Fort Wort Stockyards

Tuesday, April 05, 2011
 I recently headed down to the Fort Worth Stockyards, they are about an hour from Plano, give or take a traffic jam, or lack of traffic.  Fort Worth is home to the old Chisholm Trail, and Fort Worth, 'Cowtown' the pathway to millions of cattle, and eventually home to the rodeo that took over the trails.  They host rodeos and concerts all throughout the year these days, and a cow or two thousand at the Stock Exchange. The biggest rodeo is in January.  I've never been, but this is their home. 
                                            
 And here are a few of the animals in the stocks ready for...umm....here's hoping they are waiting for the rodeo, but I'm kinda thinking they have a different fate that involves the actual Stock Exchange. 
 Streets around the stockyards. 
They have two daily cattle drives through the streets, and lots of opportunities to spend time with longhorns. 
 The old brick buildings are canvases for a lot of wall art. 
 ..and my favorite, chippy paint...
 ..and rusty iron. 
 They have their very own walk of fame via stars...Western Stars.
 And what tourist location is completely without shops, and...entertainment? 
 This is the line for the Tarantula Train that took over the drives, it still brings groups each day from Grapevine, I did this years ago, I'll do it again someday. 
And....equally as interesting, I do believe they have the most quarter pony machines I've ever seen in one location.

...and what's Texas with out a steak place or 27?
 I prefer not to put all the pieces together to this puzzle.   
Did I mention I love Texas? 

4 comments

Lori said...

Can you believe I have never been? Crazy huh?

Deb said...

we love the stockyards...sometimes we hop on the train and go...it makes for a fun day...

kim c said...

my granddad worked in the stockyards at Swifts during WWII. they processed k rations for the troops. glad you had a good time in cowtown. you've got to check out our museums too.

Gwen @ Gwenny Penny said...

This looks like a great place to visit, Christy. I LOVE that cow quarter machine at the top. The paintings on the buildings are beautiful.