{"id":907553,"date":"2026-07-02T13:10:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T13:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/907553\/"},"modified":"2026-07-02T13:10:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T13:10:14","slug":"your-guide-to-irving-find-things-to-do-landmarks-history-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/907553\/","title":{"rendered":"Your guide to Irving: Find things to do, landmarks, history and more"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>From its roots as a farming community to a sprawling suburban hub, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/topic\/irving\/\" data-link=\"native\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Irving<\/a> has come a long way.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn-channels-pixel.ex.co\/events\/0012000001fxZm9AAE?integrationType=DEFAULT&amp;template=design%2Farticle%2Fplatypus_two_column.tpl\" alt=\"\" class=\"x1px y1px vh abs\" aria-hidden=\"true\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The town as it is today was born of a post-war development boom in the 1950s and the decades that followed. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/business\/real-estate\/2023\/03\/24\/in-50-years-las-colinas-goes-from-family-ranch-to-bigger-jobs-hub-than-downtown-dallas\/\" data-link=\"native\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">Las Colinas area<\/a> was born in the 1970s and has become one of D-FW\u2019s most significant planned communities. The city was the longtime home of the Dallas Cowboys and still today hosts some of D-FW\u2019s biggest companies.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s your guide to Irving:<\/p>\n<p>Fast facts<\/p>\n<p><strong>Population:<\/strong> 258,052<br \/><strong>Median age:<\/strong> 31.6<br \/><strong>Median income:<\/strong> $84,849<br \/><strong>Unemployment rate:<\/strong> 4.3%<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Race \/ ethnicity<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>One race, white: 33.6%<\/li>\n<li>One race, Black or African American: 14.6%<\/li>\n<li>One race, American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.7%<\/li>\n<li>One race, Asian: 22.4%<\/li>\n<li>One race, Native Hawaiian: 0%<\/li>\n<li>One race, Some other Race: 15.2%<\/li>\n<li>Two or more races: 13.5%<\/li>\n<li>Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race): 43.3%<\/li>\n<li>White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 17.0%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Educational Attainment<\/p>\n<p>For ages 18-24 (roughly 9.6% of the population)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Less than High School degree or equivalent: 8.9%<\/li>\n<li>High School graduates (or equivalent): 39.2%<\/li>\n<li>Some College or Associates: 36.1%<\/li>\n<li>Bachelor\u2019s Degree or Higher: 15.8%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>For ages 25+ (roughly 64.5%)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High School graduates (or equivalent): 21.3%<\/li>\n<li>Bachelor\u2019s Degree: 26.0%<\/li>\n<li>Graduate or Professional Degree: 18.7%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Housing<\/p>\n<p>103,492 units; 93,239 occupied (90.0%)<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>33,405 Owner occupied<\/li>\n<li>59,834 Renter occupied<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>39,167 1-unit detached<\/li>\n<li>3,503 1-unit attached<\/li>\n<li>59,387 multi-unit<\/li>\n<li>1,435 mobile homes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Median home value:<\/strong> $349,800<br \/><strong>Median rent:<\/strong> $1,734<\/p>\n<p>Compiled by staff researcher Rachel Friend. Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-Year Estimates Subject Tables, Tables S0601, S1501, S1903, S2301, DP04<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"The exterior of Texas Stadium is bathed in light following NFL football action between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions on Nov. 20, 2005. The Cowboys won the game, 20-7.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:16 \/ 9\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The exterior of Texas Stadium is bathed in light following NFL football action between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions on Nov. 20, 2005. The Cowboys won the game, 20-7.<\/p>\n<p>Tom Fox<\/p>\n<p>A brief history<\/p>\n<p>Early settlement in the area dates to farming communities in the 1850s like Kit, Sowers, Twin Wells and more, according to the Texas State Historical Association.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Irving itself dates to 1903, when J.O. Schulze and Otis Brown founded the town on 80 acres of land along a proposed rail route, per TSHA. The town incorporated a little over a decade later in 1914.<\/p>\n<p>For the first half of the 20th century, Irving was a small, slow-growing farm town with a population of around 2,600 by 1950. A post-war development boom transformed Irving into a large suburban community with its population exploding to nearly 46,000 by 1960 and more than 100,000 by 1970.<\/p>\n<p>That development brought lots of business to the city, including the world\u2019s largest trucking terminal in 1964. By 1971, the Dallas Cowboys had moved to Texas Stadium in Irving where they\u2019d play for nearly 40 years. The team\u2019s five Super Bowl titles all came while they were based in Irving.<\/p>\n<p>Irving also hosted the PGA Tour event named after local golf legend Byron Nelson from 1983 until 2018, when the tournament moved to Trinity Forest Golf Club in South Dallas.<\/p>\n<p>The 1970s saw Dallas-Fort Worth Airport open directly adjacent to Irving as well as the birth of Las Colinas. The master-planned community would go on to become a 12,000-acre entertainment district with lakes, hotels, music venues and more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Today, more than a quarter of a million people live in Irving, making it one of North Texas\u2019 most important suburbs. It also hosts a number of Fortune 500 companies, including pharmaceutical giant McKesson, the largest company based in D-FW.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dallasnews.com\/business\/real-estate\/2023\/03\/24\/in-50-years-las-colinas-goes-from-family-ranch-to-bigger-jobs-hub-than-downtown-dallas\/\" data-link=\"native\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"\">In 50 years, Las Colinas goes from family ranch to bigger jobs hub than downtown Dallas<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Aerial view of Las Colinas on Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Irving, TX.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Aerial view of Las Colinas on Thursday, March 12, 2020, in Irving, TX.<\/p>\n<p>Smiley N. Pool\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n<p>Notable landmarks<\/p>\n<p><strong>Heritage Crossing District:<\/strong> This area in downtown Irving is home to much of the city\u2019s past. Heritage Park, just off Main Street, boasts some of Irving\u2019s oldest buildings. The surrounding area also offers various retail and dining options.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p><strong>Las Colinas:<\/strong> The master-planned community has a bit of everything, with residential areas, tall towers, hotels, golf courses and parks. It is also home to the Toyota Music Factory, which hosts live music events and more. But most unique are its numerous small lakes, most notably Lake Carolyn and the adjoining Mandalay Canal.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Elvia Ojeda brings a platter of sausage kolaches from the kitchen at Alma Cafe, a new Latina-owned coffee shop, in Irving, TX, Tuesday, May 19, 2026.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Elvia Ojeda brings a platter of sausage kolaches from the kitchen at Alma Cafe, a new Latina-owned coffee shop, in Irving, TX, Tuesday, May 19, 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Juan Figueroa\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n<p>Things to do<\/p>\n<p>Bars and restaurants<\/p>\n<p>Parks and trails<\/p>\n<p>Irving has more than 2,000 acres of public parkland across 80 parks. Here\u2019s a few of those:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bird\u2019s Fort Trail Park<\/li>\n<li>Campion Trail<\/li>\n<li>Mountain Creek Preserve<\/li>\n<li>Northgate Park<\/li>\n<li>Running Bear Park<\/li>\n<li>Trinity View Park<\/li>\n<li>West Park<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img alt=\"The new Ruth Paine House Mueum opens Nov. 6 in Irving. Lee Harvey Oswald played with his daughter under this tree the day before he assassinated President Kennedy.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The new Ruth Paine House Mueum opens Nov. 6 in Irving. Lee Harvey Oswald played with his daughter under this tree the day before he assassinated President Kennedy.<\/p>\n<p>AP<\/p>\n<p>Museums<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Heritage House Museum<\/li>\n<li>Irving Arts Center<\/li>\n<li>Ruth Paine House Museum<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img alt=\"Gondolas move along the water before stopping for passengers at the revived Canal Fest, on Oct. 19, 2013 at Las Colinas in Irving.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Gondolas move along the water before stopping for passengers at the revived Canal Fest, on Oct. 19, 2013 at Las Colinas in Irving.<\/p>\n<p>Ben Torres &#8211; Special Contributor<\/p>\n<p>A fun fact<\/p>\n<p>You can do a Venice-inspired gondola ride along the Mandalay Canal in the Las Colinas area. Greg Mohr, who runs Irving-based company Gondola Adventures, told Texas Monthly in 2026 that he and his fellow gondoliers have seen around 10,000 marriage proposals on the waters of Las Colinas over the years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From its roots as a farming community to a sprawling suburban hub, Irving has come a long way.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":907554,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5135],"tags":[5229,326154,1596,990,6415,181758,358,10928,342942,3187,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":["post-907553","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-america","tag-arts-entertainment-things-to-do","tag-dallas","tag-food","tag-listicle","tag-newcomer","tag-texas","tag-things-to-know","tag-tp-irving","tag-tx","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116850553548827047","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907553","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=907553"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907553\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/907554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=907553"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=907553"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=907553"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}