Who Knew This Poor Fellow and His Wagon Would Lead to "The Decline of East Dallas"?

While we await delivery of some conceptual renderings from Dallas City Hall (and, really, can this week get any better?) for an item to follow, let me direct you attention to a couple of black-and-white keepsakes, only one of which is up for grabs. Friend of Unfair Park PeterK directs our attention to this old photo of a driver for the Dallas Ice Factory -- or, more specifically, C.H. Alexander's Dallas Ice Factory, which makes an appearance in the out-of-print but essential Dallas Rediscovered : A Photographic Chronicle of Urban Expansion 1870-1925 in the section dealing specifically with the history of Munger Place. Let's jump to an excerpt from the excerpt:

"East Dallas became laden with pockets of servants' shotgun houses, sheds, and outbuildings among the expensive mansions along Swiss, Ross, and Gaston, and randomly placed and often poorly constructed subdivision bungalows appeared. The major streets were increasingly commercialized, with stables, saloons, and later pawn shops and topless bars, while heavy industry like C.H. Alexander's Dallas Ice Factory, Light and Power Company plant (at the northeast corner of Swiss and Hall) and the W.J. Lemp Brewery ... invaded the area. This amalgamation contributed to the decline of East Dallas and helped establish its reputation, by the 1960's, as a questionable area for investment in new home construction."

The auction for this ended Sunday, sadly -- and it went for a whopping $122.50! Still, while you're browsing, might I also suggest this nifty aerial photo of downtown taken by famed photographer Sy Seidman?