Pioneer Plaza Dallas, found next to the Dallas Convention Center, gives you a glimpse of the city’s early cowboy days. Visitors marvel at the full sized herd of sculpted bronze cattle, forty in all.
You’ll want to bring your camera because there are great photo opportunities everywhere in Pioneer Plaza. This is the second most visited landmark in Dallas.
There is no admission charge to view this life size portrayal of a vital part of Dallas history, making it a bargain among tourist attractions in the city.
The herd of cattle are reputed to be the largest bronze sculptures in the world. Three sculpted cowboys, created with absolute historical accuracy, are portrayed driving the cattle and add to the illusion of a very real scene.
Even though sculpted, the whole portrayal is so realistic that you can almost hear the cattle and the cries of the cowboys as they seem to move along the Dallas horizon.
Pioneer Plaza Dallas is perfect for family visits as well as for taking a break during business. You’ll find morning or afternoon a perfect opportunity to get some wonderful photos of one of the most notable sculptured scenes in the country.
In order to fully appreciate Pioneer Plaza, it helps to understand a bit of Dallas history. The sculpture helps commemorate the days when settlers came to Dallas with cattle to sell on the open market.
They came to Dallas along special trails. The site of the sculptures is the original location of the Shawnee Cattle Trail which was used in 1854. The trail helped Dallas transition to a time when cattle became most important agricultural product in Texas.
Although no one is absolutely sure how Shawnee Trail got its name, cattle didn’t come through Missouri and on to Texas without opposition because of fears that cattle carried serious diseases. But progress was inevitable and every since then cattle have been associated with Dallas history.
You won’t find a larger public open space located in the Dallas area’s business district. It covers an entire 4.2 acres, large enough to browse through Pioneer Plaza.
The park around Pioneer Plaza features native plants of Dallas, a lovely stream and a view of the cattle drive’s sculptures. Near Pioneer Plaza is a cemetery which many like to visit. It features a Civil War Memorial which commemorate Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis. Pioneer Plaza is said to be named after this cemetery.
Other appealing features at Pioneer Plaza include a lovely waterfall. There are also cliffs, plenty of native plant life and some historical information about the sculptures. You can also purchase both life-size and miniature creations of the sculptures in Pioneer Park. A life-sized sculpture costs $75,000 so most opt for the 12 inch version, which is still fairly expensive, costing over $4,000. The sculptures are provided by the Texas Trees Foundation.
According to a sign at the site, the nearby Pioneer cemetery was created from the remains of four other cemeteries. In addition to the famous Civil War heroes noted above, you can see the graves of several early political leaders in Dallas. If you visit Pioneer Plaza Dallas, it is well worth checking out the cemetery as well and learning a bit more of Dallas history, including that of the Civil War era. The graves there go back as far as 1853 and the last burial was in the 1920s.
If your trip has you going to the Dallas Convention Center, be sure to check out the Pioneer Plaza Dallas and snag some photos!
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