Hidden City

In 1990, Oak Cliff came remarkably close to asking Dallas for a divorce. About 2,000 people packed a public meeting to discuss creating a new city of roughly 310,000 residents, complete with its own government, budget, police and fire departments, libraries, and public works. What began with long-standing complaints about neglected streets, drainage, libraries, code enforcement, and political representation quickly became a serious municipal question—one that drew national media attention and forced Dallas to prepare for the possibility of losing a huge piece of itself.

In this episode, we dig into the original maps, budgets, legal memos, service plans, and meeting records to find out why Oak Cliff wanted out, whether it could actually have become its own city, and why the movement ultimately failed. Along the way, we explore the deeper fight over race, representation, money, and what it means to belong to a city that doesn't always feel like it belongs to you. Oak Cliff never seceded—but for one extraordinary season, Dallas had to ask what it would take to make Oak Cliff stay.

For nearly 16 years, Nova has served as a second living room for Oak Cliff, a place where neighbors gather over great food, familiar drinks, and plenty of local characters. In this episode, JD Reid joins the podcast to share how he and his partners transformed a former Dairy Queen on West Davis into one of the neighborhood’s most enduring restaurants, opening with just a handful of menu items and around $1,200 left in the bank.JD reflects on immigrating from Scotland, leaving the corporate world for the restaurant business, and what it takes to keep an independent neighborhood spot going. He also talks about Nova’s chef-driven menu, its relationship with the Kessler Theater, and the responsibility that comes with creating a place where employees and neighbors have put down roots.

Stevens Park is one of Oak Cliff’s most familiar landscapes, but its history stretches far beyond the golf course. What began with Annie Stevens’s 1923 gift of 40 acres in memory of her parents grew into a public park, an 18-hole municipal course, and a neighborhood shaped by the creeks, bluffs, and rolling hills of Oak Cliff.

In this episode, we trace the course from its early sand greens to its reputation as “Little Augusta,” exploring the civic ambition, complicated history, and generations of golfers behind it. It is a story of stubborn land, public space, and the many people who imagined what these hills above the Trinity could become.

What does it take to build a city where artists can make meaningful work without burning out? Avery-Jai Andrews, executive director of Arts Mission Oak Cliff and founder of Agora Artists, joins the show to talk about returning to Dallas after pursuing dance in New York, the hard lessons of starting her own company, and why supporting the artist matters as much as supporting the art.

Avery-Jai shares how a former Winnetka Heights church building became a gathering place for artists, neighbors, and collaborators, and explores the tension between creativity and commerce, the importance of relationship-building, and Oak Cliff’s potential to sustain a thriving artistic community of its own.

For the final installment of the Hidden City Summer Reading Club, Doug and Grant are joined by Eric Nystrom to discuss Nathanael Johnson’s Unseen City, a book about learning to notice the wildlife hiding in plain sight.From hawks over Elmwood and turtles in Cedar Creek to bald eagles along the Trinity River, the conversation explores the nature woven through Dallas and what we discover when we slow down, ask questions, and pay closer attention to the places we call home.

Summer Reading Club continues with The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Joined by Fred Durham of the C.S. Lewis Institute, we explore why these beloved stories continue to resonate with readers of all ages. From talking animals and enchanted forests to themes of courage, redemption, and hope, we discuss what makes Narnia so much more than a children's fantasy series.

Along the way, we trace Lewis's life from wartime Britain to Oxford, discuss the friendship that shaped both him and J.R.R. Tolkien, and consider how the best stories can change the way we see the places and people around us.

Summer Reading Club continues with Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. We explore why this story has resonated with so many readers and how its themes of place, hospitality, and human connection echo the kinds of stories we love to talk about on the podcast.

We discuss what the book has to say about truly seeing the people around us and draw connections to Oak Cliff. Whether you've already read the book or are looking for your next summer read, this conversation is a great place to start.

We kick off our Summer Reading Club with John Steinbeck's Cannery Row, a novel that finds humor, humanity, and unexpected beauty in the lives of a small working class neighborhood in depression-era California. Grant, Doug, and Savannah discuss why this classic still resonates today, exploring the ways place shapes identity, how community forms in unlikely spaces, and what Cannery Row can teach us about seeing the hidden stories in our own neighborhood.

Before Reunion Tower and the Dallas skyline, there was La Réunion, a French utopian colony on the banks of the Trinity River. In this episode, Grant and Doug explore how a group of European settlers came to North Texas hoping to build a new kind of society, why the experiment failed, and how its residents helped shape early Dallas through culture, business, science, and civic life. It's the story behind one of Dallas' most recognizable names and a forgotten chapter of Oak Cliff history.

Carlos De La Fuente has been part of Oak Cliff since 1974, and few people know the neighborhood's history quite like he does. In this episode, Carlos shares the story of immigrating to Dallas as a child, growing up in Oak Cliff, working at the Dallas Farmers Market, and leaving a stable aviation career to pursue his dream of entrepreneurship.

We talk about the early days of ABC Party, the mentors who believed in him, the risks he took to build a business from the ground up, and the partnership with his wife that helped turn a small produce stand into one of Oak Cliff’s most beloved institutions. Along the way, Carlos reflects on leadership, community, work ethic, and why staying rooted on Davis Street has always mattered more than chasing the next opportunity.