Bring your boots
While at the Texas REALTORS^® Convention in
Fort Worth, have fun with a western flair.

by Rebekah LaMontagne  With a legendary past full of western folklore and mystique, Fort Worth is a vibrant and culturally diverse metropolis deep in the heart of North Texas. Fort Worth began as an army outpost in 1849 and soon became the last major stop on the Chisholm Trail. Because of the rough-and-rowdy ways of those driving cattle to market, the settlement became known as “Hell’s Half Acre” for its saloons, brothels, and dance halls. Law and order came to the settlement when the railroad transformed it into a leading livestock center.

Today, Fort Worth celebrates its heritage, but has a cutting edge for the future. Reported as one of the most livable large cities in the nation by USA Today, Fort Worth offers a broad range of museums, activities, and other sights to keep your itinerary full at the Texas REALTORS® Convention and Trade Expo.

Rustle up a bit of the Wild West
Want some Old West flavor? Don’t miss the Stockyards National Historic District. This 125-acre area in north Fort Worth boasts the world’s only daily cattle drive, held along Exchange Avenue, and tells the story of the meat-packing industry at the Stockyards Museum. Take a Cowboy Walking Tour at the Stockyard Exchange or enjoy a re-creation of Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show at the Cowtown Coliseum. You can also take a ride on an 1896-vintage train that travels between the Stockyards and Grapevine. And don’t forget to visit the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, housed in the area’s original horse and mule barns.

Add to that western flavor with a brew from the Wild West Saloon, named as one of the “Best 100 Bars in America” by Esquire magazine. Or choose from a selection of restaurants featuring steak and barbecue. Be sure to end your visit to the Stockyards at the world’s largest honky-tonk, Billy Bob’s Texas. A Fort Worth landmark for 20 years, Billy Bob’s Texas has an indoor rodeo arena, two dance floors, 25 bars, restaurants, and a general store. Two-stepping the night away is a given!

Goin’ downtown
Spice up your evening in Sundance Square, located in downtown Fort Worth. This popular area offers gourmet restaurants, specialty boutiques, night clubs, and theaters. Don’t miss the Fire Station No. 1 Museum in the historic fire station or the magnificent angels on the Bass Performance Hall. Sundance Square is home to several comedy clubs, including Four Day Weekend, Fort Worth’s longest running improv comedy group, and Hyena’s Comedy Club, which features national comedy acts.

Sundance Square also houses the beautiful Sid Richardson Museum, featuring the works of Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, painters of the American West.

Get a little culture
Known as the “museum capital of the southwest,” Fort Worth is home to some wonderful and enriching attractions. The Cultural District, located west of downtown, includes art, history, and science exhibits that have received national and international acclaim.

Louis Kahn designed the Kimbell Art Museum, which houses works by Rembrandt, Matisse, and Picasso. Within walking distance of the Kimbell is the Amon Carter Museum, designed by Philip Johnson. Its exhibits include art by Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, and Georgia O’Keeffe. Don’t miss the new Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, located nearby. It showcases contemporary American and European art from 1945 to the present.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring the achievements of these trailblazing women.

Everyone in the family will love the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Explore the world of dinosaurs in the DinoDig, learn about the human body in the hands-on science area, visit Noble Planetarium, or take in an IMAX movie in the Omni Theater.

The Cattle Raisers Museum, which sits a few blocks from the Cultural District, features talking mannequins and authentic artifacts, including the largest branding collection in the world. Also, don’t miss the National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame that highlights the little-known contributions that minorities made in the American West. REALTOR® member Jim Austin won the 2003 NAR Good Neighbor Award for his efforts in founding this museum and the Renaissance Cultural Center, which provides cultural and educational programs as well as scholarships to Fort Worth inner-city youth.

Time stands still
The preservation league of Fort Worth works hard to maintain historic buildings in their original states. Because of this, Fort Worth boasts many attractions you won’t find in other cities. The Log Cabin Village, located in Forest Park, provides a look at some of the first houses in this area. Built in the 1850s, the six cabins that make up the village include their original furnishings. Check out the live demonstrations that depict the lives of the early Fort Worth settlers. In contrast to the early settlers’ lives, Thistle Hill Mansion, which holds guided tours on the hour, gives a first-hand look at the opulent lives of the cattle barons.

Commune with nature with a hike at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. This 3,500-acre preserve, located 10 miles northwest of downtown, showcases buffalo, white-tailed deer, and native wildflowers. Or visit the Fort Worth Zoo, which houses 1,200 creatures from around the world. Don’t miss “Texas Wild!,” an exhibit that takes guests through various regions of Texas and introduces them to animals native to those areas. Observe ocelots, bobcats, white-tailed deer, red wolves, and bats.

The oldest botanical garden in Texas, the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is home to more than 2,500 species of plants spread across 109 acres.

Did someone say “shopping”?
Grab some western gear at the Fort Worth Stockyards or just wander the streets downtown for small boutiques. One-of-a-kind items can be found at the European-style Downtown Fort Worth Rail Market, located in the historic Santa Fe Warehouse, which features 20 merchants.

Home-décor and fashion merchandise can be found at Historic Camp Bowie Boulevard. Stroll its 30 blocks of brick streets and quaint shops. University Park Village offers an array of mouth-watering restaurants and upscale shopping.

Whatever your interests, you will find plenty to keep you entertained while in Fort Worth. Fit them into your schedule between all the top-notch educational offerings, networking opportunities, and the Trade Expo at the 2004 Texas REALTORS® Convention. You’re sure to have a boot-scootin’ good time.

Rebekah LaMontagne is director of communications for the Greater Fort Worth Association of REALTORS®.

Photo © DigitalVision.

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