Municipal Archives


Welcome to the Dallas Municipal Archives

Established in 1985, the Dallas Municipal Archives preserves, protects, and facilitates access to the City of Dallas governmental records.  The Archives contains over 2000 cubic feet of city departmental records such as ledgers, meeting minutes, speeches, maps, photographs, microforms, and printed materials.  Furthermore, we maintain thousands of permanently valuable documents, maps, and architectural plans reflecting the actions of every aspect of Dallas government. 

As a division of the City Secretary´s Office, the Archives is also responsible for preserving the City Secretary´s council action files, which contain the originals of all City ordinances and resolutions, meeting minutes, agenda, and support documentation.  

Among our many collections are the Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow Gang materials of the Dallas Police Department, the John F. Kennedy/Dallas Police Department records relating to the assassination of President Kennedy, the earliest extant City of Dallas Charter, and over a quarter-million images documenting the growth and public services of the City of Dallas.  

The Dallas Municipal Archives is open to the public by appointment only Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.   

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City of Dallas History

City of Dallas Officers
Origin of the name Dallas
City of Dallas "Firsts"
City Seal
Dallas City Hall Buildings History
Timeline of Dallas Government
New Deal History in Dallas
WRR History
Mayors
City Attorneys
City Auditors
City Managers
City Secretaries 
City Council Election History

 


A Taste of Dallas History

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Golf lesson at an unidentified Dallas park, 1960s

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City Secretary's Office, 1955
City Photographer Collection, 1950-1997
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The Praetorian Building, also known as Stone Place Tower, is regarded as the first skyscraper in Texas.   It was a 15-story, 190-foot high-rise that was constructed in 1909 at Main Street and Stone Street.  It remained the tallest building in the city only until 1912.   
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Lt. William T. Campbell, Air Service Aviator and Reserve Military Aviator, stands with his mechanic in front of his Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny" at Love Field.  Campbell and this plane made the world loop record—151 consecutive loops—on November 12, 1918.  
The photo itself is undated.


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Kids playing at Pike Park, 1970s 
Dallas Park and Recreation Department Photograph Collection, 1910-2004

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Kids playing at Exline Park, 1960s 
Dallas Park and Recreation Department Photograph Collection, 1910-2004

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Dallas Sanitation Team, March 24, 1938
Sanitation Department