The city of Dallas was founded back in 1841, but most of the buildings you see today are a product of the 20th century. Fortunately, there are still places where you can see what life was like when Dallas was little more than a collection of farms, small businesses, and a few hundred head of cattle. The Dallas Heritage Center, located just south of downtown in Old City Park, is a recreation of a northern Texas town from 1840-1910, with 38 historic structures and a working Civil War-era farm. An afternoon exploring this wooded 13-acre indoor/outdoor museum is like a trip back in time, with a variety of interactive exhibits designed to give visitors a vivid picture of real life in the Old West. The Blum Brothers General Store (pictured), for example, dates back to 1892, when Simon Blum moved from Galveston to expand his family business. Today, it serves as the village's grocery, dry goods, hardware, and notions outlet. Then there's the Clementine Freight and Delivery Service, a livery shop that still sends out wagon teams to ferry people and freight around town. Chances are you'll find me in the Alamo Saloon, where today's visitors can do much as locals did 150 years ago: enjoy a beer and some conversation with friends. With five locally-produced microbrews on offer, however, I think today's beers are going to taste a lot better. Progress is good, sometimes. Starwood has properties throughout the Dallas area, including The Joule, Dallas, a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection.