Union Station’s Empty Backyard — ca. 1920
by Paula Bosse
The western edge of downtown, looking south (click for larger image)
by Paula Bosse
Here’s a postcard view you don’t see that often, Houston Street, looking south, with the Old Red Courthouse at the lower left, the gleaming white Union Station in the upper middle, and the fantastic Houston Street viaduct at the top. It’s a little hard to imagine that sixty-or-so years later, Reunion Tower would be plunked down at the far right of this picture, in that grassy field behind the tracks at Union Station.
***
Postcard from the DallasMetropolis.com forum, here (see comment for the very interesting description of what’s what in this image).
Present-day bird’s-eye view from Bing (click for larger image).
*
Copyright © 2014 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.
Flashback : Dallas 
Until looking closely at that card, I’d forgotten the Y bridge just below the Houston St. Viaduct for turning trains.
LikeLike
I don’t think I would have noticed that without clicking on the forum link at the bottom of the post, That first postcard is pretty cool!
LikeLike
For a time that back lot was filled with an auto parking lot and sheltered entrance to Union Station via the underground concourse. There were some wild ideas (and renderings) for a while to expand Union Station in that direction.
LikeLike
I’ve lived in Dallas my whole life and I’ve never been to Union Station! Can you just wander around it, or is it like airports now with increased security that allows only travelers inside?
LikeLike
I believe you can still wander around. There may be security at the actual train doors, but I don’t believe there is at the doors of US. I encourage a tour. It’s a great building, full of history and there are large historical pictures in the tunnel to the train entrances.
LikeLike
It’s open and worth a visit. The ground floor is used for Amtrak operations now, and the upstairs is Hyatt convention/meeting space. A few years ago they restored a lot of the original elements during a renovation. Here are some photos I took a few years ago: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dfwcre8tive/sets/72157624321920670/
LikeLike
Thanks, Bob!
LikeLike
Great photos, Noah. It’s one of those buildings that one doesn’t expect to see in Dallas. Where does the tunnel go?
LikeLike
A tunnel in the 1950s replaced the elevated corridor to the platforms (travelers got tired of climbing stairs just to go back down stairs). It changed the function of the upper level and that’s why Amtrak only uses the ground level now. The tunnel still connects the station to all of the platforms and runs all the way to Reunion Tower. Prior to Reunion, it ended with a separate entrance to the back parking lot.
LikeLike
How interesting! I really do need to check the place out!
LikeLike