USA Guide
Texas
Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum – five blocks east of downtown between the railroad tracks and I-30 at Elm and Main streets – is the city's struggling alternative district. Famous in the 1920s for its jazz and blues clubs (and supposedly named by Blind Lemon Jefferson, though it's more likely to stem from the Southern pronunciation of "elm"), the old warehouse district has fallen on tough times in recent years. It is one of the few examples in the US of a gentrifying urban area that began to fail just as it was taking off. It earned an undeserved violent reputation, partly because of a misinformed mayor, and people stayed away. It may have reached bottom, though, and its bars, music clubs, galleries, and restaurants – including some of the best in the city – are starting to lure the crowds back. It is walkable and not nearly as dangerous as some would lead you to believe.
Opening time: Daily
Price: Free