The Hall of State: The Phoenix Rises Again!
The Hall of State has long been one of Dallas’ “jewels in the crown.” Built at Fair Park in 1936 for the Texas Centennial Fair, it is full of Texas history. From Texas symbols embedded into the building ornamentation and the murals depicting the state’s history, to the precious artifacts held within, this stately hall is indeed a celebration of all things Texan. It is only fitting that its Grand Hall was the setting of a dinner held in honor of the visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip in 1991.
It is a thrill for me to write about the Hall of State, as I have felt some ownership of it since childhood. I am a Dallas native, and my grandmother regularly took us to Fair Park during the summer. My siblings and I fed the ducks in the lagoon, rode the rides in the kiddie section of the Midway (the only rides open in the summer), then toured each of the resident museums. The museums each held their charms, but my heart belonged to the Hall of State. A smile appeared on my face as we climbed the steps and were met by the statue of my family ancestor, Sam Houston, by the front door. I always insisted on signing the visitor book. I felt strongly that the Hall was “my place”, and enjoyed reviewing the familiar objects from the replica Liberty Bell to the dusty dioramas of scenes from Texas history. My voice dropped to a whisper as I entered the cathedral-like grandeur of the Great Hall. I always wanted to sit in one of the red velvet throne chairs, but sadly, they were roped off.
I felt the return of my childhood glee when I decided to volunteer at the Hall of State for the 2019 State Fair. I felt back at home, and was full of nerdy excitement to get to “see backstage” in the areas where the public doesn’t usually go. One special moment was getting to peek into the “Old Curiosity Shop”-style Archives’ office full of shelves bulging with historical documents. I got a quick look at some quaint, old State Fair publicity materials the archivist had just found
I enjoyed every Hall of State shift I had during the Fair, especially being a greeter at the front door. I met unique people every day, and have become friends with a possible Sam Houston descendant, visiting from New Hampshire. The theme of the Hall of State show that year was “Texas in the Cinema.” I can’t tell you how many pictures I took of laughing visitors in front of a replica of a set from the animated television series “King of the Hill.” They loved sharing an “Alamo” beer with character Hank Hill in his alley. I did too!
As soon as the Fair ended in early October, my great, but aging-not-so-gently museum home underwent a wonderful, $14 million makeover. Completed in late 2020, the Hall sat patiently empty, waiting to show off its restored beauty once Covid-19 receded.
But this past Valentine’s weekend, the Hall suffered a shocking blow. The winter storm that froze most of the state and took down the electric grid, reached straight into the heart of the 85-year-old building. When the power went down, so did the museum’s heat. The building’s pipes froze, and eventually burst. An alarm alerted the museum’s appropriate staff. Dallas Historical Society Director (the managers of the Hall since 1938) Karl Chiao and his staff flew into action. They found flooded floors and basements, as well as water shooting out of the ceiling and from the walls. Some important artifacts had become wet. Multiple rescuers, from water damage experts to artifact conservators and photograph restorers appeared on the scene within hours. A fund was set up so that the public could contribute to the restoration, and the City of Dallas gave $3 million towards the effort. The repairs continue and the Hall of State will be back to her original glory in time for the 2021 State Fair. Their theme will be a retrospective of all the State Fairs of Texas since the 1936 Centennial. I plan to be there front and center on the first day my beloved Hall of State is fully open again. I invite you to join me!
Director Chiao released the following encouraging statement: “We feel fortunate that so many people, trained volunteers and staff, mobilized so quickly in defense of the building, the art and the collection. Because of the building’s recent renovations, knowledgeable, experienced professionals are currently on site and were able to remove water from the structures the same day. Conservation experts quickly intervened to protect the archival collection.
At this time, the building is closed to the public; however, the research library does have limited availability for researchers. To inquire about reserving an appointment, contact research@dallashistory.org.
