Our newest local lake is named for the last elected Democrat Representative of the Third Congressional District. Joe Pool (1911-1968) graduated from Adamson (then Oak Cliff High School) and attended SMU before embarking on a political career that eventually resulted in his election to Congress in 1962. This sign is likely from 1967 when Pool was re-elected. He died mid-term in 1968.

While not nearly as big or imposing as the controverted Oak Cliff Christian Church, the two-story brick and stone building at 410 S. Windomere north of Twelfth St. is a unique building worth preserving. At least it’s unlikely the DISD will need to acquire the property (sealing its doom in my opinion), since the recently modernized Greiner Middle School lies across the street.

The Winnetka Congregational Church was organized about 1914. In 1915 they had a Sunday School attendance of about 60 and originally held services in a one-story frame building across the street from the present church. They called themselves “An Independent Bible Church” and were allied with the Dallas Theological Seminary (founded by the above Lewis Sperry Chafer) and the Dallas Bible Institute, and 8 out of 10 Sundays you could find an itinerant preacher giving the sermon. Some of the pastors through the years included J.W. Logan (maybe the 1st pastor), Allen Crabtree in the early 1920s, Ray D. Fortna in 1929, T. Warwick Brandon in 1933, W.W. Orr in 1937, and Floyd W. Shiery, who left in 1943 to become an army chaplain.

Ground was broken for the current 4600 square foot church in October 1929. It was designed by architect T. J. Galbraith and built by local contractors Eckert-Burton at a cost of $33,000. The 46×100 foot building would include 14 Sunday School rooms, a main auditorium, and a basement.

The last mention I could find of Winntka Congregational Church was October 1955, under Pastor Estil Schale. For at least the last ten years the building has been known as El Buen Samaritano United Methodist Church.

Way before Chick-fil-A’s fiberglass cows there was the giant brown cow atop Charco Broil. In the late 1950s the address at 413 W. Jefferson was home to R L Watson Co., “Dallas’ Home of Fabulous Bargains”, an appliance store where you could buy an automatic portable(!) dishwasher or a TV set. Advertisements in the spring of 1962 announced the closing of the Jefferson store (there was a 2nd store on Lovers Lane). Sometime between 1962 and 1968 the site became Charco Broil, the home of Famous Sizzling Steaks. In 1975 one advertised bargain was a Rib Eye Steak Special for $15.9, which included Texas Toast, Salad, and a Baked Potato. Take that, fiberglass cows!

I seem to remember that cow used to be on another taller building, and that it was moved to the present location in the 1980s, but my memory’s not so good. Can anyone confirm or dispute it?

The Edgefield Garage, 1027-1029 S. Edgefield, opened in 1925 on the northwest corner of Edgefield and Jimtown Road (re-named Clarendon Drive in 1933). In the 1930s, it was called The Edgefield & Clarendon Garage, probably reflecting the local proliferation of gasoline dispensing stations and a need to distinguish itself from all the other service stations in the area. Sometime between 1950 and 1960 it became Oak Cliff Texaco, and by 1962 it was Dave Gray Texaco.

What kind of gasoline the garage dispensed in its early days is unclear. In 1985 the remnants of a Marathon logo remained visible on the bricks, but  Marathon didn’t acquire the “best in the long run” slogan until 1930, and when Marathon introduced itself to Oak Cliff in 1930 with five official Marathon service stations, the Edgefield Garage wasn’t one of them.  Nor was the Garage listed as a Marathon station in a 1936 city directory (Marathon #3 was located 14 blocks west on Clarendon at Montreal). Perhaps the Edgefield Garage dispensed Marathon gasoline without being an “official” company station.

The red brick building with its distinctive green tile roof still stands, and is home to several auto repair shops. Alas, the Texaco sign is gone, and the Marathon logo has been painted over.

Located at 4001 West Jefferson, on the north side, a corner site off Redbud Lane near downtown Cockrell Hill. Hard to know the date – probably from the late 40’s or 1950’s from the 6-digit phone number. In 1962 the name had been changed to Monty’s Humble Service. (Maybe Monty was the “M” in T&M?) The site is now home to Kino’s Body Shop.

Postcard dated 1938 looking east on the 300 block of East Fifth Street, across from Lake Cliff Park. Most of the houses on this block were built 1925-1930. Below is the red-roofed house with the stone wall surround as it appears today. Hard to imagine the treeless street of old.

photo by Steve Bonner

Dontcha wish you were here? During these cold rainy winter-like days I know I do…..

1015 Fort Worth Avenue, about a block west of the Belmont. It was open as early as 1954, and was the site of at least one suspicious death, a parking lot murder, and an odd tenant who persisted in smashing thermostats.

I couldn’t find any evidence the Avalon hadn’t been razed, but Steve Bonner tells me the place is alive and well after some rehab work.

photo by Marcia Cirillo

Opened on San Jacinto Day, April 21, 1931, as the largest suburban theater in Dallas. Only the Majestic and the Palace Theaters in downtown Dallas exceeded the Texas’ capacity of 2000 patrons. It was touted as the first theater in Dallas to be constructed specifically for talking motion pictures, and it also featured a pipe organ played by Dwight Brown. The first week’s program included the Fox Movietone News, a Mickey Mouse cartoon, and the Buster Keaton talkie, “Parlor, Bedroom and Bath.” Price of admission: 35, 25, or 10 cents depending on which show you attended.

At left is an artist’s rendition of what the Texas looked like on opening night. with original sign and marquis. The bright lights and Italian Renaissance facade led some to label West Jefferson a new “Amusement Way.”

For more info see History of Texas Theater

Below, how the theater looked like on Nov 23, 1963.

postcard courtesy Terry Houchins

Located at 501 S. Edgefield, the establishment now known as Greiner Middle School began literally on the south edge of a field as a group of plank buildings around 1910. This is the building conceived in 1915 and built sometime after 1932. Only a small part of this building remains today.

More about Greiner’s history.