Shoals Falls
• Stars & Strikes Entertainment Center
• The Dallas Theater

Dallas in Media

Television

Comcast Channel 24 shows news, information, and upcoming events for Dallas and Paulding County. It also has tips on saving water and electricity. You can also see messages from the mayor and other city leaders.

Radio

• WDJY (FM)/99.1 Talk
• WDPC (AM)/1500 Christian/Gospel

Film and TV Shows

The Atlanta Film Studios - Paulding County is nearby in Hiram, Georgia. This has made the Dallas area a popular spot for filming movies, TV shows, and commercials. The Silver Comet Field at Paulding Northwest Atlanta Airport is a favorite place for filming.

Movies filmed here include Finding Steve McQueen, The Last Full Measure, and Beauty and the Beholder. The final scene of Finding Steve McQueen was filmed on Main Street near the Dallas Theatre. The CBS TV show MacGyver filmed some episodes in Dallas. The TV series Stargirl, based on the DC Comics character, is also filmed in downtown Dallas. The Ford Motor Company even filmed a commercial here called "Roll on Sister."

Famous People from Dallas

• Cecil Butler, a professional baseball player
• Chris Conley, an American football wide receiver
• Jayne County, a punk rock star
• Christopher Dudley, keyboardist for the band UnderOATH
• Caleb Lee Hutchinson, who was runner-up on season 16 of American Idol
• Patty Loveless, a country music star
• Kelly Nelon Clark, a southern gospel singer
• Gary North (economist), a Christian economic historian
• Riley Puckett, a country music artist
• Wilbur Rakestraw, a racing driver
• Ray Traylor (1963 – 2004), a professional wrestler known as Big Boss Man
• Travis Tritt, a country music star
• Zack Wheeler, a pitcher, who was a top pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft

Images for kids

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  Civil War Trailhead Park on Main Street

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  Historical Paulding County Courthouse

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  Civil War Trailhead Fountains

See also

In Spanish: Dallas (Georgia) para niños