Getting to North Oak Cliff
Where is Oak Cliff? It is just south of downtown Dallas -- across the Trinity River. The "original" Oak Cliff is pretty much what we now call "North Oak Cliff." North Oak Cliff is where you'll find the historic homes, Bishop Arts District, Kessler Neighborhood, Methodist Hospital, Lake Cliff, the Texas Theater, and lots of oak trees and quiet neighborhoods. Some folks call everything in Dallas south of the Trinity River "Oak Cliff," but in reality that area is made up of a bunch of communities and towns that were gradually absorbed into the city of Dallas. If you include all of that area -- Oak Cliff has about 400,000 people in it and is as big as Buffalo, New York! For more about the history of Oak Cliff, click here.
From Downtown Dallas
Take the Houston Street Bridge (That long old concrete bridge next to Reunion Arena) – go across the Trinity River (South). At the end of the bridge, take the RIGHT fork in the road to Zang Blvd.
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To go to Methodist Hospital – From Zang, turn right on Colorado.
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To go into Kessler Park Neighborhood- From Zang – turn right on Colorado – it begins right after you pass Methodist Hospital.
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To go to Stevens Park Golf Course – From Zang – turn right on Colorado-- continue down Colorado about a mile.
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To go to Bishop Arts District – Continue on Zang Blvd until you get to Davis Street (180). There will be a Sonic on the corner – turn right continue on Davis about 5-6 blocks to Bishop Blvd (light) and turn left – that’s Bishop Arts District. (Bishop & 7th Street)
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To see the historic Texas Theater, where Lee Harvey Oswald was captured, continue on Zang to Jefferson Blvd -- turn RIGHT -- it will be in that block on the right.
From I-35
If you’re coming south from downtown Dallas, exit Colorado and go west (right) on Colorado.
If you’re coming from the south, exit Colorado, turn left under bridge onto Colorado.
Continue down Colorado – you will pass Lake Cliff Park on your left.
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To go to Methodist Hospital – Continue down Colorado a few blocks past Zang Blvd. (It will be on your right.)
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To go into Kessler Park Neighborhood - Continue on Colorado – it begins right after you pass Methodist Hospital.
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To go to Stevens Park Golf Course – continue down Colorado about a mile.
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To go to Bishop Arts District – Continue on Colorado to Bishop Blvd – (right across from Methodist Hospital) Turn LEFT on Bishop – continue down until you have to turn – turn RIGHT – then an immediate LEFT - that’s Bishop Arts District. (Bishop & 7th Street)
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To see the historic Texas Theater, where Lee Harvey Oswald was captured, turn LEFT onto Zang right after Lake Cliff Park -- continue on Zang to Jefferson Blvd -- turn RIGHT -- it will be in that block on the right.
From I-30 (Coming from downtown Dallas)
Exit the Sylvan Exit (near the Main Post Office) and go SOUTH. (That’s a LEFT, under the bridge.)
Go up a hill past some nice homes in a wooded area – you are in the Kessler Neighborhood. (If that's not what you see then you went the wrong way -- turn around!)
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To go to Methodist Hospital – Continue up Sylvan until Colorado – turn LEFT on Colorado, down about a half mile to Methodist Hospital.
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To go to Stevens Park Golf Course – continue up Sylvan and turn RIGHT on Colorado about a half-mile.
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To go to Bishop Arts District – Continue on Sylvan until you reach Davis (180). Turn LEFT on Davis – go about a half mile to Bishop (light.) Turn right on Bishop – that’s Bishop Arts District. (Bishop & 7th Street)
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To see the historic Texas Theater, where Lee Harvey Oswald was captured, continue on Sylvan (it will change names to Vernon and Polk) to Jefferson Blvd -- turn LEFT -- go down about 6-8 blocks -- it will be in on your left.
From I-30 (Grand Prairie/Ft.Worth)
From I-30 take the Hampton Exit and go South (Right). Continue on Hampton to Colorado. Turn LEFT on Colorado – this is the Kessler Neighborhood area (you will also pass Steven’s Park Golf Course)
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To go to Methodist Hospital – Continue on Colorado (a lot or curves) for about a mile -- to Methodist Hospital.
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To go to Bishop Arts District – Continue on Colorado (a lot of curves) for about a mile – turn right on Bishop ()across from Methodist Hospital) Sylvan until you reach Davis (180). Turn LEFT on Davis – go about a half mile to Bishop (light.) Turn right on Bishop – continue until you have to turn – turn right – then an immediate left – that’s Bishop Arts District. (Bishop & 7th Street)
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To see the historic Texas Theater, where Lee Harvey Oswald was captured, turn RIGHT onto ZANG to Jefferson Blvd -- turn RIGHT -- it will be in on your RIGHT in that block.
This map shows the original 1890 boundaries of the City of Oak Cliff, which took up roughly10 square miles. In 1891, a farm owner named S.E. Pollard sued the fledgling city, claiming that the boundaries included too much uninhabited territory. An election held June 9, 1891, shrank the City of Oak Cliff to a 3.5 mile area, illustrated by the darker area in the center of the map. The offset map shows the original boundaries of Oak Cliff in relation to Dallas County. Today, Oak Cliff is often referred to as anything in Dallas County south of the Trinity River. Most of the early history of Old Oak Cliff takes place within the original boundaries, but this website also includes places and events within the city of Dallas south of I-30 and west of I-45, referred to as “Greater Oak Cliff.”