Fort Worth Stockyards

The Fort Worth Stockyards are a former livestock market which operated under various owners from 1866 until the 1960s. It was once the biggest and busiest cattle, horse, mule, hog and sheep marketing center in the Southwest, where more than 160 million head of livestock were sold. Today, the 125-acre Stockyards National Historic District attracts more than 2 million visitors a year and is home to restaurants, hotels, saloons, galleries, shopping, an opry, a rodeo and other family-type entertainment. The Fort Worth Stockyards are the last standing stockyards in the United States.

Quanah Parker

Bill Neeley, author of the book The Last Comanche Chief: The Life and Times of Quanah Parker, writes: "Not only did Parker pass within the span of a single lifetime from a Stone Age warrior to a statesman in the age of the Industrial Revolution, but he never lost a battle to the white man and he also accepted the challenge and responsibility of leading the whole Comanche tribe on the difficult road toward their new existence." Quanah Parker was a fascinating man. He was the son of Comanche chief Peta Nocona and a European American woman, Cynthia Ann Parker. After the last of the Comanche's led by Parker surrendered in 1875 and moved to a reservation in southwestern Oklahoma, Parker embraced much of white culture, except for monogamy and traditional Protestant Christianity. He was well respected by whites and through wise investments, he became the wealthiest American Indian of his day. He went on hunting trips with President Theodore Roosevelt, had five wives and twenty five children and founded the Native American Church. Click on his name above for more information.

Billy Bob's Texas, the world's largest honky tonk, has 127,000 square feet of space (nearly 3 acres) inside and 20 acres of parking. The building now known as Billy Bob's was built in 1910 as an open air cattle barn - it now provides fun for 6000+ people with a concert stage, dance floor, restaurant, arcade, casino, live bull riding arena and more.

Stockyards Station below, located in the heart of the Stockyards Historic District, provides over 100,000 square feet of shopping, dining, western entertainment, festivals and other special events.

Texas Trail of Fame Plaques

There are dozens of plaques in the sidewalks throughout the Stockyards honoring western actors, singers, cowboys, lawmen, pioneers, politicians, heroes, artists and other personalities.

Amon Carter deserves special attention. He did more than any other person to create the image we have of Fort Worth. He was the creator and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a nationally known civic booster for Fort Worth. A legacy in his will was used to create Fort Worth's famed Amon Carter Museum. The newspaper created WBAP, the first radio station in Fort Worth, in 1922; and followed it with Texas' first television station, WBAP-TV, in 1948. This near-monopoly on news in such a large service area gave Carter, the Star-Telegram publisher and two-thirds owner, the money and power to become a major political force in both Fort Worth and Texas. Carter parlayed this money and power into celebrity as a national spokesman for Fort Worth and West Texas (Carter popularized the description of Fort Worth as "Where the West Begins"). During the 1920s and 1930s, Carter personified the image of the Texas cowboy in the national mind: an uninhibited story-teller, gambler, and drinker, generous with his money and quick to draw his six-shooters. Major magazines such as Time and the Saturday Evening Post ran profiles of Carter, and he counted Will Rogers and Walter Winchell among his friends. The well-publicized hospitality of his Shady Oak Farm near Lake Worth was open to any major celebrity or businessman passing through Fort Worth. Carter used his national stage to drum up business and government spending for his home region. From the Texas state legislature, he got a four-year college (now Texas Tech University) for Lubbock. He persuaded Southern Air Transport (now American Airlines) to move its headquarters from Dallas to Fort Worth. Several oil companies moved or kept their headquarters in Fort Worth after personal interventions by Carter. Carter's disdain for Dallas, Fort Worth's larger and richer neighbor, was legendary in Texas.

Dining

Joe T. Garcias is a highly regarded Mexican restaurant located at 2201 Commerce Street less than five minutes from the Stockyards. I had their delicious Chile Rellanos for lunch. Their tortillas are also very good with a strong corn flavor. Jeff – thanks for the recommendation. If you come to the Stockyards don't miss this restaurant.

Fort Worth Mini History & Economy

With a population of 720,250 Fort Worth is the seventeenth-largest city in the US and the fifth-largest city in Texas. It is the second-largest cultural and economic center of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area (commonly called the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex). Fort Worth was the fastest growing large city in the United States from 2000-2006 and was voted one of "America's Most Livable Communities."

Fort Worth was named after Major General William Jenkins Worth, a respected and decorated hero of three wars including the 1846-1848 Mexican-American War. Fort Worth, Texas; Lake Worth, Texas; Lake Worth, Florida; and Worth County, Georgia are named in his honor. While leading his troops during the Mexican-American War, Worth personally planted the first American flag on the Rio Grande River. At the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, Worth was placed in command of the War Department in Texas. In January 1849 Worth proposed a line of ten forts to mark the Western Texas frontier and protect settlers moving westward from frequent Indian attacks. The forts extended from Eagle Pass to the confluence of the West Fork and Clear Fork of the Trinity River. After General Worth died of cholera the northern most fort on the Trinity River was named Fort Worth.

Fort Worth went from a sleepy Army outpost to a bustling town when it became a stop along the legendary Chisholm Trail, the dusty path where millions of cattle were driven North to market. Fort Worth became the center of the cattle drives, and later, the ranching industry. Its location on the Old Chisholm Trail helped establish Fort Worth as a trading and cattle center and earned it the nickname "Cowtown."

In 1876 the Texas & Pacific Railway arrived in Fort Worth causing a boom and transforming the Fort Worth Stockyards into a premier cattle meat-packing and shipping center. In 1893 the two biggest cattle slaughtering firms at the time, Armour and Swift, both established operations in the stockyards. With the boom times came some problems. Cowboys were joined by a motley assortment of buffalo hunters, gunmen, gamblers, adventurers, and crooks who frequented an area known as Hell's Half Acre, the biggest collection of bars, dance halls and bawdy houses South of Dodge City. Shootings, knifings, muggings and brawls became a nightly occurrence. By 1900 most of the dance halls and gamblers were gone because the Progressive era was making its reformist mark felt in districts like the Acre all over the country.

The Fort Worth Stockyards were designated as a historical district in 1976 and now celebrates Fort Worth's long tradition as a part of the cattle industry. Many bars and nightclubs (including Billy Bob's Texas) are located in the vicinity, and the area has a Western motif. There is also an opry, a rodeo and a large commercial area named the Stockyards Station that includes tourist shops, restaurants, a winery and an art gallery. The Fort Worth Stockyards are the last standing stockyards in the United States. Volunteers still run mini-cattle drives each day with a couple of dozen long horn cattle.

In 1917 Fort Worth experienced a new boom when oil was discovered nearby. The establishment of military installations in the area during both world wars also spurred the economy. Today Fort Worth has a prosperous, diverse economy based on oil, finance, transportation, tourism and manufacturing. The city's manufacturing industries range from clothing and food products to jet fighters, helicopters, computers, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. It is home to a multitude of major corporate headquarters, offices, and distribution centers.

Dining

Daddy Jacks New England Lobster & Chowder House I had lunch at their Sundance Square restaurant. Clams in garlic sauce were good and lobster bisque was okay. Their crusty sourdough bread was very good.

Risckys BBQ Restaurant I had lunch at their Sundance Square restaurant. Their grilled smoked catfish was good, but not as good as Gene Stone's fried catfish.

More to come…

Fort Worth

Although I lived in Dallas for several years in the 1960s, I had never been to Fort Worth until last week. It's nothing like I expected. Since it's supposed to be where the west begins, I expected it to be flat with few trees. Surprise - it has more hills and trees than Dallas. I'm staying in Fossil Creek, a very nice suburb about ten minutes north of Fort Worth. Fossil Creek is the equal of any of the newer Dallas suburban communities.

Sundance Square, a large part of the downtown area, is really beautiful. Tourist brochures describe it this way: "Downtown has preserved the architecture and rich heritage of the city's colorful past through this development, a 14-block collection of graciously restored and replicated turn-of-the-century storefronts, appointed with colorful landscaping and brick paved streets."

I will do one post on Sundance Square and another on the Stockyards.

Hubble Is Back! With New Stunning Images

Welcome back, Hubble. Everyone's favorite telescope in space is doing science again. And thanks to upgrades and repairs made in May, it's taking better pictures of the universe than ever before.

To see the new pictures click on http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/09/hubble_gallery/

The Crystal Palace in Dallas

For over twenty years I have driven by this beautiful building. Its Victorian era styling makes it one of the most beautiful office buildings in Dallas. The 1.6 million square feet building was built by Trammel Crow in 1985 and modeled after the Crystal Palace in London. The original Crystal Palace was erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the first World's Fair, the Great Exhibition of 1851. The original Crystal Palace was destroyed by a catastrophic fire on 30 November 1936.

The building is named the INFOMART Dallas. It is located at 1950 Stemmons Freeway next to the World Trade Center. More than 110 technology and telecommunications companies lease office space in this beautiful facility, including telecommunications providers, Internet developers, hardware and software developers, systems integrators and others. The crystal fountain in the 20,000 square foot atrium was manufactured from the original Crystal Palace fountain molds. Like the original Crystal Palace, INFOMART Dallas is a stunning landmark whose bold design and elegant seven-story atrium reflect the forward-thinking purpose for which the building was constructed. For this reason, England's Parliment has declared INFOMART Dallas as the official successor Crystal Palace.

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Victoria Historical Houses & Local Attractions

Linn House

John Joseph Linn was a merchant, soldier, statesman, historian and merchant. He was among the first settlers in De Leon's settlement, having obtained a land grant in 1829. Linn was intensely loyal to Texas and the De Leon settlement and was among the first to oppose Antonio López de Santa Anna. He helped unite sentiment against the dictator by writing letters to Stephen F. Austin's colonists. After Texas Independence he became the first mayor of Victoria and served in the House of the Second and Third congresses of the Republic of Texas. Click on Linn's name above for more information. He led a long interesting life. He was born in Ireland, immigrated with his family to New York and owned a merchant business in New Orleans before coming to Texas. He spoke fluent Spanish and was equally liked and trusted by the Mexican and anglo residents of Victoria.

Henderson House

A native of Arkansas, John W. Henderson became a prominent local businessman through his insurance company and his interests in ranching, farming and real estate. He and his wife Minna Catherine Henderson built this classical revival home in 1926.

Home of Historical Pioneer Victoria Families

1840 – Hamilton Ledbetter

1844 – Alexander H. Phillips

1871 – John W. Statton

1888 – Samuel B. Dabney

1891 – Felix C, McReynolds

1893 – Frederick C. Proctor

1907 – Preston Rose Austin

1953 – W. D. Welder

1963 – Patrick Hughes Welder

Memorial Square

Just East of Victoria's downtown is Memorial Square, the site of the original community burial ground established by colony founder Martin de Leon in 1824. Early pioneers and settlers were buried here and when a frightening cholera epidemic struck Victoria in 1846, victims were buried in unmarked mass graves in the Square because victims died so rapidly that proper burials were impossible.
Evergreen Cemetery opened in 1850, and the Square gradually fell out of use as a community cemetery. Victoria's fallen Confederate soldiers were buried in Memorial Square. Union troops stationed in Victoria after the Civil War buried 85 deceased union soldiers at this location. The federal government later transferred those soldiers to the Alexandria National Cemetery in Louisiana. During Reconstruction, rumors spread of Union soldiers destroying many of the headstones. Alarmed locals moved the graves they could identify to Evergreen Cemetery. By 1899, not many headstones remained and the cemetery was designated a public square for the erection of monuments and memorials. Since then a few monuments have been added - a brass relief, a pioneer's memorial and an historic gristmill. Today Memorial Square is basically a large, open, grassy city park.

The Memorial Wall is a brass relief erected on the north side of the square. The relief details the history of Victoria County, from Spaniard explorer Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in 1534 to the creation of Victoria County in the Republic of Texas on March 17, 1836. In the center of the relief are busts of Rene Robert Cavalier Sieur de la Salle and Cabeza de Vaca. Directly underneath this is the cattle brand of the de Leon's, an 'E' interconnected with a 'J.'

Memorial Square Old Mill

This old grist mill is believed to be the only existing one of three known to have been built in the region. It was originally built near Goliad and later relocated to Victoria's Memorial Square. This old grist mill was built of hand-shaped logs fastened by wooden pegs and homemade nails by early German farmers. South Texas winds once turned giant blades, grinding corn into feed for livestock, or cornmeal for family table. The grist stones and mechanical parts of the mill were brought from Germany before 1860. The grist stones were imported through the Port of Indianola. It is said that to move the stones from Indianola they were mounted on the axle of a cart and then driven inland.

Texas Zoo

The Texas Zoo in Victoria's Riverside Park is a six acre park with a 200-member wildlife community representing 75 species. Most are native Texan animals, but animals from around the globe have been added in the last few years. The zoo has ten different habitats, ranging from humid marshes to dry desert mountains, to display the native animals from the various regions of Texas. The Texas Zoo, which draws roughly 60,000 visitors a year, is heavily involved in the protection of endangered species. One of the first red wolves to have a litter of pups in captivity was at the Texas Zoo. These were returned to the wild. Other popular animals include spider monkeys, tropical birds and big cats. In fact, there are more tigers in captivity in the state of Texas alone than there are in the wild throughout the world. It was a very hot day when I visited the zoo and most of the animals were in their cool shelters. The animals that were active such as the monkeys and tropical birds were in large wire enclosed areas making them hard to photograph.

Green Jay

No bird epitomizes the exotic tropical wildlife of the lower Rio Grande Valley more thoroughly than the beautiful green jay. It reaches its northern limit in south Texas and occurs nowhere else in the United States. From there it ranges south to Honduras and also inhabits northern South America.

There are many ranches in Victoria County but this is the only one that has a headquarters in town.