1930s | Flashback : Dallas

February 7, 2014

The Triple Underpass — Elm, Main, and Commerce Never Looked Better

triple_underpass_1936

by Paula Bosse

Sometimes a noisy, bustling metropolis really hits the spot, but there are times I long to have completely empty streets all to myself. Which is one reason I love this serene and peaceful (or perhaps “post-apocalyptic,” depending on your half-full/half-empty world-view) scene of Dallas, totally deserted save for a partial view of a single car in the distance. The brand new “triple underpass” was unveiled in 1936, the year Dallas was obsessed with showing off what a fantastically modern city it was to the throngs of visitors flooding in for the Texas Centennial celebrations. G.B. Dealey himself rode the first car through the underpass. Perhaps that’s his little car heading up Main Street.

Above, the “Business District, from the West.” Note the absence of Dealey Plaza, which wouldn’t be completed until 1941 and not officially named “Dealey Plaza” until 1946. …After that, the place wasn’t thought about in any especially significant way until 1963.

triple-underpass_gateway-to-dallas_1940s

“The Gateway to Dallas, Texas,” with beautiful Dealey Plaza now set in place, one day to become the most-visited historic site in the city. Despite its grim connection to the assassination, every time I drive through that underpass I always get a little thrill. Almost 80 years after it became a landmark, the triple underpass is still a remarkably cool piece of Dallas architecture and engineering.

February 5, 2014

WFAA Transmitter Plant — 1937

by Paula Bosse

Visitors are always welcome at the WFAA Superpower transmitter plant pictured opposite. Drive North on Akard Street until you reach State Highway 40; turn right on 40 and drive to State Highway 114 (the Northwest Highway); turn left on 114 and it will take you directly to the plant … a 30-minute drive from downtown Dallas.

So, apparently somewhere near Grapevine, where DFW Airport now sprawls. Such a cool-looking art deco building, out in the middle of nowhere. An entertaining and informative history of WFAA radio (with the incredible 50,000-watt signal that could be heard in California!) can be found here.

A 1939 aerial photo of the transmitter can be seen here.

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Sources & Notes

Photo from the WFAA Radio Album of 1937.

For another photo of this transmitter building and the story of “WFAA & WBAP’s Unusual Broadcasting Alliance,” see a later post here.

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February 5, 2014

Ruetta Day Blinks, Hostess of “The House of Happiness” (WFAA, 1937)

by Paula Bosse

RUETTA DAY BLINKS. On the air she’s Margaret Day, and you’ll recognize her as the charming hostess at The House of Happiness, who acts as general counsellor to the housewives of the Southwest. Years of experience as a home economist, teacher, author, and radio lecturer qualify her admirably for her post.

I’m sure Ruetta was a lovely person, but that photograph does not really scream “charming hostess.” A more flattering photo, in which Mrs. Blinks is shown with a slight Mona Lisa smile, was printed the previous year in the Dallas Morning News:

The House of Happiness seems to have premiered on WFAA radio in the spring of 1936 and was broadcast on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday mornings at 10:45. “Margaret Day” would address homemaking concerns of her listeners, including topics such as “Stream-lined Living–the Objective of the Modern Homemaker,” “Better Home Gardens,” “Home Management Declares an Exact Management,” and “Safeguarding Health in the Home.” …I’m guessing the shows were a little dry.

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Top photo from the WFAA Radio Album of 1937. (Click picture for larger image.)

February 4, 2014

Highland Park Shopping Village

by Paula Bosse

Highland Park — the ritzier of the two “Park Cities” — is home to the exclusive Highland Park Shopping Village, which began construction in 1930 and is one of the chi-chi-est of chi-chi shopping areas in the country. And it’s beautiful. I still can’t believe I spent numerous nights there, watching midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. They let the less-monied freakier Dallasites in on weekends after the sun went down.

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Sources & Notes

Check out the Village’s eye-popping history timeline here. It’s pretty funny to think there used to be a DIME STORE there!

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Category: 1930s

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