In 1845, the first settlement in the area was Hord’s Ridge, established by William H. Hord.  T.L. Marsalis bought 2000 acres here in 1887, and began a housing development.  He called it “Oak Cliff” because of the towering oak trees and the hilly terrain.  People slowly began moving here, and in 1900, the population had grown to 3,630.

In the early 1920’s, Lake Cliff was built.  It was a popular place for boating and swimming, featured three theaters, a bathhouse, dance pavilions, and carnivals.  It was the largest cultural/amusement park in Texas. The first 7-11 store opened in 1927 at the corner of Edgefield and 12th Street, and then in the 30s, Oak Cliff drew unwanted attention as the hometown of one of the nation’s most notorious crime duos, Bonnie and Clyde.

The 40s was a busy decade for Oak Cliff, as more and more families settled here.  Baseball was the favorite pastime, and players like Casey Steagle, Dizzy Dean, and others played at Rebel Field, which is now the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and I-35.  President Truman once gave a speech at this field.  Oak Cliff became a part of the nation’s history when, after assassinating President Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald fled into the Texas Theater on Jefferson Boulevard and was captured there.

The 60s brought a shift in population to Oak Cliff when many people moved to the suburbs and many businesses that had once thrived, closed or moved.  However, in the 70s, “urban pioneers” began to move into North Oak Cliff and renovate many of the older houses that had been neglected.  Artists in search of studio space rediscovered the Bishop Arts District, and some locals started opening shops and restaurants, and restoring the old, boarded up buildings.  Eventually, the city joined in and gave millions for new streets, landscaping, and infrastructure.  Today, it is one of the most popular destinations in Dallas, and has been ranked by the Dallas Morning News among the "Ten Things Dallas Can Brag About".