Fair Park facts for kids
|
Texas Centennial Exposition Buildings (1936–1937)
|
|
Centennial Building in Fair Park
|
|
 Dallas
Location in Texas
Dallas
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Bounded by Texas and Pacific RR, Pennsylvania, Second, and Parry Aves. Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Area | 277 acres (112 ha) |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architect | George L. Dahl, et al. |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| NRHP reference No. | 86003488 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | September 24, 1986 |
| Designated NHLD | September 24, 1986 |
Fair Park is a fun and educational area in Dallas, Texas, United States. It is located just east of downtown Dallas. This large area, about 277-acre (112 ha) big, is special. It is recognized as a Dallas Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Many of its buildings were built for the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936.
Fair Park has even been called a "Great Place in America" by the American Planning Association.
Contents
The Story of Fair Park
How Fair Park Began
Fair Park started in 1886 as an 80-acre (32 ha) fairground. It was on the edge of East Dallas and hosted the Dallas State Fair. After a fire and money problems in 1904, people voted for a new plan called the "Reardon Plan." This plan turned the fairground into Dallas's second public park, which became known as Fair Park.
Designing the Park
An important person in Fair Park's early design was George Kessler. He was a landscape architect and city planner. In 1906, he created the first official plan for the park. His ideas were inspired by the City Beautiful Movement. This movement believed in creating beautiful public spaces with trees, monuments, art, and fountains.
The 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition
A big moment for Fair Park was in 1936. This is when the Texas Centennial Exposition was held there. To get ready for this six-month event, the park changed a lot. Architect George Dahl and consultant Paul Cret helped transform the park. It went from an old fairground to a stunning example of Art Deco style. Many buildings for the exposition were meant to be temporary. However, several of them are still standing today and have been fixed up. Over the years, the park grew to its current 277 acres (112 ha) size.
Fair Park Today
In 1986, Fair Park was named a National Historic Landmark. This is because it has one of the largest collections of buildings from an exposition that are still around. In 1988, the Dallas Parks Department took over managing the park. Today, many cultural places and yearly events bring an estimated 5 million visitors. Most of these visitors come during the 24-day State Fair of Texas.
Restoring Fair Park's Beauty
Many of the old Art Deco buildings have been restored to look like they did in 1936. They have also been updated to modern building standards. For example, the historic Parry Avenue entrance gates were fixed in 2009. The four special carvings on the Centennial Building were professionally cleaned in 2000. The Esplanade fountain pylons and six large sculptures were restored in 2004. Some sculptures were rebuilt and now have amazing light and water shows.
In 2003, a plan called the Fair Park Comprehensive Development plan was made. This plan suggested ways to improve the park's physical space, programs, and how it is managed. In 2006, the city gave the park $72 million for repairs and improvements.
Plans for the Future
In 2014, a special group chosen by Mayor Mike Rawlings suggested new ideas for Fair Park. Their plan was for a non-profit group to work with the city to help Fair Park grow and improve. This group would also work with the State Fair of Texas. Architect Antonio Di Mambro encouraged the Mayor to use this plan to talk with people living near Fair Park. Mayor Rawlings said he felt a lot of excitement from city leaders to make Fair Park the best it can be.
In 2015, the State Fair shared its thoughts about changing its space in the park. A newspaper reporter called their response "dramatic." Some people felt that the requirement for tenants to leave buildings during the State Fair caused problems for the park. Others thought the State Fair's presence should be smaller.
Later in 2015, the Dallas City Council thought about letting a non-profit group manage Fair Park. This group would be led by Walt Humann. The city would still own the park, but the non-profit would manage it. However, in 2016, this plan did not get enough support from the City Council and was not approved.
Cultural Places at Fair Park
Many important cultural places in Dallas are located at Fair Park.
Hall of State
The Hall of State is managed by the Dallas Historical Society. They have exhibits inside about Dallas history and culture.
Old Mill Inn
The Old Mill Inn was one of the few buildings from the Texas Centennial Exposition that did not look Art Deco. It was built with fieldstone and heavy wood. It was originally an exhibit for the flour milling industry. Sometimes, it still serves as a restaurant at Fair Park.
Magnolia Lounge and Former Hall of Religion
This building was designed by New York architect William Lescaze. It brought a new style called European Modernism to Texas in 1936. The Magnolia Lounge was a place for the Magnolia Petroleum Company to host guests. It had some Art Deco elements, but its overall look was very different from other buildings at the exposition.
Next to the Magnolia Lounge is the former Hall of Religion. This area was once home to Theatre '47, the first professional regional theater company in the United States. The small performing space, the Margo Jones Theatre, honors Margo Jones, who started America's regional theater movement.
African American Museum
The current African American Museum building is on almost the same spot as the Texas Centennial Exposition's Hall of Negro Life. It has a permanent collection of art by famous African American artists. These artists include Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, Larry D. Alexander, and John T. Biggers.
The Leonhardt Lagoon
South of the Midway, George Dahl arranged Dallas's future cultural places around a calm lagoon. This gave visitors to the Texas Centennial Exposition a peaceful, natural spot away from the busy fair.
In 1981, Patricia Johanson was asked to redesign and fix the lagoon, which was in bad shape. Since it reopened in 1986, the redesigned lagoon has become known as a major earth sculpture. It is also one of the first examples of art used to help clean up nature.
Museum of Nature and Science
The Museum of Nature & Science used to have two buildings around the lagoon. One was called "The Science Place." It also had a planetarium. In December 2012, most of its exhibits moved to the new Perot campus at Victory Park. The old History Building at Fair Park is still open on weekends as a smaller part of the Perot Museum. The IMAX theater and planetarium at Fair Park are now closed.
The History Building, once the Museum of Natural History, was built for the Texas Centennial Exposition. It is a large, rectangular building. The entrance has three tall window sections with decorative metal. On each side are columns with shell designs. The rest of the building is covered in limestone. In 1988, the northeast corner of the building was dug out to create landscaped terraces.
Fair Park Band Shell
The Band Shell has curved plaster arches that create an Art Deco look. The backstage building, made of reinforced concrete, shows elements of the Streamline Moderne style. Lights surround the sloping amphitheater, which can hold 5,000 people.
Texas Discovery Gardens
This building was originally the Horticulture Building for the Texas Centennial Exposition. It has been changed over time with new outside designs and additions. These include the modern glass Blachly Conservatory. In the gardens behind the main building, there is a model home. The Portland Cement Company originally built this home for the Exposition.
Cotton Bowl Stadium
The Cotton Bowl stadium was built in 1930 and was first called "Fair Park Stadium." It has been expanded over time and can now hold 92,200 people. The Cotton Bowl Classic college football bowl game was played here from 1937 to 2009.
Every year during the State Fair of Texas, the Cotton Bowl hosts the AT&T Red River Rivalry game. This is between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma. It also hosts the Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic game. This game is between Grambling State University and Prairie View A&M University. The Cotton Bowl was also the first home of the Dallas Cowboys football team. They played there from 1960 until they moved to Texas Stadium in Irving in 1971.
Music Hall at Fair Park
The Music Hall was built in a Spanish colonial revival style. It was the General Motors Building during the Centennial Exposition. It was greatly remodeled in 1972. It was the home of the Dallas Opera until 2009. Today, it is the home for Dallas Summer Musicals.
Women's Building
The Women's Building was first built in 1910 as a park coliseum. It was updated to an Art Deco style for the Centennial Exposition. During that time, it was known as the Hall of Administration. From 2000 to 2011, the building was used as The Women's Museum. Now, it is only used for special events and exhibits.
Fun Rides and Other Structures
- The Texas Star opened in 1985. It is the fourth largest Ferris wheel in North America.
- The Texas Skyway opened in 2007. It is an Art Deco-style gondola ride. It carries visitors 65 feet (20 m) above the ground for a ride that is one-third of a mile long.
- The Top o' Texas Tower opened in 2013. It is a 500-foot (150 m) tall observation tower ride. The base of the tower might one day have a museum about the State Fair and the Texas Centennial Exposition. The Tower cost over $12 million. It was meant to be the main ride for a program called Summer Adventures. Summer Adventures was planned to be a yearly event, but it only opened for one year. This happened even though $30 million was invested in it.
- Fair Park is also home to the Texas State Vietnam Memorial.
Yearly Events at Fair Park
- The most famous event at Fair Park is the yearly State Fair of Texas. It has been held there since 1886. It currently lasts 24 days. It starts on the last Friday in September and ends on the third Sunday in October.
- The State Fair also ran Summer Adventures in Fair Park. This was a beach-themed amusement park open from May to August 2013. Even with a $30 million investment, Summer Adventures closed after just one season.
- The North Texas Irish Festival happens on the first weekend in March each year.
- Earth Day Texas takes place every April.
- Fair Park Fourth is the yearly Independence Day celebration for the City of Dallas.
Other Important Events
 |
|
| Location | Fair Park, Dallas |
|---|---|
| Time zone | GMT−6 |
| Major events | 1984 Dallas Grand Prix |
| Length | 2.424 mi (3.901 km) |
| Turns | 14 |
| Race lap record | 1:45.353, 133.300 km/h ( Niki Lauda, McLaren-TAG MP4/2, 1984) |
- In 1961, the musical film State Fair was filmed at Fair Park.
- In July 1984, Fair Park became a Formula One race track for a weekend. It hosted the Dallas Grand Prix. This event was meant to show that Dallas was a "world-class city," but the track had problems.
- From March 8–11, 1990, the Nintendo World Championships were held inside Fair Park's Automobile Building.
- In December 2013, the Chanel Paris–Dallas fashion show took place at Fair Park.
- In January 2021, Fair Park became a large COVID-19 vaccination center. It was run by Dallas County Health and Human Services.
Getting to Fair Park
- Fair Park is easy to reach from I-30, a main highway that goes through Dallas.
- Several bus routes from DART serve Fair Park.
- DART's Green Line connects Fair Park to southeast and downtown Dallas. It has the Fair Park Station and MLK Jr. Station. During the State Fair of Texas, DART runs special trains from the Red Line and Blue Line to Fair Park Station.
Education at Fair Park
The Irma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School is located within Fair Park.
