Dallas was a big deal even before the 80s TV drama of the same name really put it on the map. And it continues to be a big deal - it's the 8th largest city on its own in the country, and even bigger if you count its suburbs and neighboring Fort Worth - with a bevy of companies calling it home, including ExxonMobil, 7-Eleven, Brinker, Blockbuster, Kimberly-Clark, Comerica Bank, Energy Future Holdings Corporation, Mary Kay Cosmetics, CompUSA, Southwest Airlines, Texas Instruments, Fluor, Zales and Comerica Bank.
Dallas was originally focused on cotton, grain, and buffalo, but as the 20th century rolled around, it became more financially focused. It was a major player in banking and with the discovery of oil, and became the center of that industry. Texas Instruments developed the first integrated-circuit computer chip in 1958, which launched it into the technological era. Also, the oil industry moved to Houston during the 1980s which placed more dependence on the city's technology. By the 1990's, because of the booming telecom and computer companies in the area, Dallas was known as the Silicon Valley (or Prairie) of Texas, helping create all sorts of busy Dallas movers.
History:
Dallas was founded by John Neely in 1841. The name Dallas is believed by some to be from the eleventh vice-president of the United States, George Mifflin Dallas, but other theories to the origin of the name also exist. The city was incorporated in 1856 as a town and 1871 as a city. A group of artists and musicians who setup a nearby community that failed moved to Dallas in 1855 which has given the city a strong artistic culture that still exists today. By the 1870's, Dallas worked to bring railroads to the city, which propelled its status as a major economic center. By the 20th century, Dallas started to shift from agriculture to commerce and banking. Oil was discovered near Dallas in 1930, which led Dallas to become a financial center for the surrounding oil industry. The integrated computer chip was first developed in Dallas, which led to the area becoming very technologically based, and the city started to be known as the "Silicon Valley" of Texas.
Tourism:
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field, both commercial airports, serve those coming and going to Dallas. Professional sports teams include the basketball Mavericks, hockey Stars, football Cowboys, and baseball's Texas Rangers among many other smaller professional and collegiate teams.
Climate:
Dallas, Texas is hot - and maybe that is even an understatement. Winters are generally mild, with typical highs between 50 and 65 and nighttime lows between 30 and 50. Still, snowball is seen on average 2-4.5 days out of the year and snow accumulation is typically seen at least once every winter.