Overview
The Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District is the heart of Fort Worth's "Cowtown" identity. Once one of the largest livestock markets in the United States, it is now a district of historic buildings, rodeo, Western shops and entertainment.
History
Fort Worth was a stop for cattle herds on the Chisholm Trail after the Civil War. Railroads arrived in the 1870s, and stockyards were developed in the late 1880s and 1890s. The Swift and Armour meatpacking companies opened large plants in the early 1900s. The Livestock Exchange Building and the Cowtown Coliseum date from this period, and the coliseum is often credited with hosting the first indoor rodeo, in 1918. The livestock trade declined after World War II, and the area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Today
The Fort Worth Herd made its first drive on June 12, 1999, the city's 150th anniversary. Its drovers now lead longhorns down Exchange Avenue twice a day, at 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Weekly rodeos, honky-tonks and the redeveloped Mule Alley make the district a major tourist and event destination.
Sources
- Texas House Resolution 1451 (2019)capitol.texas.gov
- NBC DFW: Fort Worth Herdnbcdfw.com
Facts checked against the sources above in October 2026. History is summarized for general interest; check primary sources for research. This landmark is local context, not an employer or job listing.