Flashback : Dallas

by Paula Bosse

Our city hall has suddenly — and improbably — found itself in the headlines in recent weeks. As of this writing, its immediate fate is unknown. I don’t think I’ve written about this landmark building in the 12 years I’ve been writing about Dallas history. I guess I assumed I’d always have time.

Dallas City Hall is the work of architect I. M. Pei (1917-2019), who, in 1966, was commissioned to design a new city hall by then-mayor J. Erik Jonsson. The very modern design was both acclaimed and derided, and its bumpy road to completion was long and arduous — it was dedicated on March 12, 1978, 12 years after Pei accepted the commission. It is an instantly recognizable building by an internationally respected architect, and it has quietly held the fort on the southern edge of downtown for almost 48 years.

In the project plans presented to the City, I. M. Pei & Partners included these quotes from “Goals for Dallas,” the blueprint that Dallas leaders created for the city’s future:

In an oral history conducted by the Dallas Public Library in 2002, Pei discussed his City Hall project and was asked if he had visited the building in recent years (the link to the oral history and transcript are at the bottom of this post under “Sources & Notes”):

I’ve been back quite a few times. I always went up to the second floor to look at that public space. That public space — some people ask, “Why do you make that space so extravagant? People only come here and pay taxes or pay water bills.” I said, “Precisely. This is a People’s City Hall. You don’t build it for the mayor; you don’t build it for the Council; you build it for the people. They’re the ones who should enjoy it.” I remember that. I always go up to the second floor to look at that space. I think the public that comes to pay taxes should know that this is why. […] That was the original thought, and I still think it’s right — that this City Hall is designed for the people of Dallas. (I. M. Pei oral history, Aug. 1, 2002)

Below are a whole bunch of photos of I. M. Pei in Dallas, aerial views of the city before and during construction of the city hall, and two deceptively calm and quiet photos taken by me from the Central Library across the street only a couple of weeks ago, back when life seemed a little less precarious and before I thought it necessary to look up the dictionary definition of “beleaguered” to make sure I was using it appropriately. I was.

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The model:

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Aerial from 1967 (the original name of the project was the Dallas Municipal Center):

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Aerial from 1976:

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I. M. Pei giving a presentation in Dallas, in which he unveiled his vision for the new city hall (April 28, 1967, Dallas Times Herald photo by Ken Hardin):

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Showing off the futuristic-looking model to no doubt startled members of the Dallas City Council and city administration workers (October 5, 1970, DTH photo by Joe Gordon).

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Construction, 1973:

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Construction, 1974:

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Construction, 1975:

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Construction, 1976:

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Pei shows British sculptor Henry Moore the site where his sculptural work The Dallas Piece will be placed on the City Hall plaza (April 14, 1976, DTH photo by Paul Iverson):

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Pei in a hardhat, looking pleased (July 7, 1976, DTH photo by Jay Dickman):

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Pei with new mayor Robert Folsom, with a killer view of the Dallas skyline behind them (July 7, 1976, DTH photo by Jay Dickman):

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Side view, from Marilla:

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Finally, Dedication Day, March 12, 1978 — Pei is seen cutting the ribbon with (left to right) former City Manager Scott McDonald, current City Manager George Schrader, Mayor Robert Folsom, former mayor Wes Wise, and the man who started the whole thing rolling, former mayor J. Erik Jonsson (Pei said that his two greatest allies in the long slog to get the City Hall finished — and to continue with other projects in Dallas — were Schrader and Jonsson, both of whom he was quite fond of and considered friends):

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A chronology of the long, long trek to completion (at least up to 1976), prepared for the City by I. M. Pei & Partners:

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I. M. Pei in 1978, happy in Dallas (DTH photo by Phil Huber):

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And in October 2025, our solemn City Hall at the end of another day, holding steady as downtown Dallas’ southern anchor.

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Sources & Notes

Top and bottom color photos of City Hall taken by Paula Bosse on October 23, 2025 from the Central Library.

All other images are from various collections of the Dallas History & Archives division of the Dallas Public Library (including the Dallas Times Herald Collection and the Juanita Craft Collection). All images are used with permission.

Construction photos, “Goals for Dallas” quote, color model photo, and chronology are all from the presentation binder Dallas Municipal Center by associated architects I. M. Pei & Partners and Harper & Kemp (July 5, 1976) (Dallas History & Archives/Dallas Public Library call number R690.513 D145).

The 2002 quote from Pei about City Hall is from I. M. Pei: An Oral History Interview, conducted in New York City on August 1, 2002 by Bonnie A. Lovell for the Dallas Public Library. Ostensibly about Pei’s involvement in commissioning the Henry Moore sculpture, this is an entertaining read/listen, as Pei discusses the larger City Hall project and his affinity and admiration for the city of Dallas and its citizens (audio recording and 48-page transcript with index, Dallas History & Archives/Dallas Public Library call number 730.92 M822YP 2003) — you can listen to the recording and read the transcript on the Dallas Public Library Recollect Digital Collections page here.

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Copyright © 2025 Paula Bosse. All Rights Reserved.