Dallas History Items: Crutchfield House

In 1852, Dallas saw the construction of the Crutchfield House which was to be Dallas' first hotel. It was a log structure that was built by the Crutchfield family soon afer their arrival in Dallas in 1847. Destruction of this original house came with a fire in 1860, which also claimed the Herald office and printing plant, St. Nicholas Hotel, Herman Hirsch storehouse as well as many other structures in the downtown area.

Tom Crutchfield went to work soon after the fire and rebuilt a "second, larger inn...constructed as a plantation style hotel" at the north west corner of Main and Houston Streets (Dallas Rediscovered, p. 8). It was located on what is now Dealey Plaza. The Crutchfield House remained here until its ultimate destruction once again by fire in 1888.

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