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Old 04-06-2009, 09:26 PM
 
Location: Governor's Park/Capitol Hill, Denver, CO
1,536 posts, read 6,068,800 times
Reputation: 1131

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Fair Park Dallas, Art Deco Structures Packed During the Irish Festival



Site of the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition, Fair Park boasts the world’s largest collection of Art Deco exhibit buildings, art and sculpture. In 1936, Texas celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Texas Republic with a world’s fair in Dallas. Texas’ history, economy, flora and fauna were portrayed in the building, statues and murals designed for the event – all constructed in Art Deco style. Fair Park is the only intact and unaltered pre-1950s world fair site remaining in the United States – with an extraordinary collection of 1930s art and architecture. Today, the 277-acre park and its cultural, educational and sports facilities play host to more than seven million annual visitors.



Fair Park Coliseum







Important to have your most important weapon strapped to your back when in large crowds – your stein!







Everyone had a dog, or two.






Woofus was his name, what exactly he is is open to interpretation. Deco is not always self descriptive but typically beautiful.





The Hall of State debuted in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial Exhibition. Designed by Donald Barthelme, the building is a premier example of Cret’s Modernism. That is a reference to noted designer Paul Cret, who was the design consultant for the project. The design blends classicism and Art Deco – with a few Texas motifs (cacti, oil wells) tossed in for good measure. Crafted from Texas limestone, at a cost of $1.2 million, the most expensive building per square foot built in Texas at the time.

The signature element of the building’s exterior is the 11-foot-tall statue of a Tejas Indian poised above the main entrance (I will show you him later). Artist Allie Tennant made the statue of bronze and covered it with gold leaf. Meanwhile, the bronze doors feature designs that represent Texas industries and activities – a cowboy’s lariat, cotton balls and wheat sheaves, among others. 59 Texans are honored in the frieze around the top of the building.



Cotton Bowl Stadium - Today’s Cotton Bowl had a $57 million makeover in the 2000s has resulted in an arena that is the ninth largest football stadium in the United States, with 92,100 seats.









The yellow tower is the Pan American Arena





Tejas Indian







Centennial Hall is actually the amalgam of different buildings constructed at different times. One stage of the structure, which people called the Exposition Building, dates to 1905. The remainder was developed in 1935 and 1936 in advance of the Texas Centennial Exposition. The structure’s three substantial porticoes and its monumental statues reflect the "Texanic" style architect George Dahl developed for many of the buildings constructed for the exposition. The Centennial Hall features two large murals by Italian artist Carlo Ciampaglia and three statues, one of which is tucked into each portico. Designed by Jose Martin, the female figures represent Spain, the Confederacy and the Republic of Texas. Surrounding the statues are numerous exquisite bas-reliefs and wall paintings.



As Mies Van de Rohr would say, “Less is more!”



The Embarcadero Building debuted in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial Exposition. At that time, it was known as the Food Exhibit Building.







Texas Star Ferris wheel has 45 gondolas, goes 1.5 revolutions each minute and is the most popular ride at The State Fair of Texas. It is the largest Ferris wheel in North America. Built in Italy, the wheel debuted in Fair Park in 1985. More than 15 employees staff the Texas Star, which carries riders some 20 stories high. On a clear day, those on the Texas Star can see the downtown Fort Worth skyline some 40 miles away.



Museum of the American Railroad
This impressive collection of railroad locomotives and passenger cars sits on the site of a similar exhibit of outdoor transportation that took place during the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.











This little guy can read an open book from 100 yards away. Should have seen him looking at all the dogs with his hungry eyes!
















Tower Building arose in 1936 as part of the Texas Centennial Exposition – only it debuted with the name of The Federal Building. Its most dramatic feature is its monumental tower capped by a stern-looking bald eagle. This eagle was designed by Raoul Josset and sculpted by artist Jose Martin. On the front of the building, on either side of the tower, are substantial plaques that reflect the front and reverse sides of the Great Seal of the United States. Meanwhile, a large bas-relief frieze – showcasing figures of early Texas pioneers, explorers and soldiers – decorates the front and sides of the building.



Outside Fair Park you will find grit and a neighbourhood in need of TLC.









I always though of Goths as androgynous, but I guess they do have children, who knew?























































Hope you enjoyed!

Denver Aztec
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Old 04-06-2009, 09:52 PM
 
6,578 posts, read 25,371,854 times
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great pictures!!
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Old 04-06-2009, 11:49 PM
 
Location: Knox - Henderson
1,193 posts, read 3,502,298 times
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Thanks for posting those great pictures, DenverAztec! Please come back to Dallas again and take some more.
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Old 04-07-2009, 10:23 AM
 
Location: Governor's Park/Capitol Hill, Denver, CO
1,536 posts, read 6,068,800 times
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Thank you for the comments. Though I was only in Dallas for the weekend, I had a great time. I will post pics of the homes on Swiss and Lakewood to the Arboretum and then some of Downtown.
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Old 04-07-2009, 01:41 PM
 
16,087 posts, read 40,998,312 times
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Thanks D.A. for reminding us of what a gem we have. Incidentally, did you know the Woofus statue was lost and had to be re-created?

Two more statues are now being re-created and these are 'boffo'!

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/southdallas/stories/DN-statues_29met.State.Bulldog.1aacabf.html (broken link)
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Old 04-07-2009, 02:23 PM
 
Location: Governor's Park/Capitol Hill, Denver, CO
1,536 posts, read 6,068,800 times
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I have never seen such a wonderful collection of Art Deco buildings all in one area and totally loved it! Glad to see more recreations are forthcoming to replicate the original park. Based on the description of the missing statues, and Woofus itself, I could totally see how they turned up missing. Wonderfully unique and heck I would love to have one in my back yard! When I was there, there was much discussion as to what Woofus was. Everyone was picking one animal, now I know he is a combination of several. Thanks, yet again, Lakewooder!
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Old 04-14-2009, 05:27 PM
 
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Dallas' Fair Park Newsletter
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Old 04-15-2009, 09:43 AM
 
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I believe one of the female goddess-eque statues is Mary Ellen - who had the house on Swiss/Carroll - there was a video posted on your Swiss Ave about her house in dispute.
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Old 04-15-2009, 10:29 AM
 
Location: Governor's Park/Capitol Hill, Denver, CO
1,536 posts, read 6,068,800 times
Reputation: 1131
Very interesting. I would love to have Woofus and a Mary Ellen Art Deco staute replica for my patio! I bet if someone made minitures of the statues found at Fair Park and sold them, they would easily be able to live on Swiss Aveue!
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Old 04-15-2009, 10:46 AM
 
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I do have a few small things from Mary Ellen's house when they had an estate sale. That sale was the talk of the weekend!!!... a year or two ago (I forget).
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