Southland Center Observation Deck — 1967
by Paula Bosse
550 feet above street level…
by Paula Bosse
I never experienced the observation deck atop the Southland Life Insurance Building (or any of the observation decks sprinkled throughout downtown — other than Reunion Tower, I guess), but I see a lot of people mention it in fond childhood memories. Here it is in an ad from the 1967 Highland Park High School yearbook.
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GREAT SCOT… SEE IT FROM THE TOP!
Get a bird’s-eye view of your school from the Observation Deck, high on top of Southland Center. It’s a beautiful view, 550 feet above street level. A completely enclosed Observation Lounge assures visitors of all-weather comfort.
Come every day, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Adults, 25¢ — children (6-12) 10¢. Proceeds go to charity.
Southland Life Insurance Co.
Home Office • Southland Center • Dallas
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The observation deck and “lounge” was opened to the public on the 41st floor of the Southland Life Building on Oct. 31, 1956 (the top floor — the 42nd — had a private heliport). I can’t find when it finally closed, but it was open until at least the 1980s.
A search around the internet turned up an interesting bit of footage of the observation deck in 1962 — from a cameo appearance in the TV show “Route 66” (there were a couple of episodes shot in Dallas — I haven’t seen this entire episode, but the clip below has a few cool locations). The pertinent footage begins at the 4:43 mark and lasts for about 2 minutes (if, like me, any hint of fictional animal danger is a problem, you might want to stop around the 5:00 mark). (A couple of cast connections to our fair city: David Wayne, the actor featured in this episode, would later return to Big D as Digger Barnes in “Dallas,” and Dallas actress K Callan — seen in a scene at Love Field at 4:10 — was both a student and a teacher at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Oak Cliff.) From this clip, it looks like there might have been several of the telescopes around the perimeter of the building. (I’d love to see this in color — to see those shimmering blue glass tiles up close.) (This full episode — one of three filmed in Dallas — can be watched on YouTube, here. You’ll see Love Field, the Marriott Motor Hotel, the Southland observation deck, the SMU campus, the Trade Mart, a Wyatt’s cafeteria and grocery store (6126 Luther Lane, in Preston Center), Sheriff Bill Decker’s actual office, and a drive-in movie theater.)
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Is there an observation deck there these days?
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Sources & Notes
Top photo/ad is from the 1966 Highland Park High School yearbook.
Check out these related Southland Center posts:
- “On Top of the World: The Southland Center”
- “‘Wonderful K-BOX’ at 1480 On Your AM Dial”
- “The Southland Center: Mid-Century Cool — 1959”
- “Dallas Skyline, Looking West — 1970”
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Copyright © 2023 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.
Flashback : Dallas 
that would be a cool column, listing where you can actually “observe”
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the Chaparral Club atop the southland life building (with access to the observation deck) closed in 2006 per D Magazine.
https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2006/april/review-chaparral-club/
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It must have reopened at some point, because I read an article from the early ’90s that it had been closed for some time.
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the only observation decks still open to the public are Reunion and Chase Tower (on Ross), City Club at the top of Big Green has one too, but you have to be a member.
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Thanks, Jane!
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Several sources of varying dates say the Chase Tower 40th floor Sky Lobby is closed to the public. Have you been recently to verify that it is open again?
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I have not, I was just reporting what I saw on trip advisor. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s currently closed. Of course if you’re a member of the petroleum club, you would have access
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In 1967 I took my girlfriend up there and looking back I should have pushed her off.
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tell us how you really feel.
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My mom was a legal secretary working in the Republic National Bank Tower . The beautiful building with silver stars.
In 1963 I road the Dallas Transit bus from Casa View to downtown and met her for lunch and a little excursion to the Southland Life Building’s observation deck .
It was a beautiful day and most memorable view.
She’s 92 and I just shared your article with her.
The memories began to flood .
Thank you for this post.
Tragically, the new owner’s renovations in years past destroyed the unique exterior.
It was small mosaic tiles that made each floor radiant an Aqua hue .
It would cost millions to manufacture and install such materials today.
They actually covered ALL of those tiles with a cheap synthetic goop that hid its uniqueness.
What a stupid decision!
WW
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Thank you, Walter! I’m glad you were able to share this with your mother. So many buildings have been ruined by new owners “updating” or renovating the exterior.
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Did you ever visit the observation deck of the Republic Bank Building as well.
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At 4:10 behind K Callan’s back. That looks like a sign with the CD (Civil Defense) in a triangle. Are they in the Dallas Underground? This clip is a time warp. Phone booths, outstanding architecture.
The Trade Mart and Mayor Cabell are mentioned. A strange scenario playing out amid all that affluence. Scary. I wonder how our Route 66 boys saved the day?
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The Republic Bank Building and the First National Bank Tower had observation decks open to the public at the same time the Southland Life Building had one. Can you publish some articles on those two buildings as well.
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why, Why, WHY did they remove those amazing blue panels and replace them with the dullest, ditchwater (or dishwater, you pick) gray rectangles in existence?
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Great post, as usual. I don’t recall ever going to the observation deck, but I do remember on special occasions in the 70’s when my parents would take us from Arlington to Ports O’Call (sp?) and seeing the amazing views.
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I definitely remember going to the observation deck of the First National Bank building. And although it’s a vague memory, I do think my dad took me up to the Southland Life observatory. I also remember eating at Ports O’ Call.
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Do you have any posts on the Ports O Call restaurant mentioned in the comments? I remember going to Dallas and eating there as a kid.
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I haven’t written about that yet. I should!
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In the 60’s when my cousins came to town, we’d go to the Ports o’Call restaurant high up in Southland. I thought it was the top floor, but not sure. It had a south Pacific vibe, and it was quite exotic to me as a girl. Great memories.
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I just saw the earlier comment asking about the Ports o’ Call
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