Why Is Dallas So Obsessed With Pegasus?

For some strange reason, Dallas loves Pegasus.It's on Deep Ellum murals and downtown street signs. Its name is used for local shops and parks and even craft beers. From the top of the Magnolia Hotel, it shines as a symbol of the city. But what's the deal with this winged horse, an oil company's old logo, as Dallas' unofficial mascot? Why Dallas?In 1934, a brilliant neon Pegasus icon was placed on top of the headquarters of the Magnolia Oil Co. It was the tallest building in Dallas for years, and even pilots in Waco said they could see the red beacon in the north. Magnolia was folded into Mobil in 1959, and Mobil adopted the red Pegasus logo. Even today, the city of Dallas has an agreement with Exxon Mobil to continue to use the image as a symbol for the city.Others who try to adopt it have been confronted with legal action from the corporation.The red Pegasus stayed lit atop the old Magnolia building until 1999, when the rusty symbol was removed and replaced with a shiny new version that was lit on Jan. 1, 2000.The original Pegasus, however, was hidden away in a storage shed until 2015, when it was renovated and placed in front of the Omni Dallas Hotel downtown. That street-level location makes it more visible up close than the high-flying horse on the roof of the Magnolia Hotel. A legendary symbolWhat better symbol for a city that flies above all expectations than a winged horse dancing in the skyline?  Continue reading...