NOTE:
The time line will never be finished. It will always have changes. Contact the Dallas Historian to suggest additions, changes, etc.
| 1842 | A few men came to the area now known as Dallas. Until then only Indians were along the banks of the LaCreole, where the game was plentiful. |
| 1843 | James A O’Neil was here and James W Nesmith, Jesse Applegate, Charles Applegate, Lindsey Applegate arrived. |
| 1844 | 45 families had started to arrive. Colonel Cornelius Gilliam headed a party that left Missouri and settled near Cynthian. James O’Neil built a grist mill on the Rickreall at Ellendale, west of Dallas. |
| 1845 | September 6, the first court case on record was held in Jefferson Institute; LC Lyle vs. John Stewart. First property tax was levied. 1/8th of one percent of the valuation of the property. |
| 1846 | April: the Jefferson Institute was built on the donated land claim of Carey Embree. The school was used as a church on Sundays. First circuit court: September 6, J.C. Lyle vs. John Stewart, held here as there was not courthouse. |
| 1850 | County seat was formed in Cynthian and the houses of Thomas Lovelady, Carey Embree, and John Lyle were used for holding court. January 8, O’Neil’s mill became the first post office. |
| 1851 | May 9th first county court held at the home of John E Lyle and a courthouse was ordered to be built. Cynthian site for Polk Co. first courthouse was two story, 30 feet by 24 feet wooden structure and cost $755.50 (no known photos have been found) was completed in the fall by C.C. Redman, contractor. October 1st the first District Court ever held in the new Courthouse at Cynthian, w/Hon OC Pratt presiding; 17 men were empanelled that date and offered donation land claims as payment; 16 men took the land claims in Polk Co. |
| 1852 | Acting on a petition signed by a large number of citizens, August 3, name changed to Dallas after Vice President, George M Dallas. Dallas got its first post office with John E. Lyle as postmaster. A.S. Crider came to Dallas and established himself as a bootmaker. |
| 1854 | Jennings Lodge formed in Dallas. |
| 1855 | An addition was made to the Cynthian courthouse at the cost of $637.50. Town moved to the south side of the river where water was more plentiful (1856?). Jennings Lodge No. 9, A.F. & A.M. occupied the second story of the LaCreole Academic Institute building until 1873. 4 donation land claims cornered on the site chosen for the town, 3 of these men donated land for this purpose; John E Lyle 20 acres, Solomon Shelton 32 acres & John H Lewis 40 acres. The proceeds from the sale of the lots was used for the support and benefit of the "LaCreole Academic Institute". February 5, people gathered at the court house to establish an Academy as an institution of learning; Reuben P Boise elected Pres.; Horse G. Lymon, Secretary, and a board of trustees were appointed. The first teacher was Horace Lyman, and Miss Elizabeth Boise was his assistant. July 12 grounds for the Seminary were planned out and a new courthouse on its present site was planned. |
| 1856 | A new court house was ordered built on land donated by the LaCreole Academic Institute at the cost of $7,400. Contract was let to William Pitman. The first dwelling house built in "new" Dallas, was by Lucien Heath, on the corner of Oak and Jefferson, where Mayor Hollis Smith lived. The second home was built by James. B. Riggs, W.C. Brown the third, and James S. Holman the fourth. |
| 1857 | 57 students in LaCreole Academy. WC Brown bought out Ellendale General Store from J.W. Nesmith and agreed to pay Mr. Nesmith $2500 in one year for the goods in the store. Business was so good he paid them off in six months. The first jail was built in Dallas; prior to this, prisoners were let out to the highest bidders who would keep them at hard labor and assume their safe keeping. |
| 1860 | February 15 the new court house was completed at a cost of $7,400. It was a large two story, wooden structure fronting Main St, the same location as the present structure. Population of Dallas 449. John Waymire’s flour mill used 20,000 bushels of wheat to produce flour valued at $21,000 and his carding mill produced 14,000 pounds of spinning wool with a value of $2,000. |
| 1863 | Charles Edward Dane built a tannery on the LaCreole. |
| 1865 | The 4th woolen mill in Oregon was established in Ellendale, just north of Dallas, producing 50 yards of cloth each day and used 80,000 pounds of wool annually. It was incorporated by Judge Boise, John Worsley, and Joseph Watt; with a capital stock of $10,000, finally increasing to $100,000 with shares at $500. J.W. Nesmith (U.S. Senator) was a shareholder. Dallas businesses consisted of a saw and planning mill, flour mill, saddle tree maker, 6-7 general stores and the prosperous woolen mill at nearby Ellendale. Charles McDonald purchased the tannery. |
| 1866 | Polk County Itemizer was established. |
| 1868 | The Signal was started by J.H. Upton; it was a Democratic newspaper. |
| 1870 | Andrew Muir’s home was built (551) Levens St. The Signal was renamed Oregon Republican and then The Liberal Republican. |
| 1871 | The prosperous woolen mill was destroyed by fire. A new three story building on the bank of the Rickreall near the site of the old high school (LaCreole) was started. |
| 1873 | Jennings Lodge moved to use the Friendship Lodge No. 6 IOOF. |
| 1874 | November 2, the first form of government for Dallas was established. A five trustee board was elected to serve one year terms E.G. Bolter, T.J. Lovelady, W.W. Conkey, J.D. Lee, B.F. Nichols was the first president of the trustees. Dallas was incorporated. |
| 1875 | President of the trustees was A.D. Palmer. Jennings Lodge contracted for its own lodge hall above the Blue Garden, a building that was constructed in 1875. |
| 1876 | Pres of the trustees was Ed Casey. |
| 1877 | Pres of the trustees was A. Brown. |
| 1878 | Pres of the trustees was Warren Truitt. Oct. 5, Fire Company created. |
| 1879 | Pres of the trustees is E.L. DeLashmutt. The Dallas Itemizer was the successor to the Liberal Republican the Dallas Itemizer became the Polk County Itemizer. |
| 1880 | June 1, narrow-gauge railroad service arrived in town . Population of Dallas 600. W.C. Brown is Pres of the trustees. The first "scholars" graduated from LaCreole Academy. They were taught up to the equivalent of four years past the elementary school. |
| 1881 | E.L. DeLashmutt is Pres of trustees. |
| 1882 | M.M. Ellis is "Mayor". J.J. Williams is president of trustees through 1884. City trustees authorized George Tillotson to make an estimate of cost of procuring water for the city. |
| 1883 | W.I. Reynolds is "Mayor". Major fire lead to the purchase of its first firefighting equipment. Dallas first fire fighting unit was a hand operated pumping station and 300 feet of hose. The cost was $1133. The unit was named Terror Engine Co. No.1. |
| 1884 | "Old Camp Ground" now the Dallas City Park was sold to Dallas by Mrs. Ellen Lyle, wife of John E. Lyle for $350. The deed said the "Christian Church shall have the right to hold religious services thereon, that intoxicating liquors shall not be sold on the grounds and that the town is to fence said premises and keep said fence in repair." |
| 1885 | Pres of trustees is Charles A. Johns. |
| 1886 | President of trustees is T.J. Hayter proposed a town hall be built. |
| 1887 | Pres of trustees was J.J. Williams. Town hall contract for $2,000 was awarded to William Grant and the building was erected on the corner of Church and Court. The second story of the building was known as the "Opera House" and served as a place for local plays and traveling stock companies. T.J. Lovelady built a house on the corner of Shelton and Washington served as overflow for his hotel on Main St. The first floor is said to serve as the residence for him and his wife, Cynthia Ann. |
| 1888 | Tannery was purchased by Andrew Muir and David S. McDonald. Pres of trustees is N.L. Butler. The Polk County Observer was founded in Monmouth by Charles Doghty and George Snyder moved to Dallas. Successor publishers included Carey Hayter, Jack Allgood, 5 different publishers in 1914. |
| 1889 | Pres of trustees is George Tillotson. W.C. Brown erected a building on Main St to replace his original store, the third to be built in Dallas. The Crider building was erected at the same time and much later became Haas Drug Store. D.J. Riley founded the first light plant at the east end of Mill Street using water power from the mill race. It consisted of a 20-arc dynamo, costing $2500. Direct current for 12 arc street lights. N.T. Butler presented petitions for a new courthouse building, the proposal was defeated. Adam K. Wilson built the two- story building on the NW corner of Main and Court. The bottom floor has been a variety of businesses: a pharmacy, a bookstore, stationary store and a gym. (1997). |
| 1890 | A carriage House was built on the SE corner of Main and Court and served the Dallas by building and repairing horse drawn carriages. Robert Suitor established a large saw mill. John F. Groves is Pres of trustees. W.C. Brown offered to build the walls and foundation of a new courthouse with brick or stone free of charge if the court would finish the project. This proposal was rejected. |
| 1891 | City received a charter from the legislature and adopted a council form of government. Mayors served a two-year term. M.M. Ellis Mayor. Main streets of Dallas were graveled. Dallas Woolen Manufacturing Company established and incorporated by W.C. Brown, J.J. Daly, M.M. Ellis, Peter Allison and K.K. Wilson with a capital stock of $50,000. The mill was never operated by the original owners. |
| 1892 | Telephone service began when Oregon Telephone and Telegraph Company was granted a franchise on September 5. |
| 1893 | W.I. Reynolds is Mayor. |
| 1895 | W.L. Wells is Mayor. A new light plant was purchased and moved to Suitor’s mill where a steam engine auxiliary was added. |
| 1896 | Dallas Wool Mfg. Co. was leased to James Shaw of Oregon City. |
| 1897 | J.E. Sibley is Mayor. |
| 1898 | June 10, Court house destroyed by fire; the first typewriter of the town was owned by Eugene Hayter, County Clerk, escaped the fire as it had been barrowed for the night. The fire was thought to be of incendiary origin. Act to remove county seat from Dallas and move it to Independence defeated by legislature. DJ Riley’s 20-arc dynamo generated direct current for 12 street arc lights. Dallas Wool Mfg. Co. was purchased by Charles and Fred Carter and William Walker for a small fraction of its original cost. It was operated for three years. |
| 1899 | J.W. Crider is Mayor. |
| 1900 | New court house was built out of native stone at the cost of $5,850 for the basement walls and $24,932 for the main building on the same site and is still used today. The LaCreole Academy was united with the Lafayette Seminary which was Evangelical. It was known as Dallas College. It operated for fourteen years. |
| 1901 | Dallas Woolen Mill machinery was dismantled and moved to Sellwood and the building was sold to the LaCreole Academy and was used as a gymnasium. M.M. Ellis is Mayor again. Basketball was first organized in Dallas. J.W. Crider retires and his brother takes over the business but about bankrupted it. Louis Gerlinger Sr. purchased 7,000 acres of timberland just west of Dallas. He incorporated the Salem, Falls City and Western Railway Company. Ordinance passed prohibiting livestock to run at large. |
| 1902 | Guy Brothers, with basic hardware inventory opens on Mill St by Newton L. and Bert Guy. Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Morris open a jewelry store at the present Brixius location . W.C. Brown scattered thousands of nickels on the courthouse square for the children to scramble for. |
| 1903 | HV Gates started construction of a water system that continued to expand. City approved purchase of 3 hose carts outfitted with 100’s of feet of 2 ½ hose. J.C. Hayter is Mayor. Muir and McDonald Tannery was Destroyed by fire and a new tannery was begun on the same location<. The first train ran from Dallas to Falls City. The cost was 35 cents, one way, to ride and took forty-five minutes to ride nine miles. The light plant was sold to the city and then to the Mountain States Power Company. |
| 1904 | Sewers were laid on more populous streets to initiate a system . H.V. Gates completed the first Dallas Water System and operated it for 27 years. Conrad Stafrin and Dr. W.S. Carey bought the Adam Wilson building and the pharmacy it contained. |
| 1905 | Ed Biddle is Mayor and appoints the first library board; J.C. Hayter, R.E. Williams, D.M. Metzger, H.B. Cosper, F.H. Morrison and Dan P. Stouffer. Dallas High School began when the community decided to add the ninth and tenth grades to the public schools. Chauncy, J.W. Crider’s son, comes back to Dallas from California and takes over; adding a grocery store, at the Blue Garden location. Later, Chauncy purchased another location to the north and tore down the building and built a new two-story structure that made the business unique. He installed a freight elevator and sold buggies, wagons and harnesses upstairs and hardware and groceries downstairs. Charles Guy entered the hardware business with his brothers. George Cone began building a sawmill on the train terminal in Dallas. |
| 1906 | Cone Lumber Company began production (March) and was purchased two months later by the Gerlingers, H.L. Pittock and F.W. Leadbetter and was combined with the railroad and associated timber lands to become Willamette Valley Lumber Company. Stafrin buys out Carey and sells monogrammed hot water bottles, Georgia Rose face powder. Rexall hair tonic, as well as many other items. |
| 1907 | Andrew B. Muir is Mayor. Willamette Valley Lumber Company employed 40 men producing 60,000 board feet on a 10-hour shift. |
| 1908 | Dallas businesses contributed $2,000 to Carl Fenton and the Dallas College Basketball team to embark on a legendary trip across 22 states in a little less than three months, to promote the city of Dallas and the State of Oregon. They played 58 games with an impressive 49-9 record. W.C. Brown held his annual birthday banquet for the widows in November. This year, however, he also invited all of the widowers. This became the most memorable occasion, with the approximately 50 guest gathering in the Dallas Hotel parlor wanted their group picture taken on the porch as a remembrance of such a fine occasion. Dallas free library association was granted use of the fireman’s room in city hall for a library and a reading room. |
| 1909 | June 7th the City Council a 6mph speed limit was set for the streets in the city limits. H.C. Eakin is Mayor. Gail Hotel built by J. B. Thompson. George T. Gerlinger home on SE Main and Cherry St. |
| 1910 | F.J. "Joe" Craven started Craven Insurance Agency in the Dallas City Bank, writing fire and liability insurance on homes, farms, and businesses. Willamette Valley Lumber Company now cutting 100,000 board feet on a 10-hour shift. |
| 1911 | J.R. Craven is Mayor. A new high school was built on the corner of Academy and Main as there were too many students. The eleventh grade was added at this time and there were 40 students. Mrs. George T. Gerlinger, librarian, came before the council and asked that a library be built. National Guard Armory was built. |
| 1912 | National Guard Armory is dedicated Feb. 5. The first students graduated from the high school. There were six girls . Guy Brothers moves to the corner of Main and Mill (later Adolf Electric site) an new plumbing and heating shop was added to the business as well as Ford and Studebaker automobiles. Terror Engine Co. No.1 was reorganized under the present city charter with August Risser the first fire chief. Andrew Carnegie was awarded construction of the library for $10,000 and the city hall was moved around the corner to a location on Church. The library was built on the city hall’s original site. |
| 1913 | Hard surface paving began on parts of Main, Mill, Court and Oak streets, by the Clark Henry Company. J.G. Van Orsdel is Mayor. New courses were added to the high school and student enrollment jumped to 160 so three more teachers were hired, making a total of six. The high school severely injured the Academy as there were not tuition fees. |
| 1914 | August 31, the council purchased the Rowell tract in the southwest part of the town for the county fair. Cost was $5,000. The tract was traded to Polk County prior to the building of the new city hall for the property on Jefferson and Court. The two schools competed unnecessarily and duplicated offers so the two schools were combined. The Farmer’s Union Cooperative Warehouse was founded. Jennings Lodge added a third floor to the Blue Garden. |
| 1918 | Tracy Staats is Mayor. |
| 1919 | August Risser is Mayor. |
| 1920 | U.S. Grant is Mayor. A fire broke out at Willamette Valley Lumber Company sawmill. Fast work on the part of the employees and the Dallas citizens saved the finished lumber, logs, planning mill and box plant, but the sawmill was a complete loss. Farmer’s Union Cooperative Warehouse was built at the south end of Main St. Walter R. "Walt" Craven joined his father in the insurance business. Bill & Ruth Retzer purchase the jewelry store from the Morris’. |
| 1921 | Polk County Observer was destroyed by fire, but never missed an issue. |
| 1922 | Mark Odom Hatfield was born in Dallas. Fire at the sawmill destroyed the mill’s finished lumber inventory. |
| 1923 | Walter S. Muir is Mayor. First O & C timber bought. C.W. Henkel built a lovely Victorian home at SE Oak (184) and Jefferson. He was a funeral director and banker. |
| 1924 | Dallas Planing Mill founded . Fire burned the Willamette Valley Lumber Company logging camp and two weeks later a fire destroyed the planer, dry Kilns and some finished lumber. Walter Muir’s home built on (561) Levens St. Earle Richardson purchased the Polk County Observer from E.A. Koen. |
| 1925 | Conrad Stafrin is Mayor. The first motorized fire engine was purchased; a Stutz pumper. (Approx. this year) L.J. "Laurence" Smith joined Craven Insurance and the name changed to Craven, Craven & Smith and still located in the Dallas City Bank. Auto insurance was now available as a new product. |
| 1927 | New county jail built at Jefferson and Court St. Itemizer Observer name appeared when Richardson bought the competing Itemizer in Dallas and consolidated the papers. |
| 1929 | Leif Finseth is Mayor. Walter L. Young (joined in 1912) was the new fire chief. |
| 1930 | The ID. Bartell Hospital was build on (286) Court St. N.L. Guy helped establish the Northern Wholesale Hardware Association in Portland. |
| 1931 | Water system became municipally owned and the city built an additional three million gallon reservoir. |
| 1932 | Conrad Stafrin dies and his two daughters, Ruby and Ida continued their father’s business. The "Stafrin girls" became Dallas’s first ambulance drivers. |
| 1935 | Otto Adolf founded Adolf’s Electric on (611) Mill St. Guy Brothers purchased and remodeled a larger two story building on Main St. |
| 1936 | New City Hall dedication (Court and Jefferson) constructed for $45,000, 40% was a Public Works Administration grant. On the building committee were Mayor Leif S. Finseth, Maurice Dalton, C.B. Sundberg, and William C. Retzer, councilmen. |
| 1938 | Demolition of Rickreall Academy . Lair V. Woods started Woods Insurance. N.L. Guy and his son Frank bought out the other brothers. During this time, along with the basic lines, Guy’s sold Harley Davidson motorcycles and washing machines. N.L. Guy suddenly dies and Frank L. Guy became the president and owner of Guy’s Hardware. Albert Burelbach starts Dallas Welding and Boiler Works located where the Dallas Civic Center now stands. |
| 1940 | The worst fire in Dallas’ history destroyed nearly everything at Willamette Valley Lumber. Damages estimated at over $500,000 and only a portion was covered by insurance. |
| 1941 | Orlando Peters started the Peter’s Fuel Company . Willamette Valley Lumber was rebuilt. |
| 1943 | F.E. Kersey is Mayor. |
| 1945 | Mayor is Hollis Smith. |
| 1946 | Albert’s son, Marlin took over Dallas Welding and Boiler Works and formed Western Steel and Supply, hardware and logging supply business on the corner of Jefferson and Washington, where Radio Shack is today. |
| 1947 | Mountain States Power Company, on the corner of Main and Mill, becomes the new home for Adolf’s Electric. July Dallas had its largest celebration to date. Planned and hosted the Polk County Centennial, with all of Polk county towns participating and visitors coming from all over the Pacific northwest. |
| 1948 | Village Missions is formed. |
| 1949 | A Mack pump truck was purchased for the fire department for $15,555. Lee Wright opens Lee’s Auto Service on the SW corner of Washington and Church St. Mr. & Mrs. O.A. Sjolund purchase Retzer’s jewelry store. Fox Theater opened. |
| 1953 | Wall Insurance is established. |
| 1954 | Model sewage disposal plant now serving 12,000 people. Public school enrollment is almost 2,000 students and 85 teachers. 25 of the city’s 27 miles of streets are paved. Willamette Valley Lumber Co employs 450 with an annual payroll of approx. $2,000,000. Gerlinger Carrier employs 250 with an annual payroll of $1,100,000. Population of Dallas 5,350. George DeGraff’s Cabinet Works specializes in the manufacture of church furniture. Dallas Plaining Mill is one of the West’s few factories devoted exclusively to the manufacture of moldings. Friesen Core Co makes cores of alder wood used for ticker tape, gum machines, adding machines, and cash registers. Muir and McDonald Tannery specializes in tanning russet strap leather. Pacific Power and Light purchased the power plant. |
| 1955 | A sheathing plant officially opened on the sawmill grounds (Dallas plywood plant). Dallas High School Dragons under coach Ken Jacobson lost to Vail High School in the A-2 Sate football championship. |
| 1956 | The City Council bought 15 acres across the creek of the city park from H.H. Harder. |
| 1957 | A.H. Freisen is Mayor. The first students enter the new Whitworth Grade School. |
| 1958 | Dallas voters approved a municipal water project that will assure the city of an adequate water supply for decades to come. Earth fill dam on the Rickreall will create a reservoir to hold 410 million gallons of water for municipal usage. Cost will be approximately $290,000. The Dallas High School Dragons (18-7) under coach Gordon Kunke beat St. Francis (22-4) 46-42 at South Salem High School for the first boy's A-2 basketball championship. |
| 1959 | Jack Isaacson was awarded contract for the Dallas Municipal Dam. Don & Lavina Brixius purchase the jewelry store from O.A. Sjolund and the store becomes Brixius Jewelers . March 1, only two mercantile establishments, an abstract off, a law office, the bank and the Itemizer Observer, are the only businesses in the same location and under the same management or family chain of decent as they were in 1924. |
| 1963 | The Mayor is R.I. Van Den Bosch. |
| 1964 | City Beautification Committee was formed. Richardson sold the Itemizer to Blue Mountain Eagle, Inc, . Don Denlinger opened his own real estate office, Northwest Enterprises on Main and Oak . Lee’s Auto Service moved to its present location on the corner of Ellendale Ave and Orchard Dr. Marlin moved Western Steel & Supply to its present location. Marlin did the engineering there and Al did the welding and fabrication downtown. The flood damage to the city part was $9,915 for damages done on both sides of the river. The Rickreall creek reached its highest peak since 1932 and for the first time in its 103-year history, the Muir and McDonald Tannery had water flowing through it. |
| 1965 | W. Robert "Bob" Craven joined his father, Walt and the name changed again to Craven Insurance Agency. |
| 1966 | the two Burelbach businesses consolidated. |
| 1967 | Eldon Bevens purchases the Muir McDonald Tannery. The Stafrin girls sell the store to Mr. and Mrs. Ross Stetson. The Bank of Willamette Valley was formed. Bob Halvorson, owner of one of the oldest homes in Dallas, tears the old house down. It was on the Solomon Shelton donation land claim. (Next to Harry’s Auto Service on Washington St). Willamette Valley Lumber and several others merged to form Willamette Valley Industries, Inc. Dallas Garbage Disposal Company starts up. |
| 1968 | Volunteers along with some Rotarians and Kiwanians built the Japanese garden in the city park. |
| 1969 | Dallas Business and Professional Woman’s’ Club donates a Japanese lantern to the city park. Clarence T. Smith built the "Japanese Garden" sign and it was installed by Gene Fredrickson. Vacu-Maid Northwest, Inc began. |
| 1970 | Due to Frank Guy’s efforts, Northern Wholesalers was purchased by Cotter and Companies True Value Hardware Association, and Guy’s Hardware became a leading True Value dealer. |
| 1971 | A new pagoda style park shelter with a new fireplace was completed in the city park at the cost of $6500, half provided by the city and half provided by the state highway department. The Polk County Itemizer-Observer Dallas office burned and was moved to its present location. |
| 1972 | Thomas C. Forbes Plumbing Co. is established. |
| 1973 | The Mayor is Kenneth L. Woods. Orlando Peters sold Peters Fuel Company to his son, Scott, who still runs the business. Guy’s Hardware was remodeled and enlarged and the old Chevrolet garage that occupied the corner of Oak and Main St received a new store front and became part of Guy’s. |
| 1975 | Willamette Valley Title Co. opens. |
| 1976 | Van Well Building Supply Company opens. |
| 1978 | The Mayor is Gwen Van Den Bosch (Dallas’ only female Mayor). The City Park Board donates land for the development of an arboretum and botanical garden. |
| 1980 | Don Denlinger purchased the Realty World franchise and Northwest Enterprises became Realty World Northwest Enterprises. |
| 1981 | Frederick "Fritz" Meyer purchased the Lovelady House on Shelton and Washington St. Bob Praegitzer broke ground on 27.000 sq ft manufacturing facility and 6 months later, 15-20 employees began manufacturing the company’s first printed circuit boards. Kenneth L. Woods Jr. joined Bob Craven in the agency. Ken’s grandfather and father were also in the insurance business in Dallas. |
| 1982 | Pat DeLaGrange purchased the Denlinger business when he retires. Great Western Bank begins. |
| 1983 | The Friends of the Delbert Hunter Arboretum was formed to develop land donated by the city for native Oregon trees and plants. Focal Point Photography started business; buy, sell, trade photographic Equipment. |
| 1984 | The old HARDER HOUSE became the offices for attorneys Chris Lillegard and Doug Berg |
| 1985 | Realty World Northwest Enterprises becomes Century 21 Northwest Realty Inc. Farmer’s Co-op was privatized and renamed Dallas Feed and Seed, Inc. |
| 1986 | The Dallas High School Dragons won the AA state football championship under head coach Ron August beating Sweet Home 34-8. |
| 1987 | Fire destroyed the newly expanded Praegitzer plant. Bob Brixius bought the jewelry store from his parents, Don and Lavina Brixius . Stuart Wright purchased Lee’s Auto Service from his father. The AA Dallas High School Boys basketball team (22-2) under Ken Lathem beat The Dalles (21-5) at McArthur Court, Eugene 45-41 for the state championship. |
| 1988 | Praegitzer Industries hosts a grand open house in its new 115,000 sq ft plant. It was attended by 600 city, county and state dignitaries. |
| 1989 | Robert Brixius takes over Brixius Jewelers |
| 1990 | Century 21 office was sold to Eric and Nancie Rogers and the office moves to East Ellendale . Carnegie Library building becomes the home for the Polk County Museum. Great Western Bank builds a new building; Polk County’s only locally owned bank. Two Dallas Recreational Complexes were dedicated, LaCreole and Whitworth. The city received a first place award for these complexes from the League of Oregon Cities. |
| 1991 | Chuck Friesen purchased Guy’s Hardware from Frank Guy. Burelbachs combined technology with Globe Machine Manufacturing of Tacoma. |
| 1992 | Bank of Willamette Valley becomes First Security Bank. |
| 1993 | Al Adolf (Otto’s son) retires and the business is purchased by Jerry Bower. |
| 1998 | The Performing Arts Pavilion becomes reality after two years of planning. |
| 2000 | The new Mayor is Jim Fairchild. The Blue Garden closes for good. Groundbreaking for the Dallas Skate Park. |
| 2001 | Thanks to community support and involvement, the Lyle Elementary School received much needed new play equipment. Delbert Hunter Arboretum adds 4 acres to its current site. |
| 2002 | City officials applied for a $50,000 grant for a piece of the paved trail system along the Rickreall Creek from Main St. to a small park near Walnut Ave. $142,000 grant received to help restore the creek and creek bank at the Delbert Hunter Arboretum. George T. Gerlinger: Willamette Industries bought out. |
| 2003 | Restoration of the Rickreall Creek 16 foot bank to a gentle slope in the Delbert Hunter Arboretum: purpose to help control flooding of the houses on the opposite bank and to allow water to rise slowly, provide better fish habitat. Johnnie Ray days celebrated Aug 22 and 23 with all the money raised to go to the art and music program at the high school; visited by people from 5 different countries. Breakfast in the Park biggest ever this year, serving 2,300 breakfasts. The Lovelady House and contents are auctioned off after the death of Fritz Meyer, and the proceeds to be divided between Western Oregon University for scholarships in corrections, the Kiwanis Law Enforcement Camp and the Dallas Police Department’s trust fund. |
| 2004 | Dallas, nearly 70-year-old fountain was removed to make way for a new sprinkler system: cast in Dallas, by George Gerlinger, Gerlinger Iron Works. |
| 2005 | Greg and Lisa Koloen announce the closure of Dallas, oldest business, the Muir McDonald Tannery in May. Construction and redesign of the North Dallas intersection and West Ellendale Avenue. |
| 2006 | Storm damage closed five area schools on Friday: widespread property damage, mostly in the form of uprooted or snapped-off trees smashing roofs, knocking down walls and crushing vehicles. |
| 2007 | Major flood; city requested FEMA aid: December Flood estimated costs for repairs, excluding private property, $50,000 - $80,000 for basic road repairs; $250,000 in damage to foot bridge over the Rickreall creek. |
| 2008 | Fountain Society of Dallas sponsors a night of musical theater at the Moonfall Theater. New Dallas Senior Center going for a grant for construction. Delbert Hunter Arboretum requests donations to help build a new water feature at the main entrance. Flood damage from the last two major floods has ruined the original structure. . Dallas Saturday market held on the parking lot of Gifts Plain and Fancy . City Police Chief, Jim Harper, retires after 30 years of service to the city. Major snow and freezing rain storm leads to the closure of the Dallas City Park. |
| 2009 | Dallas City Park still closed while cleanup of down trees continues. The city is collecting tree debris from the December storm at curbside. (Feb 1). Feb. the night shift at Weyerhaeuser shuts down, 68 people out of work. March 17, 6am. Weyerhaeuser announced the company was shutting down, putting 78 more people out of work. New City Police Chief hired. |
| 2015 | Blue Garden purchased by Bob Collins and will be reopening the Blue Garden in 2018. |