Since 1884
The history of Deep Ellum goes back to 1884. It started out when Robert S. Munger built his first factory for the Munger Cotton Machine Company. In 1914, Henry Ford opened an assembly plant for the Ford Model T in Deep Ellum. Union Bankers Trust Building located on Elm Street, is a well-known landmark in Deep Ellum. Built in 1916 as the Grand Temple of the Knights of Pythias, it was designed by African-American architect William Sydney Pittman.
Deep Ellum is best known for its music scene. By the 1920s, Deep Ellum had become a hotspot for early jazz and blues musicians. Artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Huddie “Leadbelly” Ledbetter, Texas Bill Day, and Bessie Smith all performed in this magical place. To this day Dallasites still go to Deep Ellum for food and entertainment.  Since the late 1980s, Deep Ellum has also became a hot-spot for graffiti. Almost every building in Deep Ellum has some type of art, but the graffiti is not an eye sore-it’s art, and an important part of the Deep Ellum art scene.