West End Historic District – Dallas, Texas
The West End Historic District of Dallas, Texas, is a historic district that includes a 67.5-acre (27.3 ha) area in northwest downtown, generally north of Commerce, east of I-35E, west of Lamar, and south of the Woodall Rodgers Freeway. It is south of Victory Park, west of the Arts, City Center, and Main Street districts, and north of the Government and Reunion districts. A portion of the district is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as Westend Historic District. A smaller area is also a Dallas Landmark District. The far western part of the district belongs to the Dealey Plaza Historic District, a National Historic Landmark around structures and memorials associated with the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Whether you’re a local searching for fun things to do in Downtown Dallas or a visitor wanting to experience the best of the Historic District, the West End is the ultimate destination. Our community is full of restaurants, museums, shops, and entertainment. Searching for new office space to lease, we have it all! The West End combines historic charm with modern elements and an electric atmosphere for those looking to live, work, or play in the best neighborhood in Dallas.
History
Established as a trading post by John Neely Bryan, the eastern bank of the Trinity River is considered the site for the modern founding of Dallas. Nearly 100 years after this founding, in the late 1970s, the area legally was established as the Dallas West End Historic District. During its history, the neighborhood has gone through two major redevelopment cycles and is now moving well into its third. An internationally known tourist attraction, the district continues to have a lasting impact due to its history and sense of authenticity in its architectural character.
Believed to be occupied for thousands of years, the banks along the Trinity River at the White Rock Escarpment were eventually the home of the Caddo Nation, a collection of native American tribes that hunted and farmed the area until the arrival of Spanish and French colonists in the 1700s. After the Mexican Revolution for independence from Spain, the area saw little development until after the formation of the Republic of Texas in 1836.
Currently, the district has seen great success as it enters its third era of growth. The federally funded Dallas Innovation Alliance has established the West End as a Smart District for future innovation and technology testing. Dallas bond funding in partnership with the nonprofit Parks for Downtown Dallas has begun the design effort of a fully funded new pocket park in the heart of the district to be called West End Square. Reinforcing all of these initiatives is steady growth and redevelopment for residential, office, and ground-level retail and restaurant activity. The next 10 years are anticipated to see significant and lasting densification of this great neighborhood as it reaches its 150 birthday.