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| footnotes = '''References:'''<ref>[http://www.westdallaschamber.org West Dallas Chamber of Commerce] - [http://www.westdallaschamber.org/about.html About]. Retrieved on 6 December 2006.</ref>
| footnotes = '''References:'''<ref>[http://www.westdallaschamber.org West Dallas Chamber of Commerce] - [http://www.westdallaschamber.org/about.html About]. Retrieved on 6 December 2006.</ref>
}}
}}
'''West Dallas''' is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], [[Texas]], United States. West Dallas lies just west of [[Downtown Dallas]], north of [[Oak Cliff]], and east of [[Irving, Texas|Irving]] and [[Grand Prairie, Texas|Grand Prairie]].


Largely lying in the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]] floodplain, the area's history has been largely defined by its relationship to the river, to industry, and to downtown. Although not incorporated into Dallas until the 1950s, West Dallas has had a close but problematic relationship to the city since its founding. The area is currently undergoing significant changes due to its central location within the city, attracting new development and revitalization efforts but also threatening existing communities.
'''West Dallas''' is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], [[Texas]], United States. West Dallas currently denotes the area bounded by [[Interstate 30]] on the south, the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]] on the east and north, and the Trinity River's West Fork on the west.<ref name="wdcocmap">[http://www.westdallaschamber.org/ West Dallas Chamber of Commerce] - [http://www.westdallaschamber.org/images/map.jpg Map]. Retrieved on 14 May 2009.</ref>

==Geography==
The City of Dallas defines West Dallas boundaries as [[Interstate 30]] on the south, the [[Trinity River (Texas)|Trinity River]] on the east and north, and the Trinity River's West Fork on the west.<ref name="wdcocmap">[http://www.westdallaschamber.org/ West Dallas Chamber of Commerce] - [http://www.westdallaschamber.org/images/map.jpg Map]. Retrieved on 14 May 2009.</ref>

The southern part of West Dallas is elevated by the [[Austin Chalk]] limestone formation, creating a continuous ridge with [[Oak Cliff]] that overlooks the Trinity and downtown Dallas. The majority of West Dallas lies in the Trinity River floodplain and is traversed Singleton Boulevard.

==History==
The recorded history of the area that would become West Dallas begins in the 1840s, when the [[Republic of Texas]] offered up to 640 acres of land to [[homestead principle|homesteaders]] in North Texas.<ref>{{ cite web|title=Handbook of Texas, Republic of Texas|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/republic-of-texas|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

The town of [[Eagle Ford, Dallas | Eagle Ford]], a significant community in the early history of West Dallas, was established as a farm in 1844 by Enoch Horton at the site of ford in the west fork of the Trinity River floodplain.<ref>{{ cite web|title=Handbook of Texas, Eagle Ford|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/eagle-ford-tx|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref> In 1857 Enoch's son Jacob established a grist mill that would be an important hub for the local farming community.<ref>{{ cite web|title=Horton family established the bygone Eagle Ford community
|date=22 July 2011 |publisher=Oak Cliff Advocate|url=https://oakcliff.advocatemag.com/2011/07/backstory-august-nesting-ground/|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref> Enoch's daughter [[Sarah Horton Cockrell]] was an important business leader in early Dallas, most notably building the first bridge connecting the city Dallas to west.

In 1855, the [[Fourierism | Fourierist]] colony of [[La Réunion (Dallas)| La Réunion]] was established on a limestone ridge overlooking the Trinity floodplain. The colony attracted approximately five hundred European settlers starting in 1855, briefly rivaling the small town of Dallas as an urban center. Although the colony was formally dissolved in 1857 and many of the settlers returned to Europe, others such as [[Benjamin Long]] and [[Jacob Boll]] moved to Dallas and became prominent citizens in the growing metropolis. A few, such as the Santerre and [[Julien Reverchon|Reverchon]] families would remain and continue to farm the colony land until the turn of the 18th century.<ref>{{ cite web|title=The Francois Santerre Family
|publisher=Dallas County Pioneer Association website|url=https://dallaspioneer.org/the-francois-santerre-family/|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

In 1873, the [[Texas and Pacific Railway]] began service through West Dallas, and because of the [[Panic of 1873]], Eagle Ford would remain the western terminus of the line for several years. This led to a brief boom period for the city, as the town became a major cattle shipment hub. This brief boom period would last until 1878, when construction had resumed and Fort Worth supplanted it and Eagle Ford's significance and population declined.<ref>{{ cite web|title=Handbook of Texas, Eagle Ford|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/eagle-ford-tx|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

Industrial development and exploitation of the area began in the early 1900s, with the establishment of a brick works using the rich Trinity clay, and a cement works that processed the limestone cliffs into cement.<ref>{{ cite web|title=Retracing History in West Dallas
|date=13 October 2023 |publisher=ArcGIS StoryMaps|url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/96fa1d4b95d14227b84a120d3307bc52|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

The town of [[Cement, Texas]] was incorporated on April 28, 1908 as a segregated factory town for the Texas Portland Cement Company. <ref>{{ cite web|title=Cement City Collection|publisher=Dallas Public Library|url=https://dallaslibrary2.org/dallashistory/archives/MA04-9.php#:~:text=In%201908%20the%20Texas%20Portland,Cement%20on%2028%20April%201908.|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref> Many of the workers at the cement plant were Mexican immigrants who were fleeing the [[Mexican Revolution]].<ref>{{ cite web|title=History of West Dallas|publisher=Southern Methodist University|url=https://blog.smu.edu/engagedallas/resource-library/history-of-west-dallas/|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

As West Dallas's population grew, flooding became an increasingly serious problem, as much of the area lies in the flood prone Trinity bottom lands. The Dallas Levee System was originally completed in 1932 and upgraded in the 1950s by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]], significantly addressing the flooding problem in the area.<ref>{{ cite web|title=Dallas Levees & Pump Stations Overview
|publisher=Trinity River Corridor|url=https://trinityrivercorridor.com/flood-control/dallas-levee-system|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

Although in 1931 Cement City had a population of 609, the population had declined to 249 in the late 1940s and by 1951 the community was no longer incorporated.<ref>{{ cite web|title=Handbook of Texas|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/cement-tx|access-date=2010-04-26}}</ref> In 1954, West Dallas was officially annexed by the city of Dallas. <ref>{{ cite web|title=History of West Dallas|publisher=Southern Methodist University|url=https://blog.smu.edu/engagedallas/resource-library/history-of-west-dallas/|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

In 1955, the West Dallas housing projects were established, consisting of three separate developments, segregated by race (Blacks, Hispanics and Whites). The names of the developments were George Loving Place, Edgar Ward Place and Elmer Scott Place.<ref>{{ cite web|title=The Forgotten City|date=July 1984 |publisher=D Magazine|url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/1984/july/the-forgotten-city/|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

On April 2, 1957, the devastating [[Tornado outbreak sequence of April 2–5, 1957|1957 Dallas tornado]] passed through West Dallas. That same year, the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike opened as a toll road, and would eventually become [[Interstate 30]] in 1977 when the toll was paid off. The highway would accelerate the growth of [[Grand Prairie, Texas|Grand Prairie]] and [[Arlington, Texas|Arlington]], leading directly to the creation of [[Six Flags Over Texas]] but also created an enormous physical barrier between West Dallas and [[Oak Cliff]].<ref>{{ cite web|title=From Pioneer Paths to Superhighways - The Texas Highway Department Blazes Texas Trails 1917-1968
|publisher=Texas State Library and Archive Commission|url=https://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/highways/greatage/page2.html|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

In 1984, a $45 million settlement was reached with RSR Corporation on behalf of 370 West Dallas children who had been harmed by the RSR lead smelting plant's operations.<ref>{{ cite web|title=1995: EPA Places RSR Corporation Site on Superfund List
|publisher=Southern Methodist University|url=https://blog.smu.edu/engagedallas/resource-library/history-of-west-dallas/1995-epa-places-rsr-corporation-site-on-superfund-list/|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

On September 29, 1995 the smelting plant site was declared a [[List of Superfund sites in Texas|Superfund site]] after decades of efforts by local residents.<ref>{{cite web|title= Decades after closure of lead smelter, voices rise against other West Dallas polluters |date=22 August 2021 |publisher=Dallas Morning News|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2021/08/22/decades-after-closure-of-lead-smelter-voices-rise-against-other-west-dallas-polluters/|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

In March 2012, the [[Santiago Calatrava]]-designed [[Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge]] opened as part of the [[Trinity River Project]]. The bridge and associated [[Trinity Groves, Dallas|Trinity Groves]] retail development have marked a new era of gentrification for the neighborhood. Neighborhoods such as [[La Bajada, Dallas| La Bajada]] have been put under pressure from rising property taxes and speculative real estate development.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bridge to Somewhere|publisher=Dallas Observer|url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/bridge-to-somewhere-6421938|access-date=2024-10-16}}</ref>

==Environmental history==
In 1934 Murphy Metals (later known as RSR Corporation), started operating a {{convert|63|acre|m2|adj=on}} [[smelting|secondary lead smelter]] facility in West Dallas. The process melts lead scrap into metallic lead that can then used for casting. Significant lead emissions can occur from poorly controlled refining, casting, and drossing operations.<ref name="Department of Labor">{{cite web|title=Department of Labor|publisher=U.S. Government|url=http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/leadsmelter/index.html/|access-date=2010-04-26}}</ref>

The city of Dallas annexed West Dallas into the city limits in 1954. Before that year, many residents lived in an area lacking the basic services because they resided outside the city lines. Shortly after annexationin 1956, the city built a 3,500-unit [[public housing]] complex just north of the RSR lead smelter facility. The southern edge of the public housing complex was located {{convert|50|ft|m}} from the lead smelter's property line.

In 1968 the [[City of Dallas]] enacted an ordinance regulating pollution thresholds for the facility. This act went unenforced - in the 1960s RSR Corp West Dallas facility released more than 269 tons of lead particles into the air each year.{{citation needed |date=October 2024}} Few residents could afford air conditioning, so in the summers they kept their doors and windows open, directly exposing them to the toxins. In 1972, Dallas officials learned that lead could be finding its way into the bloodstreams of children who lived in West Dallas and the bordering community of East Oak Cliff.{{citation needed |date=October 2024}} The Dallas Health Department then conducted a study - they found children living near smelters had a 36 percent increase in blood lead levels.{{citation needed |date=October 2024}} In 1974 the city sued local smelters and RSR Corporation agreed to pay $35,000 and install new pollution control equipment - however by 1983 they still had not installed the pollution equipment.

In 1981 public concern and pressure were raised after the West Dallas Boys Club had to suspend outside activity after a soil test showed lead levels 36 times those considered dangerous for children; the club was forced to close in 1983 due to high lead levels. The Dallas Alliance Environmental Task Force, a citizens group appointed by the Dallas City Council, said this in a 1983 study: <blockquote>“We believe the city had missed many opportunities to serve and protect the community at large and two neighborhoods in particular in relation to the lead problem we now address. It is clear that the State and Federal governments have also failed in their opportunity to regulate and industry of this type with regard to the general welfare of citizens.”</blockquote>

On September 6, 1984 the Dallas Board of Adjustment ordered the smelter closed.<ref>{{cite web|title=Timeline of smelter operations|publisher=Dallas Morning News|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2012/12/14/timeline-of-smelter-operations/|access-date=2024-10-20|date=2012-12-14 }}</ref> In the summer of 1985 an out-of-court settlement for $20 million was reached between RSR and a class including 370 children and 40 property owners affected by the lead, represented by [[Fred Baron (lawyer)|Fred Baron]].

In May 1993 a proposal was made to add the lead smelter site to the [[National Priorities List]] as a [[Superfund]] site.<ref name="EPA Region 6">{{cite web|title=EPA Region 6 |publisher=U.S. EPA |url=http://www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/pdffiles/0602297.pdf/ |access-date=2010-04-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514201643/http://www.epa.gov//region6//6sf/pdffiles/0602297.pdf |archive-date=May 14, 2009 }}</ref> On September 28, 1994, the EPA signed the Preliminary Close Out Report for the site stating all clean-up for all the units had been completed. The EPA then signed a Ready For Reuse document in May 2005 declaring the site ready for reuse or redevelopment.<ref name="EPA Region 6"/> The EPA reported that the clean-up resulted in direct lower lead blood leaves of children; the community also benefited by having 400 properties on {{convert|300|acre|km2}} of commercial property eliminated of contamination.{{citation needed |date=October 2024}}


==Demographics==
==Demographics==
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==Neighborhoods==
==Neighborhoods==
West Dallas has been the site of significant redevelopment since the opening of the [[Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge]] in 2012. New developments include [[Trinity Groves, Dallas|Trinity Groves]], on Singleton Boulevard, Sylvan/Thirty, on Fort Worth Avenue, and multiple condominiums and townhomes.
One of the city's up-and-coming areas for urban revitalization, West Dallas is seeing new developments emerge. They include:
* [[Trinity Groves, Dallas|Trinity Groves]], on Singleton Boulevard
* Sylvan/Thirty, on Fort Worth Avenue
* Alta West Commerce
* Alta Yorktown
* Cliff View (West of Sylvan and north of Fort Worth Avenue)


These developments are bringing top-tier chefs, yoga studios, fresh-food markets, hip retail and apartments and condos with views of the downtown Dallas skyline, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and the Margaret McDermott Bridge.
These developments are bringing top-tier chefs, yoga studios, fresh-food markets, hip retail and apartments and condos with views of the downtown Dallas skyline, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and the Margaret McDermott Bridge.
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Long-standing neighborhoods in West Dallas prior to gentrification of the community include:
Long-standing neighborhoods in West Dallas prior to gentrification of the community include:
{{West Dallas labelled map|float=right|caption=Neighborhoods of West Dallas<ref name="wdcocmap"/>}}
{{West Dallas labelled map|float=right|caption=Neighborhoods of West Dallas<ref name="wdcocmap"/>}}

* [[Bickers Park, Dallas|Bickers Park]]
===Major neighborhoods===
* [[Eagle Ford, Dallas|Eagle Ford]]
* El Aceite (mistakenly written as "La L'aceate")
* [[La Bajada, Dallas|La Bajada]]
* [[La Loma, Dallas]]
* [[Lake West, Dallas|Lake West]]
* [[Ledbetter Gardens, Dallas|Ledbetter Gardens]]
* [[Los Altos, Dallas|Los Altos]]
* Muncie, Dallas
* Western Heights
* [[Westmoreland Heights, Dallas|Westmoreland Heights]]

===Other neighborhoods===
* Bickers Park
* Buena Vista
* Buena Vista
* Cement City
* Cross Hampton
* Cross Hampton
* [[Westmoreland Heights, Dallas, Texas|Cross Westmoreland, Dallas]]
* Cross Westmoreland
* Commerce Heights
* Commerce Heights
* College Park (Riggins)
* College Park (Riggins)
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* Crossman Ave
* Crossman Ave
* Gilbert-Emory
* Gilbert-Emory
* Fish Trap Projects
* Ledbetter/Eagle Ford, Dallas
* [[Fish Trap Park, Dallas|Fish Trap Projects]]
* Greenleaf Village
* Greenleaf Village
* Homestead Manor
* Homestead Manor
* La Estrella, Dallas
* El Aceite (mistakenly written as "La L'aceate"), Dallas|El Aceite
* [[La Bajada, Dallas|La Bajada]]
* La Estrella, Dallas|La Estrella
* La Loma, Dallas|La Loma
* La Mexicanita
* La Mexicanita
* La Reunion (Texas)|La Reunion
* [[Lake West, Dallas|Lake West]]
* [[Ledbetter Gardens, Dallas|Ledbetter Gardens]]
* [[Los Altos, Dallas|Los Altos]]
* Muncie, Dallas|Muncie
* P J Allen No 3
* P J Allen No 3
* Rupert Circle, Dallas|Rupert Circle Projects
* Rupert Circle Projects
* Victory Gardens
* Victory Gardens
* Weisenberger Lucky 7
* Weisenberger Lucky 7
* Westmoreland Park
* West Dallas Housing Projects
* Western Heights, Dallas|Western heights
* [[Westmoreland Heights, Dallas|Westmoreland Heights]]
* [[Westmoreland Park]]
WEST DALLAS HOUSING PROJECTS: located near HAMPTON RD & SINGLETON BLVD. this development dates back to the early 1950s. It consisted of three separate developments, segregated by race (Blacks, Hispanics and Whites). The names of the developments were: GEORGE LOVING PLACE, EDGAR WARD PLACE & ELMER SCOTT PLACE.


===Industrial sections===
===Industrial sections===

* Lone Star Industrial Park
* Lone Star Industrial Park
* Singleton Industrial Area
* Singleton Industrial Area
* Turnpike Distribution Center
* Turnpike Distribution Center

===Former places===
* [[La Réunion (Dallas)| La Réunion]]
* Cement City
* West Dallas Housing Projects


==Education==
==Education==
===Public Education===
===Public education===
Public education in West Dallas is provided by [[Dallas Independent School District|Dallas]] and [[Irving Independent School District|Irving]] Independent School Districts, as well as a public charter school from Uplift Education and two private schools. Dallas schools cover over 90% of the area — only areas on the north side of the original channel of Westmoreland and on the west side of the original channel of Mountain Creek attend Irving schools. (''See: [[History of Dallas, Texas (1930–1945)#Trinity River channeling|Channeling of the Trinity River]]'')
Public education in West Dallas is provided by [[Dallas Independent School District|Dallas]] and [[Irving Independent School District|Irving]] Independent School Districts, as well as a public charter school from Uplift Education and two private schools. Dallas schools cover over 90% of the area — only areas on the north side of the original channel of Westmoreland and on the west side of the original channel of Mountain Creek attend Irving schools. (''See: [[History of Dallas, Texas (1930–1945)#Trinity River channeling|Channeling of the Trinity River]]'')


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Students in West Dallas may also attend Uplift Heights Preparatory, a college preparatory, non-selective, but lottery-based public [[charter school]] located in the Lake West neighborhood of West Dallas. As of August 2015, Uplift Heights serves slightly more than 1,700 Pre-Kindergarten through 11th grade students. Uplift Heights will have its first graduating class in 2017. Uplift Heights Preparatory has been open since 2006 and is part of Uplift Education.
Students in West Dallas may also attend Uplift Heights Preparatory, a college preparatory, non-selective, but lottery-based public [[charter school]] located in the Lake West neighborhood of West Dallas. As of August 2015, Uplift Heights serves slightly more than 1,700 Pre-Kindergarten through 11th grade students. Uplift Heights will have its first graduating class in 2017. Uplift Heights Preparatory has been open since 2006 and is part of Uplift Education.


===Private Education===
===Private education===

* Mayo Kindergarten, a Christian Private School, formerly located in Eagle Ford in the 5500 block of Fannie Street. Mrs. Sammie Lee Crump, was the owner and operator of the school and it was the first Black owned school in West Dallas.
* Mayo Kindergarten, a Christian Private School, formerly located in Eagle Ford in the 5500 block of Fannie Street. Mrs. Sammie Lee Crump, was the owner and operator of the school and it was the first Black owned school in West Dallas.
* West Dallas Community School, a Christian private school, is in West Dallas.<ref>"[http://www.wdcschool.org/ Home]." West Dallas Community School. Retrieved on September 6, 2011. "2300 Canada Drive | Dallas, Texas 75212"</ref>
* West Dallas Community School, a Christian private school, is in West Dallas.<ref>"[http://www.wdcschool.org/ Home]." West Dallas Community School. Retrieved on September 6, 2011. "2300 Canada Drive | Dallas, Texas 75212"</ref>
* St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School, established in 1944, is located at 1716 Singleton Boulevard in the heart of West Dallas.<ref>"[http://www.smcschool.org]."St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School. Retrieved on September 1, 2020. "1716 Singleton Boulevard | Dallas, Texas 75212"</ref>
* St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School, established in 1944, is located at 1716 Singleton Boulevard in the heart of West Dallas.<ref>"[http://www.smcschool.org]."St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School. Retrieved on September 1, 2020. "1716 Singleton Boulevard | Dallas, Texas 75212"</ref>


===Post-Secondary Education===
===Post-secondary education===
* [[Dallas College]] West Dallas Center.
* [[Dallas College]] West Dallas Center.


===Other Educational Centers and Resources===
===Other educational centers and resources===

* Voice of Hope Ministries, a Christian Out-of-School time program founded in 1982 is in West Dallas. They provide after school and summer programming for the children of West Dallas.
* Voice of Hope Ministries, a Christian Out-of-School time program founded in 1982 is in West Dallas. They provide after school and summer programming for the children of West Dallas.
* Wesley-Rankin Community Center
* Wesley-Rankin Community Center
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* Mercy Street
* Mercy Street


==Government agencies and organizations==
==History==
* [[United States Postal Service]] Dallas Main Post Office processing center

* [[Dallas Public Library]] West Dallas Branch is at 2332 Singleton Blvd.
West Dallas originated as a community on the outskirts of [[Dallas]]. The community was founded in 1886.<ref>{{cite web|title=West Dallas Chamber of Commerce|publisher=Chamber of Commerce|url=http://www.westdallaschamber.com/history.html/|access-date=2010-04-26}}</ref>
* [[Dallas College]] West Dallas Center

* West Dallas Multipurpose Center
In 1909 the Thomas A. Edison School was built.
* Builders of Hope

* SPCA of Texas
== Environmental History==
Murphy Metals (later known as RSR Corporation), a [[smelting|secondary lead smelter]] processing company, opened a {{convert|63|acre|m2|adj=on}} facility and in 1934 started operations at the site. The process of secondary lead smelting melts the collected [[lead]] materials or, lead scrap, into metallic lead that can then be used to cast into molds.<ref name="Department of Labor">{{cite web|title=Department of Labor|publisher=U.S. Government|url=http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/leadsmelter/index.html/|access-date=2010-04-26}}</ref> Significant lead emissions can occur from poorly controlled refining, casting, and drossing operations.<ref name="Department of Labor"/> The city of Dallas annexed West Dallas into the city limits in 1954. Before that year, many residents lived in an area lacking the basic services because they resided outside the city lines. Then in 1956 a 3,500-unit [[public housing]] complex was to be built just north of the RSR lead smelter facility. The southern edge of the public housing complex was located {{convert|50|ft|m}} from the lead smelter's property line. In 1968 the [[City of Dallas]] enacted an ordinance prohibiting more than 5 micrograms per cubic meter over a 30-day period. This act went unenforced because in the 1960s RSR Corp West Dallas facility released more than 269 tons of lead particles into the air each year. During that time few residents could afford the luxury of air conditioning, so in the summers they kept their doors and windows open to combat the heat, directly exposing them to the toxins in the air, even in their own homes. It wasn't until 1972 that Dallas officials learned that lead could be finding its way into the bloodstreams of children who lived in West Dallas and the bordering community of East Oak Cliff. The Dallas Health Department then conducted a study of their own. They found children living near smelters had elevated levels of lead. Lead was able to reach their bloodstream through the air, soil and households in and around their living environments. In areas near smelters children had a 36 percent increase in blood lead levels. The city failed to take immediate action and in 1974 the city sued local smelters. The company agreed to pay $35,000 and install new pollution control equipment. This did little to resolve the problem because in 1983 the pollution equipment had still not been installed at RSR Corp. Pressure from the community on government agencies was beginning to rise. A citizens group appointed by the Dallas City Council, The Dallas Alliance Environmental Task Force, has this to say in a 1983 study <blockquote>“We believe the city had missed many opportunities to serve and protect the community at large and two neighborhoods in particular in relation to the lead problem we now address. It is clear that the State and Federal governments have also failed in their opportunity to regulate and industry of this type with regard to the general welfare of citizens.”</blockquote> Before that in 1981 public concern and pressure were raised after the West Dallas Boys Club had to suspend outside activity after one soil test showed the soil contained 36 times the level considered dangerous for children. The club was later forced to close in 1983 due to high lead levels related to the years of operations of the RSR secondary lead smelter operation. After lengthy test and lawsuits and delayed clean-up action, partially government agencies fault, RSR Corp. was ordered by the Dallas Board of Adjusters to close the West Dallas facility. In the summer of 1985 an out-of-court settlement was reached between RSR Corp. and [[Fred Baron (lawyer)|Fred Baron]] who represented 370 children and 40 property owners who were all affected by the lead emitted from RSR. The settlement was for 20 million dollars. However, with this settlement the land that the old RSR Corp facility used to sit on still contained large amounts of lead contamination dangerous to all ages of people. In May 1993 a proposal of the RSR Corp. site in West Dallas was sent to the [[National Priorities List]], also named a [[Superfund]] site<ref name="EPA Region 6">{{cite web|title=EPA Region 6 |publisher=U.S. EPA |url=http://www.epa.gov/region6/6sf/pdffiles/0602297.pdf/ |access-date=2010-04-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514201643/http://www.epa.gov//region6//6sf/pdffiles/0602297.pdf |archive-date=May 14, 2009 }}</ref> President Clinton's administration then brought more publicity to the issue when in November 1993 an article written in ''The Progressive'' had this to say <blockquote>“West Dallas residents celebrated when the Clinton Administration declared last May that they live in the largest lead-contaminated Superfund site in the United States. Portions of one of the nation's biggest housing projects and five schools, all located within five square miles of a now-defunct lead smelter, are slated for cleanup (although Federal Environmental Protection Agency records indicate as much as sixteen square miles of West Dallas are contaminated)."</blockquote>{{Cite quote|date=November 2015}} For the residents who had been pushing for years and decades to solve the problem could lay their case to rest on September 28, 1994, when the EPA signed Preliminary Close Out Report for the RSR Corp. Superfund site stating all clean-up for all the units had been completed. The EPA then signed a Ready For Reuse document in May 2005 declaring the site ready for reuse or redevelopment<ref name="EPA Region 6"/> The EPA reported that the clean-up resulted in direct lower lead blood leaves of children. The community also benefited by having 400 properties {{convert|300|acre|km2}} of commercial property eliminated of contamination.

==Government Agencies and Companies serving West Dallas==
[[United States Postal Service]] Dallas Main Post Office is a processing center located at 401 Tom Landry Highway, Dallas, Texas, 75260. The Brookhollow Station services zip codes 75212 and 75247 which are home to West Dallas and the extension of West Dallas known as the Design District.

[[AT&T]] the landlines for West Dallas are serviced by two wire centers Dallas Melrose was originally telephone numbers beginning with 214-63X-XXXX which is considered the western portion of the community. Dallas Riverside was originally telephone numbers beginning with 214-74X-XXXX which is the eastern portion into Downtown Dallas.

[[Dallas Public Library]] West Dallas is served by the Dallas West Branch of the Dallas Public Library at 2332 Singleton Blvd.

West Dallas Multipurpose Center

Builders of Hope


== Transportation ==
== Transportation ==

=== Bus ===
=== Bus ===
* '''[[Dallas Area Rapid Transit|DART]]'''
* '''[[Dallas Area Rapid Transit|DART]]'''
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==Notable people==
==Notable people==
* Alexander Cockrell and [[Sarah Horton Cockrell]], business and civic leaders in mid to late 19th century Dallas
*Depression-era celebrity criminals [[Clyde Barrow]] and [[Bonnie Parker]] both came from poverty out of West Dallas in the 1920s and 1930s.<ref>Go Down Together, The true, Untold Story of Bonnie and Clyde, by Jeff Guinn, 2009</ref>
* [[Julien Reverchon]], renowned botanist and member of [[La Réunion (Dallas)]] colony
*First West Dallas African America City Council woman [[Mattie Lee Nash]], known as the [[Mayor of West Dallas]], fought tirelessly to better the West Dallas community was elected in 1991 and served one term.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2009/12/22/mattie-lee-nash-former-city-council-member-and-strong-voice-for-west-dallas-dies/|title=Mattie Lee Nash, former City Council member and strong voice for West Dallas, dies|author=Dallas News Administrator|work=[[Dallas Morning News]]|date=December 22, 2009}}</ref>
* [[Bonnie and Clyde]], Great Depression-era celebrity criminals
*Actress [[Regina Taylor]] is from West Dallas.<ref>"Black History Month: Local legends in music, theater, dance, and more", The Dallas Morning News, February 3, 2006</ref>
* [[Mattie Lee Nash]], first West Dallas African American City Councilwoman, known as the Mayor of West Dallas, fought tirelessly to better the West Dallas community was elected in 1991 and served one term.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2009/12/22/mattie-lee-nash-former-city-council-member-and-strong-voice-for-west-dallas-dies/|title=Mattie Lee Nash, former City Council member and strong voice for West Dallas, dies|author=Dallas News Administrator|work=[[Dallas Morning News]]|date=December 22, 2009}}</ref>
*Rapper [[Tracy Lynn Curry]] musical name [[The D.O.C.]] hails from West Dallas. Although his career started in Los Angeles, he still calls West Dallas home.
* Actress [[Regina Taylor]]<ref>"Black History Month: Local legends in music, theater, dance, and more", The Dallas Morning News, February 3, 2006</ref>
* [[The D.O.C.]], pioneering gangster rapper known for his work with [[N.W.A.]] and [[Dr. Dre]]


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 07:21, 31 October 2024

West Dallas
Fish Trap Lake Park in West Dallas, including the smokestack of the defunct RSR Corporation smelter in the background
Fish Trap Lake Park in West Dallas, including the smokestack of the defunct RSR Corporation smelter in the background
Location in Dallas
Location in Dallas
CountryUnited States
StateTexas
CountiesDallas
CityDallas
Area
 • Total
11.45 sq mi (29.66 km2)
 • Land11.45 sq mi (29.66 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0 km2)  0%
Elevation
406 ft (124 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total
24,132
ZIP code
75212 (main postal zip code), 75208 and 75211 (small areas)
Area code(s)214, 469, 972
Websitewww.westdallaschamber.org
References:[1]

West Dallas is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas, United States. West Dallas lies just west of Downtown Dallas, north of Oak Cliff, and east of Irving and Grand Prairie.

Largely lying in the Trinity River floodplain, the area's history has been largely defined by its relationship to the river, to industry, and to downtown. Although not incorporated into Dallas until the 1950s, West Dallas has had a close but problematic relationship to the city since its founding. The area is currently undergoing significant changes due to its central location within the city, attracting new development and revitalization efforts but also threatening existing communities.

Geography

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The City of Dallas defines West Dallas boundaries as Interstate 30 on the south, the Trinity River on the east and north, and the Trinity River's West Fork on the west.[2]

The southern part of West Dallas is elevated by the Austin Chalk limestone formation, creating a continuous ridge with Oak Cliff that overlooks the Trinity and downtown Dallas. The majority of West Dallas lies in the Trinity River floodplain and is traversed Singleton Boulevard.

History

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The recorded history of the area that would become West Dallas begins in the 1840s, when the Republic of Texas offered up to 640 acres of land to homesteaders in North Texas.[3]

The town of Eagle Ford, a significant community in the early history of West Dallas, was established as a farm in 1844 by Enoch Horton at the site of ford in the west fork of the Trinity River floodplain.[4] In 1857 Enoch's son Jacob established a grist mill that would be an important hub for the local farming community.[5] Enoch's daughter Sarah Horton Cockrell was an important business leader in early Dallas, most notably building the first bridge connecting the city Dallas to west.

In 1855, the Fourierist colony of La Réunion was established on a limestone ridge overlooking the Trinity floodplain. The colony attracted approximately five hundred European settlers starting in 1855, briefly rivaling the small town of Dallas as an urban center. Although the colony was formally dissolved in 1857 and many of the settlers returned to Europe, others such as Benjamin Long and Jacob Boll moved to Dallas and became prominent citizens in the growing metropolis. A few, such as the Santerre and Reverchon families would remain and continue to farm the colony land until the turn of the 18th century.[6]

In 1873, the Texas and Pacific Railway began service through West Dallas, and because of the Panic of 1873, Eagle Ford would remain the western terminus of the line for several years. This led to a brief boom period for the city, as the town became a major cattle shipment hub. This brief boom period would last until 1878, when construction had resumed and Fort Worth supplanted it and Eagle Ford's significance and population declined.[7]

Industrial development and exploitation of the area began in the early 1900s, with the establishment of a brick works using the rich Trinity clay, and a cement works that processed the limestone cliffs into cement.[8]

The town of Cement, Texas was incorporated on April 28, 1908 as a segregated factory town for the Texas Portland Cement Company. [9] Many of the workers at the cement plant were Mexican immigrants who were fleeing the Mexican Revolution.[10]

As West Dallas's population grew, flooding became an increasingly serious problem, as much of the area lies in the flood prone Trinity bottom lands. The Dallas Levee System was originally completed in 1932 and upgraded in the 1950s by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, significantly addressing the flooding problem in the area.[11]

Although in 1931 Cement City had a population of 609, the population had declined to 249 in the late 1940s and by 1951 the community was no longer incorporated.[12] In 1954, West Dallas was officially annexed by the city of Dallas. [13]

In 1955, the West Dallas housing projects were established, consisting of three separate developments, segregated by race (Blacks, Hispanics and Whites). The names of the developments were George Loving Place, Edgar Ward Place and Elmer Scott Place.[14]

On April 2, 1957, the devastating 1957 Dallas tornado passed through West Dallas. That same year, the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike opened as a toll road, and would eventually become Interstate 30 in 1977 when the toll was paid off. The highway would accelerate the growth of Grand Prairie and Arlington, leading directly to the creation of Six Flags Over Texas but also created an enormous physical barrier between West Dallas and Oak Cliff.[15]

In 1984, a $45 million settlement was reached with RSR Corporation on behalf of 370 West Dallas children who had been harmed by the RSR lead smelting plant's operations.[16]

On September 29, 1995 the smelting plant site was declared a Superfund site after decades of efforts by local residents.[17]

In March 2012, the Santiago Calatrava-designed Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge opened as part of the Trinity River Project. The bridge and associated Trinity Groves retail development have marked a new era of gentrification for the neighborhood. Neighborhoods such as La Bajada have been put under pressure from rising property taxes and speculative real estate development.[18]

Environmental history

[edit]

In 1934 Murphy Metals (later known as RSR Corporation), started operating a 63-acre (250,000 m2) secondary lead smelter facility in West Dallas. The process melts lead scrap into metallic lead that can then used for casting. Significant lead emissions can occur from poorly controlled refining, casting, and drossing operations.[19]

The city of Dallas annexed West Dallas into the city limits in 1954. Before that year, many residents lived in an area lacking the basic services because they resided outside the city lines. Shortly after annexationin 1956, the city built a 3,500-unit public housing complex just north of the RSR lead smelter facility. The southern edge of the public housing complex was located 50 feet (15 m) from the lead smelter's property line.

In 1968 the City of Dallas enacted an ordinance regulating pollution thresholds for the facility. This act went unenforced - in the 1960s RSR Corp West Dallas facility released more than 269 tons of lead particles into the air each year.[citation needed] Few residents could afford air conditioning, so in the summers they kept their doors and windows open, directly exposing them to the toxins. In 1972, Dallas officials learned that lead could be finding its way into the bloodstreams of children who lived in West Dallas and the bordering community of East Oak Cliff.[citation needed] The Dallas Health Department then conducted a study - they found children living near smelters had a 36 percent increase in blood lead levels.[citation needed] In 1974 the city sued local smelters and RSR Corporation agreed to pay $35,000 and install new pollution control equipment - however by 1983 they still had not installed the pollution equipment.

In 1981 public concern and pressure were raised after the West Dallas Boys Club had to suspend outside activity after a soil test showed lead levels 36 times those considered dangerous for children; the club was forced to close in 1983 due to high lead levels. The Dallas Alliance Environmental Task Force, a citizens group appointed by the Dallas City Council, said this in a 1983 study:

“We believe the city had missed many opportunities to serve and protect the community at large and two neighborhoods in particular in relation to the lead problem we now address. It is clear that the State and Federal governments have also failed in their opportunity to regulate and industry of this type with regard to the general welfare of citizens.”

On September 6, 1984 the Dallas Board of Adjustment ordered the smelter closed.[20] In the summer of 1985 an out-of-court settlement for $20 million was reached between RSR and a class including 370 children and 40 property owners affected by the lead, represented by Fred Baron.

In May 1993 a proposal was made to add the lead smelter site to the National Priorities List as a Superfund site.[21] On September 28, 1994, the EPA signed the Preliminary Close Out Report for the site stating all clean-up for all the units had been completed. The EPA then signed a Ready For Reuse document in May 2005 declaring the site ready for reuse or redevelopment.[21] The EPA reported that the clean-up resulted in direct lower lead blood leaves of children; the community also benefited by having 400 properties on 300 acres (1.2 km2) of commercial property eliminated of contamination.[citation needed]

Demographics

[edit]

In the late 1980s, the neighborhood had a population of 13,161.[22] As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 24,132 people living in the neighborhood.[22] The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 2.7% White, 37.3% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.4% Asian or Pacific Islander, 41.8% from Hispanic or Latino, and 15.2% from two or more races.[citation needed]

Neighborhoods

[edit]

West Dallas has been the site of significant redevelopment since the opening of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in 2012. New developments include Trinity Groves, on Singleton Boulevard, Sylvan/Thirty, on Fort Worth Avenue, and multiple condominiums and townhomes.

These developments are bringing top-tier chefs, yoga studios, fresh-food markets, hip retail and apartments and condos with views of the downtown Dallas skyline, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and the Margaret McDermott Bridge.

Long-standing neighborhoods in West Dallas prior to gentrification of the community include:

Neighborhoods of West Dallas[2]

Major neighborhoods

[edit]

Other neighborhoods

[edit]
  • Bickers Park
  • Buena Vista
  • Cross Hampton
  • Cross Westmoreland
  • Commerce Heights
  • College Park (Riggins)
  • Colonia Tepeyac, Dallas
  • Coombs West End
  • Crossman Ave
  • Gilbert-Emory
  • Fish Trap Projects
  • Greenleaf Village
  • Homestead Manor
  • La Estrella, Dallas
  • La Mexicanita
  • P J Allen No 3
  • Rupert Circle Projects
  • Victory Gardens
  • Weisenberger Lucky 7
  • Westmoreland Park

Industrial sections

[edit]
  • Lone Star Industrial Park
  • Singleton Industrial Area
  • Turnpike Distribution Center

Former places

[edit]

Education

[edit]

Public education

[edit]

Public education in West Dallas is provided by Dallas and Irving Independent School Districts, as well as a public charter school from Uplift Education and two private schools. Dallas schools cover over 90% of the area — only areas on the north side of the original channel of Westmoreland and on the west side of the original channel of Mountain Creek attend Irving schools. (See: Channeling of the Trinity River)

All students zoned to Dallas ISD Schools attend Thomas A. Edison Middle Learning Center and L. G. Pinkston High School,[23] as well as one of the following elementary schools:

  • C. F. Carr Elementary School
  • Sequoyah Learning Center (Demolished for L. G. Pinkston new site)
  • Dallas Environmental Science Academy (Now housed in the former Amelia Earhart)
  • George W. Carver Learning Center (Demolished for L. G. Pinkston new site)
  • Amelia Earhart Elementary School (Closed)
  • Benito Juarez (Closed)
  • Fredrick Douglas (Closed)
  • Priscilla Tyler (closed and purchased by West Dallas Community School)
  • Lorenzo DeZavala Elementary School
  • Sidney Lanier Elementary School Vanguard for Expressive Arts
  • Eladio R. Martinez Learning Center
  • Gabe P. Allen Elementary School
  • West Dallas STEM School

All students zoned to Irving schools attend Bowie Middle School and Nimitz High School. Students living on the north side of the original channel of the West Fork of the Trinity River attend Schulze Elementary School and students living on the west side of the original channel of Mountain Creek attend Townley Elementary School.[24]

Students in West Dallas may also attend Uplift Heights Preparatory, a college preparatory, non-selective, but lottery-based public charter school located in the Lake West neighborhood of West Dallas. As of August 2015, Uplift Heights serves slightly more than 1,700 Pre-Kindergarten through 11th grade students. Uplift Heights will have its first graduating class in 2017. Uplift Heights Preparatory has been open since 2006 and is part of Uplift Education.

Private education

[edit]
  • Mayo Kindergarten, a Christian Private School, formerly located in Eagle Ford in the 5500 block of Fannie Street. Mrs. Sammie Lee Crump, was the owner and operator of the school and it was the first Black owned school in West Dallas.
  • West Dallas Community School, a Christian private school, is in West Dallas.[25]
  • St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School, established in 1944, is located at 1716 Singleton Boulevard in the heart of West Dallas.[26]

Post-secondary education

[edit]

Other educational centers and resources

[edit]
  • Voice of Hope Ministries, a Christian Out-of-School time program founded in 1982 is in West Dallas. They provide after school and summer programming for the children of West Dallas.
  • Wesley-Rankin Community Center
  • Readers To Leaders
  • Mercy Street

Government agencies and organizations

[edit]

Transportation

[edit]

Bus

[edit]

Light rail

[edit]

Alternative Transportation

[edit]

Highways

[edit]

Notable people

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ West Dallas Chamber of Commerce - About. Retrieved on 6 December 2006.
  2. ^ a b West Dallas Chamber of Commerce - Map. Retrieved on 14 May 2009.
  3. ^ "Handbook of Texas, Republic of Texas". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  4. ^ "Handbook of Texas, Eagle Ford". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  5. ^ "Horton family established the bygone Eagle Ford community". Oak Cliff Advocate. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  6. ^ "The Francois Santerre Family". Dallas County Pioneer Association website. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  7. ^ "Handbook of Texas, Eagle Ford". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  8. ^ "Retracing History in West Dallas". ArcGIS StoryMaps. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  9. ^ "Cement City Collection". Dallas Public Library. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  10. ^ "History of West Dallas". Southern Methodist University. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  11. ^ "Dallas Levees & Pump Stations Overview". Trinity River Corridor. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  12. ^ "Handbook of Texas". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  13. ^ "History of West Dallas". Southern Methodist University. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  14. ^ "The Forgotten City". D Magazine. July 1984. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  15. ^ "From Pioneer Paths to Superhighways - The Texas Highway Department Blazes Texas Trails 1917-1968". Texas State Library and Archive Commission. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  16. ^ "1995: EPA Places RSR Corporation Site on Superfund List". Southern Methodist University. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  17. ^ "Decades after closure of lead smelter, voices rise against other West Dallas polluters". Dallas Morning News. 22 August 2021. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  18. ^ "Bridge to Somewhere". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
  19. ^ "Department of Labor". U.S. Government. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  20. ^ "Timeline of smelter operations". Dallas Morning News. 2012-12-14. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  21. ^ a b "EPA Region 6" (PDF). U.S. EPA. Archived from the original on May 14, 2009. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
  22. ^ a b Newton, David E. (2009). Environmental justice: a reference handbook. ABC-CLIO. p. 6. ISBN 978-1598842234. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  23. ^ Dallas ISD - 2007 School Feeder Patterns - L. G. Pinkston High School. (Maps: ES: Allen, Carr, Carver, DeZavala, Earhart, Lanier, Martinez, Sequoyah; MS: Edison, Quintanilla; HS: Pinkston.) Retrieved on 13 May 2007.
  24. ^ Irving ISD - School Feeder Patterns. (Maps: ES: Schulze, Townley; MS: Bowie; HS: Nimitz.) Retrieved on 13 May 2007.
  25. ^ "Home." West Dallas Community School. Retrieved on September 6, 2011. "2300 Canada Drive | Dallas, Texas 75212"
  26. ^ "[1]."St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School. Retrieved on September 1, 2020. "1716 Singleton Boulevard | Dallas, Texas 75212"
  27. ^ Dallas News Administrator (December 22, 2009). "Mattie Lee Nash, former City Council member and strong voice for West Dallas, dies". Dallas Morning News.
  28. ^ "Black History Month: Local legends in music, theater, dance, and more", The Dallas Morning News, February 3, 2006
[edit]

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