50@50 – Dallas, TX
Until recently, Dallas has not been known as a cultural city. Yes, it has its share of cultural institutions, the opera, the symphony, and museum, but these do not define the culture of Dallas. Its evolution has been long coming. I live here, I travel from here. In the past, when we wanted REAL culture, many of us headed west to Ft. Worth. And as a hiker…well iconic rugged images of Texas are often hundreds of miles away.
The fickle Trinity River meanders southeast, eventually spilling into the Gulf of Mexico; the hope was that the river and its flow, which floods in the spring and trickles by September, could become navigable. The river refused to cooperate and post Civil War Dallas established itself as a center of trade. Oil brought the big money and industry followed.
With money and trade come people. The seeds of the current Arts District began about 35 years ago, and accelerated in the 1990’s and early 2000’s as companies, making relocation decisions, desired a place with greater diverse cultural life. The opening of the Nasher Sculpture Center in 2003 sparked a cultural awakening. In 2009, Dallas unveiled a flamboyant new opera house and theater and brought to the Dallas Symphony a dynamic conductor. Suddenly Dallas appeared on the cultural map.
So what HAS this got to do with how land shapes culture? The Trinity River and the belief that ships could sail to Dallas from the Gulf of Mexico is what drew settlers here in the first place. As more came, city planners built reservoirs along the flooding waters of limestone bordered creeks. White Rock Lack, which celebrates its centennial in 2011, is one of these reservoirs and one of my favorite places to walk. The circumference along the paved path is just under 15K and can be easily walked in under three hours. With the Dallas Arboretum residing on its eastern banks, the lake hosts many events, from exhibitions and performances in its “Bath House” to sailing, biking and an annual marathon.
For some people, a paved path is not a “real” hike; for others, it’s a start and for people like me, the path is a weekly ritual between more challenging treks. My favorite time to arrive is at daybreak. The wild bird population is diverse and inspiring. I composed a piece called “White Rock Morning” focusing on the evolution of the day at this amazing park. In the winter, huge white pelicans settle on the lake’s northern shore. If lucky, one can observe their wide wingspans flying just above the water’s surface, like a group of small glider planes. Monk parakeets – bright green, but much larger than your grandmother’s – spend their summers along its shores.
While the land has been altered, its new shape creates new and different environment – a source of life giving water, the place created is one of beauty, energy and life. Isn’t that culture?
[1] Even now, information varies widely and provides a limited picture of life before Europeans. Native American sites offer a much broader picture.