Flashback : Dallas

The “Reservation”

by Paula Bosse

Another year has passed. I’ve been writing Flashback Dallas for 11 years now, and I surprise even myself when I say that I’m still as excited to learn new things about my hometown as I was when I started this blog in 2014. I am, somehow, approaching 1,500 posts. That’s a lot of murky water under the viaduct.

The high point of 2024 for me was that I finally became a “professional” historian — or at least someone who works full-time (for money!) in the history realm: I became a member of the staff of the Dallas History and Archives at the downtown Dallas Public Library. As you can imagine, this is a job where I am constantly distracted by cool stuff. Working for so long on the blog has prepared me quite a bit in assisting people with their own history research. I’ve met several very nice library customers who read Flashback Dallas, and their kind words have made fitting into a new job a lot easier.

I appreciate all of the support I’ve received over the years, both from longtime loyal readers as well as from casual visitors. Thank you! I hope there will be more to draw you back in 2025.

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These are the most popular Flashback Dallas posts of 2024, ranked in order by the number of page hits, comments, shares, etc. Read the full post by clicking the link in the title.

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1.  “SOUTH END ‘RESERVATION’ RED-LIGHT DISTRICT — ca. 1907” (January)

This is the clear winner of 2024. By such a wide margin that the number of views it got is almost the amount that the rest of the top 10 received combined. It’s one of the most popular posts I have ever written. It was only the second post of 2024, but it continued its unbeatable steamrolling throughout the entire year. It is my personal favorite of the year as well. Note to self: more vice history! The photo that started the whole thing is at the top of this page; a map showing the general area is above, with the blue star at the courthouse and the legal brothel “reservation” bounded in red.

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2.  “THE THREE WITCHES OF STEMMONS TOWER” (January)

This concerns a sort of urban legend/rite of passage for Dallas teens that I had never heard of until a few years ago. I had never seen what these “witches” looked like. But, now have, thanks to a reader who sent me this photo. I knew this one would do well, but maybe not as well as it did do!

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3.  SALIH’S, PRESTON CENTER: 1953-1977 (February)

Undying nostalgia for Salih’s barbecue drove this post — filled with photos from Dallas high school yearbooks — to #3. It’s another Dallas legend that passed me by entirely. Love for Salih’s has apparently never waned.

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4.  “THE CLOVERLEAF” (June)

It’s nice to know I’m not the only person who loved this aesthetically-pleasing/fun/scary/thrilling North Dallas highway feature!

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5.  “COL. McCOY’S RESIDENCE, COMMERCE & LAMAR — 1875” (May)

I was surprised that this post got as much attention as it did. It’s always fascinated me to see old photos of houses in what is now downtown Dallas. Like this photo showing Col. John C. McCoy’s home, which was built in 1852 at what is now Commerce and Lamar. Jump forward almost 175 years, and that pretty little house has been replaced by an asphalt parking lot, and there’s a McDonald’s in the back yard. My favorite thing about this post is finding the house pictured in the fabulous, meticulously drawn Brosius map from 1872,

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6.  “DR. ROSSER’S GASTON AVENUE RESIDENCE — 1912” (January)

This might be the most surprising post to make this list. Basically, I posted it last New Year’s Day, because the postcard featured in the post was mailed on the day wishing the recipient a happy new year. I actually think of this house almost every day, because I pass this corner (Gaston and Hill) on my drive to work. But the house is not spectacular, and the man who lived there — while important in Dallas’ medical history — is not terribly “sexy.” I’d like to think the post’s popularity might be because of the related story about the person the card is addressed to. We have had ongoing discussions at the library about the importance/necessity of transcribing postcards. I can see both sides of the issue, but, I have to say, I have found more interesting stories and bits of obscure information that I would never have known about had I not read the addresses or messages on the backs of what are seemingly ephemeral bits of mail. Like this one!

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7.  “THE FOREST THEATER YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF — ca. 1912-1914” (March)

I felt guilty because it took me 9 years to write this post, having received this really interesting photograph from a reader all the way back in 2015. It took me forever to write down the short history of this little movie theater in South Dallas and make its confusing history readable. I hope I succeeded! It’s gratifying that so many people seemed to like it.

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8.  “THE HIGGINBOTHAM-PEARLSTONE BUILDING” (February)

This is the post I was researching when I stumbled upon the photo at the top of this page which caused me to detour from my “oh, wow, isn’t this a cool building that’s still standing in the West End — let me tell you about its history” to “OH WOW — THIS IS AMAZING — LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT BROTHELS!” In the end, both posts made the Top Ten!

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9.  “THE GRADING OF JUNIUS — 1903” (March)

This photo immediately made me wonder where it was taken — and what was that house up on what looks like a hill? That’s in Old East Dallas? Yep. I really enjoyed this one.

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10.  “OAK LAWN AVE. — KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ (1971) (March)

I didn’t expect this to be so popular, but even hippies deserve their day! I used to never include anything on the blog past 1969, because it just didn’t seem old enough. But this very-’70s artwork is now over 50 years old. I guess it means it is now “historical”!

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And that wraps up 2024. I look forward to learning new things about the history of Dallas in 2025. I hope you’ll check back in!

As always, thank you for reading, and Happy New Year!

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Sources & Notes

See all three 2024 Year-End “best of” lists here.

See all Flashback Dallas Year-End lists — past and present — here.

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Copyright © 2024 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.