Hey, friend! Welcome back to another post! Today, I want to show you around the Stockyards Museum located in the historic Fort Worth, Texas Stockyards. Let’s get started!
I have heard people say that the cattle industry made Fort Worth, but I am inclined to believe that Fort Worth had a lot to do with making the cattle industry in Texas.
J.S. Bridwell – Texas Rancher & Businessman
Museum History
The Livestock Exchange Building was built in 1902. Today, this historic building is home to the Stockyards Museum, Texas Trail of Fame and office spaces.
The North Fort Worth Historical Society operates the Stockyards Museum. They began the museum in 1989 to share historic archives with the public and their mission has grown over the years. Today, the museum hosts thousands of guests every year who want to learn more about the history of the stockyards and North Fort Worth.
Exhibitions
The Stockyards Museum covers the history of the Fort Worth Stockyards and the northern side of the city. Here are just a few of the things you’ll learn about when you visit:
- Chisholm Trail
- Stockyards
- Livestock
- Swift and Armour Packing Plants
- Indigenous History
- Camp Bowie
- Fort Worth Stock Show
- And more!
I’ve included a few photos below so you can see inside the museum!
I loved seeing an entire section dedicated to the great cowboy, Bill Pickett. I hadn’t seen a movie poster for Crimson Skull in-person before so I thought that was way cool! It’s the yellow poster on the left.
I loved reading about the cattle drive era and the Chisholm Trail!
The lightbulb below is from the Palace Theater and is the second longest burning light in the world. It’s been burning since September 21, 1908, so it’s been burning for over 115 years!
Concluding Thoughts
This museum was so fun and I loved chatting with the two ladies working the museum. Miss Devon Dawson even broke out her guitar and sang us a song and Mitzi Lucas Riley. It was absolutely amazing!
I hope you’ll visit this museum and learn about the history of the Fort Worth. Happy traveling, friend! I’ll talk to ya soon 🙂
Visit
131 E. Exchange #113
Fort Worth, TX 76164
Sources
Fort Worth Stockyards Museum – Website
Historic Marker Text Transcribed
“The Fort Worth Stock Yards Company was created in 1893, when Boston capitalist Greenlief W. Simpson led a group of investors in purchasing the Fort Worth Union Stock yards. Under Simpson’s leadership, the com[any earned the support of the Texas Cattle Raisers Association and lured the prominent meatpacking companies of Armour and Swift to open plants here. Publicity through the company’s market newspaper and annual fat stock show, both begun in 1896, resulted in a significant increase in the number of animals brought to market. The Stock Yards Co. built the area’s livestock-related facilities and had controlling interest in many North Fort Worth businesses.
The first five decades of the 20th century were the most successful for the Fort Worth Stock Yards Co. During World War I, foreign governments purchased draft animals, making Fort Worth the largest horse and mule market in the world. In 1917, overall livestock market receipts reached 5,000,000 head of livestock. However, by the 1950s, local auctions were drawing sellers away from this central market. Today, the Fort Worth Stock Yards Co. continues as a significant part of the city’s unique heritage.”
Fort Worth Livestock Exhcange
“Headquarters, one of the greatest cattle markets in the world.
In late 1860’s Fort Worth was stop on cattle trails. Market for West Texas organized 1870’s. First trader, T.B. Saunders, Sr., soon was joined by others.
First small packing houses were followed (early 1900’s) by multi-million dollar plants. By 1910 trading almost doubled.
This structure was erected in 1902-03 to house the Stockyards Company, Livestock Commission, and Buyer’s Offices, surrounded by lawns (now parking lots). In 1944, was purchased by United Stockyards Corporation.”
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
The Active Historian 
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