Commerce and Houston Streets 1934: This is the Commerce Street Bridge just as it passes Houston St. in 1934. The bridge spanned the old Trinity River channel, and then went into West Dallas. The ‘street’ in the middle, was called the Commerce Street ‘Extension’, and still exists today next to the old Postal Annex, similar to one on Elm St. The business on the corner is the Victoria Hotel, and the business with the awning down the ‘extension’ is the Sieberling Rubber Company. (From the collections of the Texas/Dallas History and Archives Division, Dallas Public Library)

In 1934, the two blocks bordered by Broadway, Houston, Commerce and Elm Streets were 11 separate parcels of land, owned by various parties. Dealey and the News campaigned for the city to buy these parcels from their respective owners, so that a more elegant gradual decline to the Subway could be built.

Along Houston St. north from Commerce St. were the Victoria Hotel, Halls Specialty Co. (C. H. Gardners), Heisel Brothers Repair Shop, Farrel Motor and Battery Co., Grey’s Barber Shop, White and Green Café (Virginia’s Eat Shop), and East Texas Gas Co. with the Palm Hotel above it. Along Houston St. north from Main St. was the Fishburn Motor Company, occupying a building that in 1923 was the Houston St. fire station, complete with a tower on top. (Postcards from that era showing the Southern Rock Island Plow Co./TSBD can be found today.) Next to Fishburn’s, to the north, was Burke’s Garage, featuring storage and general refurbishing of automobiles. On the corner, across Elm St. from Burkes was the Southern Rock Island Plow Company, which would later be the famous Texas School Book Depository.

Houston and Main Streets Looking South: This photo is looking south down Houston St. from Main St. The corner building is the East Texas Gas Co., with the Palm Hotel above it. Going left from there is the White and Green Café (AKA Virginia’s Eat Shop) (white window front, where Bonnie Parker once worked), Gray’s Barber Shop, Farrel Motor and Battery Co. (Garage), Heisel Brothers Repair Shop (white building) and Halls Specialty Co. The corner building farthest away is the Victoria Hotel, which also used the rooms on the second floor above Halls Specialty Co. (From the collections of the Texas/Dallas History and Archives Division, Dallas Public Library)

Houston and Main Streets Looking North 1934: This is a picture looking across Houston Street (going to the right) and Main Street (going to the left), at what was in 1934, Fishburn Motor Company. This building in 1923 was the Houston Street Fire Station, hence the fire station-like tower. Note the Southern Rock Island Plow company (TSBD) building to the right, across Elm St. Also, just visible over the roof is the upper floors of the Sproles Motor Freight Company, which was located on the south side of Elm Street, and Broadway. (From the collections of the Texas/Dallas History and Archives Division, Dallas Public Library)

Houston and Elm Streets Looking South 1934: This 1934 picture was taken from about where the Dal-Tex building was located, looking across Houston St. (going left) and Elm St. (going right). This was Burk’s Garage, a parking, storage and vehicle ‘detailing’ business. To the far left, continuing down Houston is Fishburn Motor Company. (From the collections of the Texas/Dallas History and Archives Division, Dallas Public Library)