Research Guides: Texas History: DFW

Books about Dallas

The WPA Dallas Guide and History by Gerald D. Saxon (Introduction by)
Publication Date: 1992
An excellent place to start for research on Texas towns and Dallas landmarks and neighborhoods.
Dallas, an illustrated history by Darwin Payne
Publication Date: 1982
Dallas: The Making of a Modern City by Patricia Evridge Hill
Publication Date: 1996
Dallas Central Business District
Publication Date: 1969
Dallas Rediscovered by William Lloyd McDonald
Publication Date: 1978
The Dallas Southwest
Publication Date: 1944
Dallas Yesterday by Sam Hanna Acheson
Publication Date: 1977
Lusty Texans of Dallas by John William Rogers
Publication Date: 1951
A Place Called Dallas by A.C. Greene
Publication Date: 1975

Other Resources at SMU

Dallas Historic Aerial Photographs
Represents a complete set of air images commissioned by the City of Dallas and photographed by Sherman Mills Fairchild in October of 1930 flying out of Love Field. SMU's Edwin J. Foscue Map Library retains in its collections all but eight of the original 93 images, as well as a photo image of the master grid map.
George W. Cook Dallas/Texas Image Collection
Contains several thousand items from the George W. Cook Dallas/Texas Image Collection, which contains photographs, postcards, ephemera, family collections, documents, postal history, and three-dimensional objects.

Dallas Newspapers

Over time newspapers' names may change. The Dallas Morning News was known as the The Dallas Times Herald from 1954-1991. To find all Dallas newspapers we have access to, use "Dallas (Tex.) -- Newspapers" in the Subject field of the Library Search.

Handbook of Texas article on The Dallas Morning News
This article lists the various names of this newspaper and gives a history of the publication.
The Dallas Morning News
Check database and microfilm listings for what years are available.

Dallas Morning News Archive (1984 - 2016) This link opens in a new window
Fulltext of the DMN, 1984-2016

The Dallas Times Herald
Years available on microfilm: 1954- Nov.15, 1963; Dec. 1963- Dec. 15, 1970; Jan. 1971-Oct.7, 1971; Oct.16, 1971- Dec. 9, 1991.

Online Dallas History Sources

Online WPA Dallas Guide and History
Full-text online version of the book by the Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the City of Dallas (New Deal era of history)
Murphy & Bolanz Block and Addition Books for Dallas County, 1880-1920 from The Dallas Public Library.
A manuscript collection consisting of real estate maps of Dallas and surrounding communities, 1880-1920.
Legacies: a History Journal for Dallas and North Central Texas
Free online access (1989-2011), this publication is devoted to the history of Dallas and North Central Texas as a way to examine the many historical social, ethnic, cultural, and political legacies that have shaped the modern city and surrounding area.
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It's a joint publication of Dallas Heritage Village, the Dallas Historical Society, the Old Red Museum, and the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

Historical Archives and Agencies

In Dallas

Dallas Historical Society
Collects, preserves and exhibits the unique heritage of Dallas and Texas. Holdings include books, manuscripts, and photographs.
Dallas Jewish Historical Society
Preserves and protects collections of written, visual and audible materials that document the history of the Dallas Jewish community, and makes these materials available to the public and researchers.
Dallas Municipal Archives
Archives relating to the city of Dallas. Includes Kennedy assassination materials.
Dallas History & Archives Division
The collection of materials at this division of the Dallas Public Library is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Holdings span many aspects of the diverse history of not only Dallas and the surrounding area, but the entire state of Texas.
Preservation Dallas: Building Research
Research the history of old buildings and homes throughout the city.
The Dallas Way
The mission of the Dallas Way is to gather, store, organize, and present (in a variety of mediums) the complete GLBT history of Dallas, Texas.

In Fort Worth

Fort Worth Public Library Local History Collection
Includes approximately 10,000 items pertaining to the history of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. These items include city and county government documents, newspapers, directories, cemetery association records, maps as well as popular and scholarly books written by local authors or about local subjects.
National Archives Southwest Region in Fort Worth, Texas
This branch, located in Fort Worth, holds historical records that date from the 1800s to the late 1900s and include letters, photographs, maps, architectural drawings, and other documents received from over 100 Federal agencies and courts in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas. Highlights include NASA's records and records of the Dawes Act.

Related Guides

Primary Sources
Learn what primary sources are and how to find them.
History of Southern Methodist University
Research SMU in books, notebooks, school newspaper articles, and more.