Stockyards Historic District Serves Fun, Food and History in Fort Worth - Texas, United States

What is It – The frontier area of Texas known as Fort Worth attracted a rough crowd of cowboys, outlaws, and former soldiers after the Civil War. However, fortune favors a good location and Fort Worth soon found itself at a key juncture on the Chisolm Trail. This trail was the most popular route for transporting herds of longhorn cattle from South Texas to the railheads in central Kansas. Even after rail lines reached Fort Worth, the city continued to thrive since cattle were brought there by ranchers, fattened up, and transported north by train. By the end of the 19th century, an estimated four million cattle had passed through Fort Worth trailed by drovers and ranchers.

At the turn of the century, Fort Worth convinced the prominent Swift and Armour beef companies to build meat packing plants and offices adjacent to the stockyards and the slaughterhouses. A Livestock Exchange Building where cattle were traded and the Cowtown Coliseum where cattle were displayed and rodeos were held soon followed. The stockyards continued to process large numbers of cattle, sheep and hogs through wars, disasters, and economic downturns for the next 70 years. Finally, the interstate highway system and modern trucking decentralized the industry, and the herds were sold off.

Fort Worth was then faced with the question of what to do with this huge industrial area of the city. Ultimately, the city made a bold decision to preserve the cobblestone streets, livestock pens, and major buildings by obtaining designation of ninety-eight acres of land and buildings as the Stockyards National Historic District in 1976 and opening the area to development. Since then, the district has evolved into a unique Americana tourist attraction. It blends the cowboy culture, Fort Worth history and entertainment into an experience which attracts ten million visitors per year. There are seventeen attractions, fourteen restaurants, thirteen bars and thirty-five shops at the Stockyards along with five nearby hotels.

Here are some of the major attractions and things to do at the Stockyards:

Cattle Drive - Everything stops twice a day in the Stockyards for an authentic cattle drive down the center of the main street known as Exchange Avenue. Several dozen Texas longhorns are escorted by cowboys on horses from the pasture to the cattle pens while visitors line the “parade” route. The spectacle of these majestic brown and white beasts passing by transfixes the crowd.

Western Experiences - There are a variety of western experiences available that are fun for all ages. First, there are group trail rides on your own horse which mosey down the street and around the grounds. Other popular and less stressful rides are on a stagecoach, a horse drawn wagon, and a mini train. Second, there are staged encounters by the Legends of Texas group who reenact famous gunfights dressed as lawmen or outlaws twice a day on the weekends along with opportunities for picture sessions. Third, there is a rodeo held every Friday and Saturday night with traditional displays like bull riding, cattle roping and bronc riding, and a Wild West Show is presented on Saturday afternoons. For amateur rodeo riders there is a kid friendly mechanical bull ride located in the Cattlepen maze. Fourth, the outdoor rodeo stage at the Cowtown Coliseum presents live music acts on Friday and Saturday nights with southern rock, music, and Texas country music. acts Finally, there are exhibits depicting renowned westerners of all kinds at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and a special show called the John Wayne Experience which presents displays of his life and films.

Food - There is no shortage of restaurants and snack shops at the Stockyards. Everywhere you turn there is an eatery serving Texas favorites like barbecue, steaks and burgers, beverages, beer, and ice cream. Many establishments have indoor and outdoor seating areas so you can relax and cool off or have view of the activities in the streets around you.

Saloons - There are also popular honky tonks in and around the Stockyards. The huge Billy Bob’s Texas located just behind Exchange Avenue in a large warehouse type building has the capacity for six thousand people to drink, dance to live bands, watch live bull rides or just hang out. Another well-established venue is the historic White Elephant Saloon on Exchange Avenue where country music and the memories of long dead cowboys are front and center.

Shopping - In addition to souvenir shops, western boots, hats, clothes, belts, and other cowboy accessories are on display at retail stores scattered around the Stockyard. Chain stores have not taken over the historic district so there is a good chance of seeing something different to buy here.

At this point, the future looks bright for the Stockyards. It offers an opportunity for visitors to enjoy a small taste of the world of cowboys and cattle. The entertainment and surroundings are entertaining for adults and couples while providing neat things for the kids to do too. The structures are now more than a century old and will need continued maintenance to manage the crowds. Consequently, the challenge will be to renovate the buildings and preserve their historic character while continuing updating the activities and adding more interactive displays.

When to Go - Fort Worth is known for its heat and humidity during the summer months and more often than not the temperature exceeds 90 days from June to September. So, be sure to keep to the shady areas and hydrate well during the summer months or plan your visit for the late afternoon and evening activities. The rest of the year temperatures are pleasant or slightly cool. Showers are most likely to occur during the months of May and October.

How to Get Here – The Stockyards are about a ten-minute drive from downtown Fort Worth on Business 287 north. Coming from outside of the city, the most convenient route is to take Interstate 35W to the NE 28th street exit and then turn left on to Decatur Street and follow signs to the parking area.

Where to Stay – The Stockyards are readily accessible from hotels in Arlington, downtown Fort Worth, or Dallas. But if you want to immerse yourself for a day or two in the Stockyards and enjoy the major weekend shows and exhibitions, there are five hotels located in or within a block of the historic district. The Stockyard Hotel is right on the main street and has a historic feel. It provides a bird’s eye view of events and a convenient place to rest and restore yourself during your visit. Two newer properties are the two hundred room Hotel Driver with facilities for events and group activities and the Hyatt Place hotel.

Cost - There is no admission to walk the entire grounds of the Stockyards, to shop in the stores or to watch the public events such as cattle drive and other entertainment. Most other western activities have an admission charge. However, parking close to the district in one of the convenient lots costs $15 per car.