URBAN ARMADILLOS

Preservation Dallas and Urban Armadillos Partnering to Develop an Urban Historic Trail in Downtown Dallas

Preservation Dallas is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Urban Armadillos organization. The Urban Armadillos organization was founded in 2012 by Mike Wyatt and Skyler Baty. While Mike was on an office leasing tour of Bryan Tower with a client, it was brought to his attention that in 1873-74, the famous gambler and gunfighter of the OK Corral, Doc Holiday, had his first dental office on the site of Bryan Tower. The location was verified and is currently memorialized by a bronze plaque embedded in concrete on a forgotten corner of the building. At that moment, Wyatt enlisted the help of Skyler Baty to form a group of civic-minded professionals to not only uncover other culturally-significant landmarks and lost treasures within the central business district of Dallas, but to create a pedestrian trail linking Dallas’ eight urban Districts. The group was thus named Urban Armadillos and empowered to “Dig Up Dallas” District by District!

From that small start the group has grown to over 200 civic-minded professionals whose primary purpose is to create and maintain an urban walking trail for both residents and visitors within the central business district of Dallas. The “Trail” will promote Dallas’ unique landmarks, parks, architecturally-significant structures, “pop culture” and urban legends within each of the Districts. By connecting each of the Districts, the Urban Armadillos goal is to preserve Dallas’ urban treasures, to enrich the experience of visitors to downtown Dallas, and to increase the overall economic vitality and legacy of our city. Preservation Dallas will be working with the Urban Armadillos to develop the Trail and recognize the various historic and cultural sites in downtown Dallas through printed and electronic media. The information for the first portion of the Trail is to be compiled by the fall of 2013.