11 vintage matchbooks that tell a history of Oak Cliff

It’s amazing what you can learn from a matchbook.

For example, did you know that there was a drive-in theater on West Jefferson where El Rancho Supermercado is now?

Did you know the Bronco Bowl had televised professional bowling?

Did you know there was also an Austin’s Barbecue in East Dallas? On Gaston at Haskell, according to this book of matches from Ebay.

I don’t know if anyone remembers Moose’s Hitchin’ Post or the Saga Room, on West Davis at North Boulevard Terrace, but they had some elaborate matches.

Seems Naler’s was in that same location.

I never knew there was a Tupinamba in our neighborhood.

Nor that there was a Luby’s in the 400 block of West Jefferson.

I’d never heard of the Red Devil club, but apparently it was “the gayest spot in town.”

Before there was Passions Sports Bar, there was Miramar drive-in.

The owners of King of the Sea restaurant in Wynnewood Village also had Galveston Fish and Oyster Bar Downtown.

How cute are these vintage matches from the Belmont?

Here’s a bonus, a postcard from the Hungry Bear Restaurant, which is now Smoke.