[2] Contrary to what its name implies, East Dallas is rich with culture both old and new; after the annexation, entrepreneurs and creatives occupied then shabby warehouses, turning them into clubs and venues, bringing culture and many social scenes that still thrive today in what is now Deep Ellum, among other neighborhoods of this district.

The Beeman family had settled there in the 1860s and in 1872, William H. Gaston began promoting the area for development.

[3] Gaston gave the railroad companies US$5,000 and free right-of-way through his land to persuade them to build through East Dallas.

The small town used an aldermanic form of government and in 1883 it passed a tax ordinance to raise money for civic services.

By the late 1880s, East Dallas had 6,000 residents and by 1889, 90% of the homes in the city had running water.