Neighborhood Highlights
Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District
The Fort Worth Stockyards are one of the city’s most famous tourist attractions. They retain a Wild West atmosphere, with weekly rodeos, mechanical bull rides, and the world’s largest honky tonk (the famous Billy Bob’s). No wonder it earned the city the nickname “Cowtown.”
Fort Worth Botanical Garden
The oldest botanical garden in Texas has been growing since 1934. Stroll through the winding footpaths to the famed Rose Garden, containing more than 2,000 stunning varieties. Then visit the Japanese Garden, a magnificent trove of cherry trees, koi ponds, and sculpted hillsides.
Museum of Science and History
Since 1945, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History has delighted and educated the old and young alike. Kids can learn how pinwheels work, why beach balls float, and more, or lose themselves in the Lego room. Meanwhile, the planetarium reacquaints adults with those big, starry Texas skies.
History of Fort Worth
Fort Worth was named for Major General William Jenkins Worth. A veteran of the Mexican-American War, Worth was the first to propose a line of army posts to protect settlers at the edge of the western frontier. It soon became the hub of a booming ranching industry as millions of head of cattle were driven north along the Chisholm Trail.
The dusty town earned a reputation for lawlessness in the late 1800s. Cowboys flooded its dance halls and saloons for a bit of carousing before the long drive ahead. Law enforcement eventually cracked down, paving the way for more civilized industries like natural gas and aviation. Today, it’s the 13th-largest city in the nation, but locals still wear its rough-and-tumble history with pride.
