The glossiness of the central business district of Dallas can make it easy to forget you’re in Texas, but Pioneer Plaza is here to remind you. Spreading out over 4 acres (1.6 hectares), this park features more than 50 bronze statues depicting cowboys and their steers that once crossed Texas on their way to the meatpacking centers of Chicago and St. Louis.
Though Dallas was never a major cattle-driving station, the statues evoke a sense of Texans’ pride in their early history. Pull on your cowboy boots and grab your ten-gallon hat for the most iconic Texan photo opportunities in the whole city.
Wander down the line of Texan longhorn cattle, whose size is gently exaggerated to make them truly awe-inspiring. Pose for a picture beside their hyper-realistic bronze faces, proof that you’ve really been to the heartland of the “Republic of Texas.”
The statues show the cowboys atop their horses looking out at the cattle and horizon with an unmistakable sense of world-weariness. Peer at the detailing of their appearance, from the frayed hems of their jeans to the bunching of their horses’ muscles.
Cast your mind back to the time when groups like these crisscrossed the United States, these men spending months on the trail. Imagine the sounds and smells and be surprised by how easy it is to forget where you really are.
Stand near the refreshing mist of the artificial waterfall, one of the many attractive features added to this former parking lot. Native plants and dogwood and other trees provide shelter from the sweltering Dallas heat.
Find Pioneer Plaza in the heart of Downtown Dallas directly in front of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and a 15-minute walk or 5-minute drive from Dealey Plaza. Drive here in 25 minutes from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport or in 15 minutes from Dallas Love Field Airport. Street parking is available nearby, with several metered parking structures in the vicinity as well. The plaza is open to visitors at all times.
