Preservation Award-Winning Sidewalks of Dallas Might Be Your New Favorite Follow

Alberto Garza is a dedicated daily runner. During the early stages of the pandemic, he expanded his running route from his Oak Lawn neighborhood to the Park Cities — and started noticing sidewalk stamps from the Klein Brothers. Little did he realize the answer would eventually lead to his Instagram account, Sidewalks of Dallas, and now a 2026 Preservation Achievement Award for Education.

What began as a question about sidewalk stamps rapidly developed into a journey of historic storytelling delivered in a relevant fashion. Garza’s Instagram account struck a universal chord that resonates deeply with readers. It’s also just a lot of fun!

To satisfy his curiosity about the Klein Brothers, Garza started his research at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. There, he pieced together the story of the four Klein Brothers from Illinois who founded their company in 1904 and poured sidewalks all over Dallas. There are still hundreds of Klein Brothers Company stamps on Dallas sidewalks and curbs. 

As Garza continued his research, he came across The Artwork of Dallas, a publication featuring historic homes and buildings, which changed the trajectory of his project. The publication, produced by a Chicago-based company, featured rich images of residential and commercial architecture from various cities. Garza immediately recognized many homes from his runs and thought it would be interesting to pair past and present images of these houses and tell their story.

A CPA by trade, Garza went about his mission with an accounting lens. Like a methodical audit report, he pieced together sources of evidence in a professional way, creating a well-sourced narrative for his readers.  He also spent an entire year gathering research and getting to know the library staff on the Dallas History Archives floor.

“They scanned images for me and helped me find images,” Garza said. “It was important to me to make something that other history fans in Dallas would benefit from. I recognized I needed to also educate myself to inform that discussion.”

He asked his former Notre Dame college friends, who had studied architecture, for resources, and they pointed him to “A Field Guide to American Houses” by Virginia Savage McAlester, the best resource in America for identifying our domestic architecture.

“I learn so much about our city and all of the different resources available,” Garza said. “I have taken several of the Historic House Specialist courses at Preservation Dallas. I always saw this as a continuous learning opportunity for me.”

Garza’s first post for Sidewalks of Dallas was in November 2021.

“I had a childhood fascination with historic houses,” Garza said. “I loved visiting Heritage Park, where I grew up in Corpus Christi. The city offered tours on the weekends, and I went countless times. Learning about the stories behind the homes created a human connection. When I create a post, I really try to hit on the storytelling approach. I see opportunities for human connection that exist beyond the physical structure, and I want to encourage opportunities for discussion within the limits of Instagram.”

The value of historic preservation storytelling extends beyond education to the meaningful connections formed. Garza has interacted with people who once lived on the streets or in the homes he features.

“The highlight is when I can connect to the actual homeowner,” Garza said. “When I first started Sidewalks of Dallas, it took a long time for the owner to find out about my posts. Now, within days, or sometimes hours, they reach out and establish that personal connection of real appreciation. They may not have been aware of all of the history. When I can connect directly with the homeowners, that is everything.”

The 27th Annual Preservation Dallas Achievement Awards will take place at the Longhorn Ballroom on May 7.