Dallas was officially founded in 1841 by John Neely Bryan, who established a trading post along the Trinity River. The city was named after George M. Dallas, the 11th Vice President of the United States under James K. Polk.
The State Fair of Texas, first held in 1886, became an annual event and has grown into one of the largest fairs in the United States. Specialty fried foods and a large farris wheel remain as main attractions.
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963, a pivotal event in American history. The building from which Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy is now home to the Sixth Floor Museum, documenting the event and its aftermath.
Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974 and became one of the busiest airports in the world. Here is an article about this game-changing aviation center.