Online Exhibits
An exhibit celebtrating the 50th Anniversary of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library, Inc.
A photographic journey into some of Dallas' most distinctive neighbohoods
Humorous and serious photographs from the lense of Clint Grant
Everyday life and newsworthy events from the 1940s to the 1960s
Interactive maps, photographs and histories of more than 30 buildings
Rotating Exhibits
Hometown Folks: Famous Dallasites
Is J.R. Ewing still your idea of the quintessential Dallasite? Are you stuck with the notion that Dallas mostly produces oilmen and cowboys? If so, your perceptions may change after viewing Hometown Folks: Famous Dallasites, an exhibit using high school yearbooks to feature people from Big D who have made a name for themselves. Dallas has produced them all: sports stars, television and movie big shots, musicians, politicians, and more. View this exhibition in the 7th floor Texas/Dallas History Division reading room and hallway.
The Norman Baxter Exhibit
Norman Baxter (1919 - 1998) was an artist who was best known for his pen-and-ink drawings of city
skylines that were used as covers for the Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages for more than ten years in
seven cities and in five states. Some of the Texas cities included were Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston,
San Antonio and Austin.
Baxter's line drawings had a "Where's Waldo?" inspiration -- whimsical drawings
hidden within larger pictures such as birds perched atop the Dallas Convention Center and ships
sailing down Commerce Street.
Come and view some of Baxter's many phone book covers and illustrations in the Norman Baxter
exhibit being held in the elevator vestibule of the Texas/Dallas History & Archives Division.
Permanent Exhibits
Back to TopScene on the Brazos
The "Dean of Texas Artists," Frank Reaugh (pronounced "ray"), came to Texas with his parents in 1876. As his family made the trek from Jacksonville, Illinois to Terrell, Texas, Reaugh passed the time by sketching the sights. While formally trained at St. Louis School of Fine Arts and Académie Julian in Paris, Reaugh found his artistic expression through the landscapes and animals of the Southwest - especially the Texas longhorn. Thus, the "Painter of the Longhorn" was born. Reaugh was a firm believer in making art available for public viewing. Shortly after he settled in Oak Cliff in 1890, he worked with civic and cultural leaders to create forums for the public display of art. When the Carnegie Library was built in 1901, Reaugh thought this institution made a perfect venue for public art. He convinced library officials to create an Art Room in the new public library. The Art Room was to display works from various artists in a variety of media, with the expressed purpose of making art accessible and free to the public. He started the art collection by donating his painting, Scene on the Brazos.