Oak Cliff

by Alan C. Elliott, Patricia K. Summey, Gayla Brooks Kokel

Overview

An advertisement heralded, "Oak Cliff gets its name from the massive oaks that crown the soft green cliffs." Originally called Hord's Ridge for its founder William Henry Hord, the area was purchased by two enterprising developers, Thomas L. Marsalis and John S. Armstrong, and renamed Oak Cliff. Also touted as the "Cambridge of the South," the community flourished until the depression of 1893. The partnership split, and in 1903, the beleaguered Oak Cliff voted itself into the city of Dallas. The area has seen much change over the years, but the physical separation the Trinity River creates from Dallas provides Oak Cliff a permanent and unique identity from the "big city" and helps it maintain remnants of its original small-town atmosphere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738570686
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	04/22/2009
Series:	Images of America Series
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	1,015,222
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

This volume tells a visual story of people and places that made Oak Cliff special to hundreds of thousands for more than a century. Over 200 vintage and recent photographs were donated by families, businesses, and organizations. Local authors Alan C. Elliott, Patricia K. Summey, and Gayla Brooks Kokel present a rich history of Oak Cliff guaranteed to bring back cherished memories to all who have called Oak Cliff home.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 6

Introduction 7

1 Beginnings: Stockades and the Cambridge of the South 9

2 Isolation, Consolidation, and Expansion: The Great Flood of 1908 and the Merger of Oak Cliff and Dallas 21

3 Depression, War, and Recovery: The Fight for Economic Survival 47

4 Postwar Boom: Bobby Socks, Burgers, and Streetcars 71

5 Struggle: Tornado, Assassination, and Social Changes 95

6 Revival: Restoration of Neighborhoods and Businesses 113