Flashback : Dallas

by Paula Bosse

Enjoy these images of Lake Cliff, which, 100 years ago, was “the greatest amusement park in the Southwest.” The slogan “It’s in Dallas” should really have read “It’s in Oak Cliff” — and back then Oak Cliff had everything!

• Mystic River
• Shoot-the-Chutes (read this!)
• Open-Air Circus
• Roller Coaster
• Casino
• Natatorium
• Carousel
• Tennis Courts
• Restaurant
• Baseball Grounds
• Skating Rink
• Trolley Cars
• Penny Vaudeville
• Casino Band and Orchestra
• Circle Swing
  
• Japanese Village
• Boating
• Swimming
• Ferris Wheel

Whew.

Below, some wonderful postcards and photos. (Click to see larger images.)

The first one shows the cafe and the “circle swing” (see a swing in action here).

via DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University

via DeGolyer Library, SMU

via Cook Collection, DeGolyer Library, SMU

Oak Cliff High School yearbook, 1925

Photo by Clogenson, ca. 1908, via Library of Congress

From 1906 promotional brochure, via Portal to Texas History

Jump forward to the 1940s — when it was more of a big pool, without all the flash and filigree:

Take a look at it now in this stunningly beautiful drone video by Matthew Armstrong:

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Sources & Notes

Top image is from a postcard in the George W. Cook Collection at SMU’s DeGolyer Library, here.

Most other uncredited images were found around the internet, several from Coltera’s Flickr stream.

More on Lake Cliff can be found in this article by Rachel Stone from the Oak Cliff Advocate (be sure to click the link to see the full 1906 promotional brochure on “the Southwest’s greatest playground” (it’s “Clean, Cool, Delightful”)).

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Copyright © 2019 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.