Family Chronicles Texas, Local History

Katy Trail Weekly – Andrew Wyly April 2018

The Wyly family has been part of Texas history since our ancestor, Christopher Parker, fought at the Battle of the Alamo during the war for Texas independence. Our love for the State of Texas, and the city of Dallas in particular, inspired us to write a book to illustrate the beauty and greatness of this awesome place.

Dallas Got It Right! was written by Sam Wyly, who has lived in Dallas for almost 60 years, and co-authored by my sister, Laurie, and me. My other four siblings (Lisa, Kelly, Christiana, and especially my brother, Evan), co-produced the book with their valuable contributions. I would like to share with you from the book the most crucial reasons we truly believe Dallas got it right. After all, this book is practically a sequel to our previous hit, Texas Got It Right!

In 2017, Dallas topped the Forbes list for Best Cities for Jobs, proving that the city has incredible and resilient economic strength. A few of the many reasons for this include our city and surrounding communities; nearby towns; our culture; our people; local and regional businesses; the arts; and, especially, our family values. These combine to make a prosperous place to live and thrive. Our book provides insights into the many small towns, neighborhoods, and terrific people that have made Dallas what it is today, along with the global impact the region has seen.

Dallas is full of history, yet primed for the future, as youth permeates our city’s boundaries. As of 2015, nearly one million young adults between the ages of 25 and 35 were living in the Dallas area — roughly 15 percent of the population! Many of these youth flooded into the city from other states and countries, bringing vital skills, talent and passion. A few of the many reasons for this gravitation include diverse career opportunities, a high-tech sector that rivals California’s Silicon Valley, and a reasonable cost-of-living standard in a city alive with fun and convenience.

Dallas and its surrounding towns are attractive to people, largely because of our cultural offerings, including the Perot Museum in downtown Dallas and the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. Musical venues abound and educational opportunities contribute to a sense of community. Our churches, clubs, and associations provide gathering grounds for friendships, partnerships, personal growth and networking. The metro area, including cities such as Plano, Frisco and Allen, is rapidly developing.

Corporate headquarters are being established in these affordable hotbeds of prime real estate, and public transportation, like the McKinney Avenue Trolley, make cultural experiences (and a social life) easier and more organic.

We’re also proud of the state’s parks, oil and gas industry, and agricultural wealth. Our farming foundation is highly successful, in part, due to Texas’s rich supply of natural resources. Texas programs dedicated to the conservation of water, wildlife preservation and ecosystem management have saved the state and her citizens millions of dollars.

In this series, we plan to delve deeper into why Dallas feeds the world, out-produces other global regions in oil and gas, and serves as an epicenter for business management, technology and investment opportunities. Built on cotton, cows, oil, the military, computer technology, wholesaling and retail, Dallas is easily recognized as a vibrant leader of entrepreneurial spirit, accomplishment and opportunity.

Andrew Wyly is an entrepreneur, investor and film producer. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Denison University. In 2012, he co-authored the book Texas Got It Right! and recently co-authored Dallas Got It Right!