One of three settings in an art installation called "Traveling Man" in Deep Ellum, a neighborhood composed largely of arts and entertainment venues near downtown in Old East Dallas. The $1.4-million sculptural series, designed by Brad Oldham, Brandon Oldenburg, and Reel FX Creative Studios.The Traveling Man metaphorically represents various aspects of Deep Ellum. The pieces were commissioned by the Dallas Area Transit Authority as part of the artwork for the Deep Ellum DART rapid-rail station. The sculptures are made of stainless steel, and the largest is 38 feet tall and weighs more than 35,00 pounds. The sculptures have been widely acclaimed and quickly became Deep Ellum icons.

The area around them was originally called Deep Elm, but the pronunciation Deep Ellum by early residents led to its current and historically accepted name. As one of Dallas' first commercial districts for African-Americans and European immigrants, Deep Ellum is one of the most historically significant neighborhoods in the city. The district boasts the city's largest collection of commercial storefronts from the early 20th century and includes many individual structures significant in their own right. In 1914, Henry Ford selected Deep Ellum as the site for one of his earliest automobile plants. Photo by Carol Highsmith.