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Guide No. 34:
Fair Park, 1905 - 1918; 1930 - 1952

Overview of the Collection
Repository:

Dallas Municipal Archives
Office of the City Secretary
1500 Marilla Street, 5D South
Dallas, Texas 75201
Creator: Dallas Park and Recreation Department
Title: Fair Park
Dates: 1905 - 1918; 1930 - 1952
Quantity: 5.7 linear feet
Abstract: Documentation of the daily operations of Fair Park from 1905 to 1952
Identification: 95 - 027
Language: Records are in English

Scope and Contents

Fair Park is a 277- acre City of Dallas park located in east Dallas that is the permanent site of the annual State Fair of Texas. Acquired by the City of Dallas in 1904, it is the city's second public park and a National Historic Landmark comprising the largest collection of cultural facilities in Dallas, as well as the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the United States. The park is home to attractions such as the Cotton Bowl stadium, the State Fair of Texas, the Music Hall at Fair Park, city-owned radio station WRR-FM, the Hall of State, and features cultural events and festivals throughout the year. Fair Park was the site of the 1936 Texas Centennial and Exposition and the 1937 Pan American Exposition.

Collection consists of correspondence and memoranda, contracts, plans, maps, photographs documenting the operations history of Fair Park from 1905 to 1918 and from 1930 to 1949. The bulk of the records document the planning, construction, and operation of the 1936 Centennial and Exposition and the 1937 Pan American Exposition. The collection is organized alphabetically by subject.

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Index Terms
Dallas -- Texas -- History
Fair Park (Dallas, Tex.) -- History
Dallas (Tex.) Texas Centennial Exposition, 1936

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Box Folder
 Title, Date
  A - Band shell:
1 1 A - General, 1912; 1935 -1937
2 Administration Building heating and ventilating, 1935
3 Alamo - Fair Park, 1909 -1949
4 Aquarium - pump - roof specifications, 1941-1947
5 Architect portfolios, 1930
6 Auditorium - landscape architects contract, 1936
7 Automobile Aviation Recreation (AAR)  Building, 1948 - 49
8 Automobile Building, 1922-43 (burned 1942)
9 Band Pavilion and Shell, 1935 -1936
10 Band Shell Addition request for materials, 1941
11 Band Shell Addition, 1941
12 Band Shell Addition receiving records, 1941
  Band Shell bids - Domestic Arts Museum:
2 1 Band Shell Addition payroll, 1941
2 Benchmark record, undated
3 Bids - advertisements, 1935 -1936
4 Bids - Aquarium, mechanical, 1936
5 Bids - Aquarium, mechanical, 1936
6 Bids - Aquarium, mechanical, 1936
7 Bids - Municipal Substation, 1935 -1936
8 Bids - Domestic Arts Museum and addition and competition, 1937
9 Bids - Domestic Arts Museum (Texas Natural Resources Building), 1935
10 Bids - Domestic Arts Museum (Texas Natural Resources Building), 1935
  Bids - Centennial Exposition:
3 1 Bids - WRR, municipal substations, 1935
2 Bids - Museum of Natural History, 1935
3 Bids - Museum of Natural History, 1935
4 Bids - clearing, salvaging and grading, 1935
5 Bids - Drinking fountains, 1936
6 Bids - Horticulture Museum specifications, 1936
7 Bids - Landscaping and planting, 1936 -1937
8 C - General, 1935 -1936
9 Comfort stations, 1935 -1936
10 Centennial and Pan American Exposition, 1935 -1938
11 Exposition breakdown contract, 1937
12 Texas Centennial Central Exposition, 1935 -1936
13 Pan American Exposition, 1937
14 Contract - Greater Texas and Pan American Exposition, 1937
  Centennial Exposition - Contracts:
4 1 Centennial contracts, undated
2 Centennial breakdown contract, undated
3 Buildings - 26 acres - Texas Centennial construction, 1936
4 Buildings - 26 acres - Texas Centennial construction, 1936
5 Civic Center - Centennial, 1935 -1937
6 Centennial contracts, 1935 -1936
7 Centennial breakdown, 1935
8 Centennial - removal of buildings, fountains, and memorials, 1935
9 Greater Texas and Pan American contract, 1937
10 Chattel mortgage - Centennial and Pan American Exposition, 1937
11 Chestnut, George L. [Park Board member], 1935 -1936
12 Claims - damages to Fair Park paving by U.S.Government, 1943-46
13 Contracts - concessions (State Fair) 1907-1914
14 Contract drafts, 1924 -1936
15 Contracts for construction 1905 -1913
  Cotton Bowl - E:
5 1 Cotton Bowl enlargement, 1948 -1949
2 Cotton Bowl, 1930 -1936
3 Cotton Bowl Stadium, 1935-1936
4 D - General, 1935 -1936
5 Dallas Gas Company, 1936
6 Dallas Power and Light Company, 1935-1936
7 Dallas Railway and Terminal Company, 1935-1936
8 Derrick size trees, 1935 -1937
9 Derrick size trees, 1935 -1937
10 Derrick size trees, 1935 -1937
11 Directors, curators, and city buildings, 1935 -1936
12 Domestic Arts Museum and addition (Natural Resources Building), 1937
13 Domestic Arts Museum - addition (Natural Resources Building), 1936-37
14 Domestic Arts Museum - alterations and additions, 1937
15 Domestic Arts Building - Institute of Natural Resources, 1937-1946
   
  Electrical - Fences and basins:
6 1 Electrical Communications Building [Varied Industries Building], 1935
2 Entrance gates - general, 1935 -1936
3 Entrance gates - specifications  1936
4 Entrance gates - bids, 1936
5 Expenditures reports, 1935 -1936
6 F - General, 1935
7 F - Fish Hatchery, undated
8 Fences and basin contract - W. H. King Construction, 1937
9 Fences and basin contract - Frank Parrott, 1937
10 Fences, 1937
11 Fences and basins, 1937
12 Fences and basins - specifications, 1937
13 Fences and basins, 1937
14 Fences and basins, 1937
15 Fences and basins, 1937
16 Fences and basins, 1937
  Fine Arts Museum:
7 1 Fine Arts Museum - architects, 1935 -1938
2 Fine Arts Museum - bids, 1936
3 Fine Arts Museum - contracts, air conditioning and plumbing, 1936 -1942
4 Fine Arts Museum - contracts, air conditioning and plumbing, 1936 -1942
5 Fine Arts Museum - contracts, display cases specifications, 1939 -1940
6 Fine Arts Museum - construction work within building - C. A. Guess and Company, 1936
7 Fine Arts Museum - contract, 1909 -1938
8 Fine Arts Museum - A. J. Rife Construction Company, 1936 -1937
9 Fine Arts Museum - A. J. Rife Construction Company, 1936 -1937
10 Fine Arts Museum bid tabulations, 1936
  Fire alarm system - floodlighting:
8 1 Fire alarm system, 1935
2 Fire alarm system, 1935
3 Auxiliary fire alarm systems, 1936
4 Auxiliary fire alarm systems, 1936
5 Floodlighting building exteriors, 1935
6 Floodlighting building exteriors, 1935
7 Floodlighting building exteriors, 1935
8 Floodlighting contracts, 1935 -1936
  Floodlighting - fountains:
9 1 Floodlighting building exteriors - Eugene Asche, 1936
2 Floodlighting building exteriors - N. E. Busby and Company, 1936
3 Floodlighting building exteriors - N. E. Busby and Company, 1936
4 Floodlighting building exteriors - Forney Engineering Company, 1936
5 Fountains, reflecting basins and pools, 1936
6 Fountains, reflecting basins and pools, 1936
7 Fountains, reflecting basins and pools, 1936
8 Fountains, reflecting basins and pools, 1936
  Fountains - L:
10 1 Drinking fountains - contracts, 1936
2 Drinking fountains - Goodwin and Tatum, 1935 -1936
3 Forest Avenue widening,  1936
4 G -  General, 1935 - 1936
5 G - Gates, 1935 -1936
6 Globe Theater (Fair Park), 1937-1946
7 Government leases, 1943 -1946
8 H - General, 1935 -1936
9 Hall of State, 1935 -1936
10 Hall of State, 1935 -1936
11 Horticulture Museum - General, 1936 -1937
12 Horticulture Museum - proposal bids rejected, 1935
13 J-L General, 1935 -1936
  Landscaping - Q:
11 1 Landscaping, 1935 -1937
2 Landscape architect - Van Valkenburgh and Vozel, 1937
3 Landscaping and planting - specifications for park improvements, 1936
4 Landscaping - furnish of plant materials, 1936
5 Landscaping - furnish of plant materials, 1936
6 Levy Plumbing Company, 1936
7 Lighting, 1935 -1937
8 M-Q General, 1935 -1936
  Materials - Museum of Natural History:
12 1 Materials equipment files, 1940 -1942
2 Municipal Service Building - Police, Fire and Hospital, 1935
3 Municipal Substation - WRR, Police, Fire and Hospital, 1935
4 Municipal Substation - WRR, Police, Fire and Hospital, 1935
5 Museum Buildings - specifications, 1935-1937
6 Museum of Natural History - architects, 1935 -1936
  Museum of Natural History - Softball diamond:
13 1 Museum of Natural History, 1936
2 Museum of Natural History - contract - R. F. Ball, 1935 -1936
3 National Youth Administration, 1939
4 Naval Resource Building - WPA Building, 1937-1948
5 Oliensis test, 1935
6 Property maps, 1935
7 Department of Public Works - A. P. Rollins, director, 1935 -1936
8 Race track, 1935 -1937
9 Rest stations, 1935 -1936
10 Rest stations, 1935 -1936
11 Rest stations, 1935 -1936
12 Salvaged materials, 1935 -1936
13 Service connection, 1936
14 Sheils, R. T., Park Board member, 1935 -1936
15 Sidewalks and paved areas, 1935 -1936
16 Sidney Lanier School - wading pool receiving records, 1941
17 Sidney Lanier School - wading pool payroll, 1941
18 Sidney Lanier School - wading pool requisition for materials, 1941
19 Sidney Lanier School - wading pool data, 1941-42
20 Simpson, A. L., 1936 [operations manager]
21 Softball Diamond Fence plans - specifications, bids, 1945 -1946
  Soil - Wortham:
14 1 Soil, 1935
2 Starlight Operetta, 1941-1952
3 Supervisor of Public Utilities, 1936
4 Texas and Pacific Railway, 1936
5 Texas and Pacific. Railway, 1936
6 U General, 1935 -1936
7 W General, 1933 -1936
8 Water mains, 1935 -1936
9 Water mains, 1936
10 Water Department - meters, 1935
11 Water mains specifications, 1935
12 World War I - contract with U. S. Government to use Fair Park, 1918 [Camp Dixie, also called Camp Dick ]
13 Wortham Riding Device Company contract, 1935
  Sanitary and storm sewers:
15 1 Sanitary sewers - bids, 1935 -1936
2 Sanitary sewers - contract, 1935 -1936
3 Sanitary sewers, 1936
4 Sanitary sewers - specifications, 1935 -1936
5 Storm sewer, 1936
6 Storm sewers - construction, 1935
7 Storm sewers - construction, 1935
8 Storm sewers - construction, 1935
  Storm Sewers and Street Illumination:
16 1 Storm sewers specifications, 1936
2 Storm sewers specifications, 1936
3 Street Illumination, 1936
4 Street Illumination, 1936
5 Street Illumination, 1936
6 Street Illumination, 1936
7 Street Illumination, 1936
  Street Illumination  And Specifications:
17 1 Street Illumination, 1936
2 Street Illumination, 1936
3 Street Illumination, 1936
4 Street Illumination, 1936
5 Specifications, 1936
6 Specifications - plants, 1935 -1936
7 Specifications - plants, 1935 -1936
8 Specifications - plants, 1935 -1936
9 Specifications - plumbing and electrical wiring, 1935 -1936
  Specifications and Paving Proposals:
18 1 General specifications - Livestock Building Unit 1 and Poultry Building Numbers 45 and 57 [George Dahl, architect] 1936
2 Specifications - grading and paving, 1935
3 Specifications - walks, paved areas, walls - Central Bitulithic and Uvalde Construction Company, 1936
4 Specifications - walks, paved areas - Civic Center, 1936
5 Specifications - walks, paved areas - Civic Center, 1936
6 Paving proposals, 1935
7 Paving proposals, 1935
8 Paving proposals, 1935
  Paving:
19 1 Paving proposals, 1935
2 Paving proposals, 1935
3 Paving - Civic Center, 1936
4 Specifications for grading and paving, 1936
5 Paving and walks - Vilbig Brothers, 1935
  Paving:
20 1 Bids for walks and pavings, 1936
2 Paving and grading, 1935 -1936
3 Paving - 26 acres, 1936
4 Paved areas, 1936
5 Park improvement proposal and specifications for the paving of roadways at Fair Park, 1935
6 Park improvement proposal and specifications for the paving of roadways at Fair Park, 1935
7 Park improvement proposal and specifications for the paving of roadways at Fair Park, 1935
8 Park improvement proposal and specifications for the paving of roadways at Fair Park, 1935
  Paving:
21 1 Park improvement proposal and specifications for the paving of roadways at Fair Park, 1935
2 Park improvement proposal and specifications for the paving of roadways at Fair Park, 1935
3 Park improvement proposal and specifications for the paving of roadways at Fair Park, 1935
4 Specifications for clearing and grading, 1935
5 Paving and grading estimates, 1936
6 Paving and grading correspondence, 1936
  Tests:
22 1 Aquarium plaster sand tests, 1936
2 Art Museum - concrete tests, 1936
3 Art Museum - cement tests, 1936
4 Band Shell - concrete tests, 1936
5 Band Shell - crushed rock tests, 1936
6 Band Shell - sand and gravel tests, 1936
7 Band Shell - tests - steel, 1936
8 Comfort stations - cement tests, 1936
9 Comfort stations - concrete tests, 1936
10 Comfort stations - steel tests, 1936
11 Domestic Arts Museum - concrete tests, 1936
12 Domestic Arts Museum - sand and gravel tests, 1936
13 Domestic Arts Museum - cement tests, 1936
14 Domestic Arts Museum - steel tests, 1936
15 Electrical and Varied Industries Building steel tests, 1936
16 Electrical and Varied Industries Building concrete tests, 1936
17 Electrical and Varied Industries Building cement tests, 1936
18 Entrance gates concrete tests, 1936
19 Entrance gates cement tests, 1936
20 Entrance gates steel tests, 1936
21 Federal Exhibit steel tests, 1936
22 Federal Negro Building steel tests, 1936
23 Federal Negro Building concrete tests, 1936
24 Federal Building concrete tests, 1936
25 Federal Building cement tests, 1936
26 Foods Building cement test, 1936
27 Foods Building sand and gravel tests, 1936
28 Foods Building concrete tests, 1936
29 Foods Building steel tests, 1936
30 Gulf Building concrete tests, 1936
31 Lagoon sand and gravel tests, 1936
32 Livestock Building steel tests, 1936
33 Livestock Building sand and gravel tests, 1936
34 Livestock Building concrete tests, 1936
35 Livestock Building cement tests, 1936
36 Hall of Religion concrete tests, 1936
37 Hall of Religion steel tests, 1936
38 Horticulture Building cement tests, 1936
39 Horticulture Building concrete tests, 1936
40 Horticulture Building sand and gravel tests, 1936
41 Horticulture Building steel tests, 1936
42 Muny Substation hollow file, 1936
43 Muny Substation steel tests, 1936
44 Muny Substation sand and gravel tests, 1936
45 Muny Substation concrete tests, 1936
46 Muny Substation cement tests, 1936
47 Muny Substation steel tests, 1936
48 Museum of Natural History sample of roofing asphalt tests, 1936
49 Museum of Natural History sample of plaster sand tests, 1936
50 Natural History Museum sand and gravel tests, 1936
51 Natural History Museum concrete tests, 1936
52 Natural History Museum steel tests, 1936
53 Reflecting basins - concrete tests, 1936
54 Reflecting basins - cement tests, 1936
55 Test holes, 1935

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