▁Texas ▁( USA ) ▁through ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁documents ▁the ▁area ' s ▁pre history ▁and ▁the ▁expl oration ▁that ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁area ' s ▁settlement ▁and ▁Dallas ' ▁subsequent ▁establishment . ▁ ▁New ▁Spain ▁ ▁C add o ▁Native ▁Americans ▁inhab ited ▁the ▁Dallas ▁area ▁before ▁it ▁was ▁claimed , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁Texas , ▁as ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Province ▁of ▁New ▁Spain ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁The ▁area ▁was ▁consider ably ▁proxim ate ▁to ▁French ▁territory , ▁but ▁ambigu ity ▁was ▁cleared ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁when ▁the ▁Adams - O ní s ▁Tre aty ▁made ▁the ▁Red ▁River ▁the ▁northern ▁boundary ▁of ▁New ▁Spain . ▁ ▁Ath an ase ▁de ▁Mé zi ères ▁Another ▁European ▁who ▁probably ▁visited ▁the ▁Dallas ▁area ▁was ▁Ath an ase ▁de ▁Mé zi ères ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 8 . ▁ ▁De ▁Mé zi ères , ▁a ▁French man ▁then ▁in ▁the ▁service ▁of ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Spain , ▁probably ▁crossed ▁the ▁West ▁F ork ▁of ▁the ▁Tr inity ▁River ▁near ▁present - day ▁Fort ▁W orth , ▁having ▁followed ▁the ▁western ▁edge ▁of ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Cross ▁Tim bers ▁from ▁the ▁T aw ak oni ▁Village ▁on ▁the ▁Bra zos ▁River ▁near ▁present ▁W aco . ▁He ▁then ▁proceeded ▁north ▁to ▁the ▁Red ▁River . ▁He ▁wrote : ▁ ▁De ▁Mé zi ères ' ▁bi ograph er , ▁Bol ton , ▁was ▁convinced ▁de ▁Mé zi ères ▁was ▁describing ▁the ▁Eastern