Visiting Dallas

Five hours northeast of San Antonio and about three and a half hours northeast of Austin is Dallas, one of the largest cities in Texas. Downtown is dominated by skyscrapers and modern development, but scattered among all those newer buildings are reminders of the city’s much smaller beginnings. I spent several weeks in Dallas for work in 2009 and returned again several years later, giving me a chance to explore more than just the usual tourist attractions.

Right in the center of downtown Dallas is this humble cabin. After seeing all the skyscrapers, it’s pretty incredible to think about how much the city changed in roughly 150 years. The cabin is a reconstruction of the home of Dallas founder John Neely Bryan and gives you an idea of just how small the settlement once was.

Nearby is the Old Red Courthouse, completed in 1892 and one of the most recognizable historic buildings in downtown Dallas. Its red sandstone exterior and castle-like appearance make it stand out among the modern buildings surrounding it. It’s another reminder of how different Dallas must have looked more than a century ago.

Dealey Plaza & JFK

One of America’s greatest tragedies took place in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza. Lee Harvey Oswald was accused of firing the shots from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository overlooking the plaza. The sixth-floor window near the corner is where investigators concluded Oswald fired at Kennedy’s motorcade.

Today the building is home to the Sixth Floor Museum, which covers Kennedy’s presidency, his assassination, the investigation that followed, and the enormous impact the event had on the country. Somehow I managed to take quite a few pictures inside before noticing all the no-photography signs. The exhibits included historic photographs, videos, artifacts, and detailed explanations of what happened that day.

One of the most interesting parts of the museum was seeing the area where investigators believed Oswald fired from the building. Oswald himself had a strange history, including living in the Soviet Union for several years before returning to the United States. He was arrested after the assassination but was murdered by Jack Ruby two days later, before he could ever stand trial.

Kennedy’s assassination has generated countless conspiracy theories ever since. Multiple government investigations examined the assassination, and arguments over whether Oswald acted alone have continued for decades. Regardless of where you stand on those theories, visiting Dealey Plaza and seeing the locations in person makes this one of the most interesting historical areas in Dallas. Nearby is the John F. Kennedy Memorial, which was built to honor the assassinated president.

Texas Rangers Baseball

While I was working in Dallas, I also had the opportunity to attend a Texas Rangers baseball game in nearby Arlington. I’m not a huge baseball fan, but I’ve always thought going to a professional sporting event is a lot more interesting than watching it on television. The stadium itself was impressive, and it was a good way to spend an evening outside of work.

There was plenty happening throughout the game, even during the slower moments when not much was happening on the field. Baseball is one of those sports where the atmosphere can be just as entertaining as the game itself, especially when you’re surrounded by thousands of fans cheering for their team.

Of course, part of the experience was watching the fans. Texans certainly seem to take their sports seriously, and it was entertaining just looking around the stadium and seeing how much enthusiasm people had for their team.

There was also entertainment around the stadium between the action on the field. I took a few pictures of the people and activities during the game, which made the experience more memorable than simply sitting there watching baseball for a few hours.

Outside Dallas

The photo above is a shot I took of the surrounding Dallas area from the air. The landscape is extremely flat, and at first glance I assumed there probably weren’t many interesting places to hike nearby. I was wrong. There are actually some decent natural areas outside the city, including trails through surprisingly thick vegetation.

The warning sign above was along one of those trails. I didn’t come across any snakes since I was there during the winter, but Texas is home to several species of venomous snakes, so the warning definitely got my attention.

And finally, another stink bug that I caught with the macro lens. I’m not sure why I always seem to find these things when I have a camera with me.