The Heart of South Dallas: Historic Queen City

Queen City is a living testament to the legacy of African American settlers who founded their community in South Dallas in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as the home to civil rights leaders, artists, and activists. It is one of Dallas’ oldest neighborhoods and as a housing crisis looms in Dallas, Queen City is under a threat of rapidly increasing home values and property tax increases which risk displacing homes and neighbors that make this community unique.

As the neighborhood of legend pianist Ray Charles, civil rights activist Juanita Craft, child welfare and education activist Pearl C. Anderson, and many more prominent African American entrepreneurs, there is a very rich history that must be preserved. Let’s recount some of the most notable founding moments and successes in Queen City and how it deserves such recognition in history.

Post-Civil War Farming Community

Following the Civil War, Queen City was predominantly owned or occupied by white farmers cultivating cotton. In 1904, efforts to exclusively develop the area for African Americans coincided with the subdivision of large cotton farms into residential plots, and notable African American residents and entrepreneurs, such as Bohny Gaston, Louis Warren, Dallas Calloway, and Elijah J. Davis, were within the ranks of residents and leaders. The farming communities predate suburban development, a fact that few in Dallas know.

By the early 20th century South Dallas was booming and so was Queen City, spurred by an economic recovery and resurgence in construction. New suburban housing tracts emerged along major streetcar lines. Queen City and its adjacent neighborhoods, including Bermuda Lawn, Rosedale, Queen City Heights, Oak Grove, and Elberta, were developed to ensure the mobility of African American families.

Neighborhoods like Queen City attracted working-class African American families from various parts of Dallas and offered many opportunities. Not only were there work opportunities but also opportunities to find a place of worship. Some of the key institutions date back to the turn of the century including Romine Avenue Christian Church dating back to 1874, and St. Paul’s AME Church, established in 1898 on Central Avenue. These places are hardly relics they are still places of gathering and community today. This is why we are seeking a registration.

Queen City Protection & Preservation Efforts

Queen City is an architecturally significant collection of early 20th-century domestic and commercial buildings. They serve as important cultural touchpoints for both African American contributions and migration to South Dallas. More than touchpoints, the South Dallas & African American suburban community built around Queen City, including historic churches, schools, and businesses, anchor the community today. Preserving the neighborhood and Queen City’s legacy is now more important than ever.

Queen City is already designated as a historic neighborhood by the National Historic Registry, however, activists are seeking a revised designation to include the district and expand the overlay. Recently, The Dallas City of Landmarks Commission approved a request presented by South Dallas neighbors to move forward with a historical designation overlay for the Queen City Neighborhood. Already designated as historic are 46 buildings that are said to be “contributing to the historical character, and 46 are non-contributing.” The Dallas Landmark Commissioner Traswell C. Livingston III noted that having these remaining buildings as non-contributing will detract from the total district’s historical integrity. The new Queen City District would be bordered by S.M Wright, Malcolm X Blvd, and Eugene Street, and if approved would be a historic neighborhood.

If the City moves forward with the designation of Queen City as a historic district, if a person or entity wanted to construct or alter a home they would need a special permission called a “Certificate of Appropriateness” that would need to meet historic preservation criteria. This would slow gentrification, and contribute to more considerate development.

Preserving Queen City protects more than architecture and aesthetics, it also safeguards the community and preserves affordability. Its preservation relies, in part, on public support, and we need your help in supporting the preservation of our neighborhood. Let’s celebrate this rich heritage and continue to spread awareness to build a legacy around Queen City.