I know this thought is not an original one, but I had it nonetheless: The parts of Dallas that people invariably say are “like Austin” are the parts of Dallas that are hilly. Specifically, the east side, Oak Cliff, and a little bit of Bluffview. I went on a current topographical map search to do a side by side comparison, but I got sidetracked by these two maps from the 19th century. They make the two cities look more alike than they are different, with the Trinity and the Colorado Rivers cutting similar swaths and the downtowns of both of similar size back then (at least, according to the maps). Here, then, is Austin in 1896 and Dallas in 1889. Check ’em out if so inclined:
