Dallas is a city known widely for its Tex-Mex, margaritas, and barbeque, but there is much more to this city than just those things. A cultural city with access to sophisticated activities like opera, symphony orchestra concerts, and ballets, Dallas has much to offer. Here, we are going to focus on five cool things about Dallas that you probably didn’t know.
1. Home of the First Convenience Store
The 7-Eleven convenience store chain originated in Dallas back in 1946, the year the company changed its name from its 1927 name, Tote’m. The store was the concept of a Southland Ice employee named Jefferson Green. Green realized the need for a business to provide the staples to the community when he began selling milk, eggs, and bread from his employer’s ice house.
Before it became a 24/7 operation, the store was open from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. This allowed shoppers to shop long after the grocery stores had closed. Today 7-Eleven is the largest chain in the world with 10,000 more locations than McDonald’s, spread across 16 countries.
2. First Professional Cheerleading Squad
There is a reason the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders are regarded as the best squad in football history; they were the first ever to do it. In 1972, the first professional football cheerleading squad was born. The team has Tex Schramm to thank for the creation of the squad.
Tex knew that people liked to see beautiful women, so as early as 1960, he would hire models to stand on the sidelines. Realizing that models were not akin to standing in the hot sun for three hours, they hired a top dancer named Texie Waterman to assist with auditions and routines. Today the squad auditions hundreds of your hopefuls.
3. Hosted Super Bowl, NBA Championship, and World Series in Same Year
Never before in American history has a single city hosted all three major professional sporting events in the same calendar year; however, this is exactly what Dallas accomplished in 2011.
The AT&T Stadium provided the backdrop for Super Bowl XLV. The stadium was selected long before it was known which teams would be competing. The Packers defeated the Steelers that year. The Dallas Mavericks hosted three of the NBA Championship games that year. Also, in 2011, the Cardinals defeated the Rangers in the World Series in Dallas.
4. Hometown of Bonnie and Clyde
The infamous couple Bonnie and Clyde were from Dallas. The duo spent 21 days on a crime spree, robbing banks, filling stations, and restaurants before they met their fatal demise in a bloody shootout with law enforcement.
5. Largest Art District in the US
Dallas is hardly the city that you would think to have the absolute largest art district in the nation, but that’s the truth. Not far from some lovely Dallas houses for sale, is the Dallas Art District. The 70-acre district is the cultural hub of the city’s downtown area.
Conclusion
Dallas is a destination with plenty to offer. It is a world-class city with a robust and dynamic history. There is literally something for everyone in Dallas. This modern metropolis city is abuzz with culture, dining, business, and an exciting nightlife.