BETA
Chapter 1
The river that fooled everyone
Chapter 2
The great railroad heist
Chapter 3
Financing the oil boom
Chapter 4
The airport built on a truce
YOUR GOAL
Master of The city built on nothing
Ch 1 · The river that fooled everyone
gertrude The Trinity River
A year and four days / to steam to Dallas / through the snags and mud
gertrude A historic flood in 1908 forced Dallas to completely redesign its landscape and move the unruly Trinity River.
gertrude An 1893 steamboat expedition took over a year to travel from Galveston to Dallas, proving the river was unnavigable.
Fun Fact
Trinity River navigation: In 1868, a steamboat called Job Boat took five months to reach Dallas, only to sink on its return journey.
Glossary
trinity river (noun)
A major river in Texas that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Following a catastrophic 1908 flood, Dallas channelized this winding waterway behind massive concrete levees.
A major river in Texas that flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Following a catastrophic 1908 flood, Dallas channelized this winding waterway behind massive concrete levees.
Quiz
Who founded the trading post on the Trinity River that eventually became Dallas in 1841?
Quiz
Unlike Houston or Chicago, what key natural feature did early Dallas completely lack?
Quiz
What major engineering project did Dallas undertake to protect the city after the 1908 flood?
Quiz
What was the main commercial crop early Dallas settlers hoped to ship down the Trinity River?
Quiz
What was the record height of the Trinity River during the devastating Dallas flood of May 1908?
Quiz
Which body of water did early Dallas settlers hope to reach via the Trinity River?