Entry No. 36 — the Dallas file — filed under: outdoor

Cedars Bowler Hat & Stanley's Umbrella

A pair of oddball roadside sculptures a few blocks apart in The Cedars: a steel-and-fiberglass giant bowler hat (about 10 ft tall, 20 ft wide), originally meant to top a Timothy Oulton furniture store until zoning rules killed the rooftop plan, so it was planted as a freestanding roadside landmark in 2013; and a 42-foot 'Stanley's Umbrella' rising in the middle of Akard Street near the Lorenzo Hotel, named for Stanley Marcus, whose childhood home was in the Cedars.

The move: Do a short two-stop walking loop in the Cedars to find the giant bowler hat, then track down the 42-foot umbrella a few blocks away for goofy scale-photos before grabbing a drink in the neighborhood.

📍 Before you go The bowler hat stands on a vacant lot along the 1500 block of Griffin Street (between Ervay and Browder), tucked near the I-30/I-45 on-ramps just south of downtown; there's no formal park, restroom, or shade, so park informally on the street and treat it as a quick stop. Note that the 42-foot umbrella on Akard was reportedly removed during the I-30 reconstruction, so confirm it's back before making a special trip for it. Daytime gives the best photos, and since this is a working, residential-adjacent stretch, watch traffic and be respectful. Pair the visit with a drink or bite at one of the Cedars' nearby bars.

• 📍 The Cedars
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Bowler Hat: ~1500 block of Griffin St (between Ervay & Browder); Umbrella: Akard St near the Lorenzo Hotel, The Cedars, Dallas, TX 75215

Hours: Outdoor roadside sculptures, viewable anytime; the umbrella sits in/near Akard St - watch traffic

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · dallas.culturemap.com

last checked: 2026-06-06