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Interesting Facts
- Fort Worth, once a key stop along the famed Chisholm Trail, is known as "Cowtown" for good reason. From the 1860s to the 1880s, more than 10 million head of cattle were driven through the town as ranchers took herds to be sold in Kansas stockyards.
- Livestock dot com? Up until the late 19th century, Texas ranchers embarked on long, open-range cattle drives. When the railroad arrived, Fort Worth took its place as the second largest livestock market in the country. Although cattle are still traded in the city today, sales at the Livestock Exchange now take place via satellite and videotape.
- If you're looking for an artistic sample of the Old West, make sure to visit the Sid Richardson Collection of Western Art. The museum boasts a permanent exhibit of 56 paintings by renowned regional artists Charlie Russell and Frederic Remington.
- Ever wonder what it was like to be a woman in the West? The hall of fame display at Fort Worth's National Cowgirl Museum documents the lives of women who exemplify the spirit of the American West. From Sacajawea (guide to Lewis and Clark) to country singer Patsy Cline, from eight-time world champion cowgirl Tad Lucas to Narcissa Prentiss Whitman (first woman to cross the Rockies), the exhibits proudly demonstrate the contributions made by these pioneering women.
- Are fast cars and lots of action more your taste? Fort Worth's Texas Motor Speedway has become a prominent player on the nation's NASCAR racing circuit. The speedway, bigger than eight Texas Stadiums, seats more than 154,000 spectators.
- It isn't all broncs and bulls in Fort Worth. The city also hosts the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition every four years. Regarded as the preeminent competition for emerging pianists, the event attracts promising young talents from around the world.
- Even the night clubs are big in Texas! Billy Bob's, which markets itself as "The World's Largest Honky Tonk," boasts more than 100,000 square feet of space. At the club, you'll find 40 bar stations, 2 dance floors, and even a bull-riding arena. The venue also hosts some of the biggest names in country music every weekend.
- There's a whole lot of preaching going on here! The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, located in Fort Worth, produces some 800 preachers a year for Southern Baptist churches. Since this is Texas's largest Protestant denomination, it's a good thing the school does its job so well.
- Explore the life of a turn-of-the-century cattle baron by taking a tour of Fort Worth's Thistle Hill mansion. One of the last remaining examples of Georgian Revival architecture in the Southwest, the home provides a glimpse of the 20th century's early decades. The mansion's Quality Hill neighborhood was also home to a number of entrepreneurs who made their money in the cattle trade.
- Fort Worth and culture go hand in hand. The city's Cultural District – the third largest arts enclave in the nation – is surpassed in size only by those in New York City and Washington, DC. Located just two miles from downtown, the district features Western art museums, the Fort Worth Zoo, the Botanic Garden, and a log cabin village that replicates homes and buildings known to early pioneers.
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