The Active Historian

Hey, Friend! Welcome back to another post. Y’all know I love visiting the Fort Worth Stockyards and this historic building sits basically in the middle. The historic marker signs caught my attention and I wanted to know its story.

Today, I’m taking you to the historic Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas. It’s known as the Cowtown Coliseum today. Let’s get started!

History

The Cowtown Coliseum was originally called the “Grand Coliseum” or the “Northside Coliseum.” It was built in 1907 for $250,000 (present-day about $6.2 million). The entire building took 88 working days to complete and was opened in time for the 1908 Feeders and Breeders Show in Fort Worth, Texas. The Coliseum was built in the Mission Revival Style and is comprised of brick and gray stucco.

I was able to track the building progress through the local Fort Worth newspapers and find more of the details. Keep reading!

Excavation & Bids

The excavation and foundation work for the building was completed in August 1907. The foundation contained over 2,000 cubic yards of concrete, 1,500 sacks of cement, and 2,000 loads of gravel.

W.B. King, manager of the Fort Worth Stock Yards Company asked for building bids at the end of August that had to be submitted by September 16, 1907. He desired to have the work completed by one person.

The Texas Building Company of Fort Worth won the bid for the project including brick work, concrete work, interior finish and decoration, carpentry work, and roof construction. The Moravla Construction Company out of Chicago won the bid for the steel work.

Laying the Cornerstone

The cornerstone of the building was set on October 3, 1907, with a ceremony and dollar dinner. Many businesses closed their shops in order to attend the ceremony. An estimated one thousand people gathered despite the clouds and rain. The cornerstone was laid by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas. It is made of Texas granite – the same material the Tarrant County Courthouse was made of.

Dr. J.W. Campbell, the pastor of the Taylor Street Presbyterian Church gave the invocation which started the ceremony. The grand orator of the ceremony was Dr. C.P. Brewer who spoke next for twenty minutes. Brewer stated that the Masons chose to lay the cornerstone in the northeast corner of the building because that is where the cornerstone was laid in Solomon’s Temple and because they believe the Son of God will come at the end of time from the east. Grand Treasurer Jackson placed a tin box containing a jewel of the lodge and other mementos in the stone. Acting Grand Master James gave the signal to lower the stone into place. Once it was in place, corn, wine, and oil were poured on the stone as symbols of strength, good cheer, and harmony. The band then played “Auld Lang Syne” which signified the end of that portion of the ceremony.

After the Masons finished their ceremony, there were a few more speakers which included: Captain B.B. Paddock, Hon. Sam H. Cowan, Hon. R.D. Gage, and Prof. Alexander Hogg. To read excerpts from their speeches you can look at this newspaper article: “Corner Stone Of Coliseum Laid With Impressive Ceremonies.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), October 4, 1907.

Work continued on the project and it went smoothly for the most part. The contractors projected the completion date of the Coliseum to be February 24, 1908.

The Coliseum was completed in time for the National Feeders and Breeders’ Fat Stock Show which was held March 10-17, 1908. To read more about the show, see this newspaper article: “Fat Stock Show of March 1908 Will Smash All Former Records.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), January 12, 1908.

Other Events at the Coliseum

For the next several years, livestock shows, concerts, political rallies, musicals, dinners, and more were held in the Coliseum.

For example, Senator Joseph Weldon Bailey held a political rally at the Coliseum in March 1908 which the newspapers covered. There were a couple photos of the interior as well as a seating chart which I attached below.

Former President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt spoke here in March 1911 at the Fat Stock Show. He arrived in Fort Worth via train, had breakfast at the Westbrook Hotel, spoke at the Show, toured the city via automobile, and then boarded a train onto his next stop.

The Coliseum was the home to the first indoor rodeo in 1918 at the Southwest Exposition and Fat Stock Show. Rodeos are still being held in the Cowtown Coliseum to this day.

The Cowtown Coliseum is a Texas Historic Landmark officially recognized by the Texas Historical Commission. The Cowtown Coliseum sits in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The city of Fort Worth restored the building in 1986.

Photos from 2024 & 2025

The photos below are from my trips to Fort Worth in March 2024 and May 2025. It was so cool to compare the photos I took a couple of years ago to the photos I found this week in the archive! Not much has changed.

Historic Marker Transcription

“Until 1908, the Annual Fort Worth Fat Stock Show was held in a variety of locations. As interest in the event increased and its educational and promotional values were realized, livestock exhibitors sought a permanent home for the show. The Coliseum was constructed in 1907-08 to provide such an exhibition hall. Construction costs were borne by the Swift and Yards Company, which owned the property. The Stock Show was held here annually for 34 years. 

This site has been within three separate cities: North Fort Worth until 1909; Niles City, 1911-23; and in Fort Worth since 1923. It is the birthplace of the indoor rodeo, and the first live radio broadcast of a rodeo was transmitted here on WBAP Radio in 1923. 

The Coliseum also has served as a place for cultural, educational, religious. Social, and civic events. In 1911, former President Theodore Roosevelt spoke here. Numerous Texas Governors, performing artists, grand operas, entertainers, and evangelists have appeared here. The great Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso, performed here in 1920. 

In 1936, the Stock Yards Company sold the Coliseum to the City of Fort Worth. Historically it has been an important part of the city and the livestock industry.” 

Sign sponsored by the North Fort Worth Historical Society (1984).

In May 2025, I got to attend a couple of sessions for the Women’s Rodeo World Championships held in Fort Worth, Texas. It was such a cool experience!

Historic Photos of the Fort Worth Stockyards

I stumbled across a couple of other historic photos of the Fort Worth Stockyards and wanted to include them here!

To be honest, I’m not sure if these are the same buildings in the photo below. But this is what Exchange looked like in 1907 and what it looked like in 2025.

The photos below show Mule Alley. In the historic photo, you can see the towers in the background.

Concluding Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed visiting the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards with me! As always I can’t wait to visit again one day.

Happy Traveling! I’ll talk to ya soon 🙂

Visit

121 East Exchange Avenue

Fort Worth, TX

Sources

Secondary Sources

Websites

“Venue Info.” Cowtown Coliseum. Fort Worth Stockyards.

“History.” Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District. Fort Worth Stockyards.

“Cowtown Coliseum.” The Portal to Texas History. UNT Libraries.

“The Coliseum.” Fort Worth Architecture.

Primary Sources

Newspapers

“Rushing Work On Coliseum.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), July 25, 1907.

“Coliseum Bids Close Sept. 16.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), August 25, 1907.

“Bids Wanted.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), August 28, 1907.

“Fort Worth’s New Coliseum.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), August 30, 1907.

“Exchange Ave., North Fort Worth.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), August 30, 1907.

“Lay Corner Stone Of Big Coliseum.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), September 19, 1907.

“Coliseum Day Half Holiday.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), September 22, 1907.

“To Close Stores For Corner Stone Laying.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), September 22, 1907.

“Masons To Lay Corner Stone.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), September 23, 1907.

“Contract Is Let For The Coliseum.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), October 3, 1907.

“Corner Stone Of Coliseum Laid With Impressive Ceremonies.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), October 4, 1907.

“Pogress [sic] Of Work On The Coliseum.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), October 27, 1907.

“Photo Taken Yesterday Shows Mammoth Coliseum Nearing Completion.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), November 24, 1907.

“Skeleton of Coliseum, Or Fat Stock Show Building, At Stockyards.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), December 8, 1907.

“Fat Stock Show Opens March 10.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), December 13, 1907.

“Fat Stock Show Offers $16,000.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), December 21, 1907.

“Fat Stock Show of March 1908 Will Smash All Former Records.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), January 12, 1908.

“Coliseum Will Be Complete By Feb. 24.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), January 25, 1908.

“Gov. Campbell To Open Coliseum.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), February 13, 1908.

“Big Coliseum Is Receiving Last Finishing Touch.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), February 16, 1908.

“Programme Finished For Fat Stock Show.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), February 22, 1908.

“The National Feeders and Breeders Show.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), February 23, 1908.

“Grand Opening Fat Stock Show.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), March 11, 1908.

“Fort Worth Coliseum Where Bailey Convention Is To Be Held.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), March 27, 1908.

“Part of Coliseum As Bailey Rose To Speak.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), March 29, 1908.

“Panoramic Picture of the Great Bailey Rally in the Coliseum March 28, 1908.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), March 30, 1908.

“Roosevelt To Deliver Address At Fat Stock Show in March.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), February 1, 1911.

“Roosevelt Will Spend Hour And Half In Ft. Worth.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), February 3, 1911.

“National Feeders and Breeders Show.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), March 10, 1911.

“Rangers To Act As Roosevelt Escort.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), March 10, 1911.

“Roosevelt’s Day In Fort Worth To Be Busy One.” Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), March 12, 1911.

“Gives Dinner to Col. Roosevelt.” FortWorth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), March 13, 1911.

“Feeders and Breeders Open 15th Annual Stock Show Fine Livestock Exhibits More Numerous Than Ever Roosevelt Will Inspect Prize Cattle This Morning.” The Fort Worth Record and Register (Fort Worth, Texas), March 14, 1911.

“Auto And Street Car Carry Crowds To Coliseum Where Biggest Stock Show Of West Is In Progress.” Fort Worth Record-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), March 12, 1918.

“Coliseum Crowded At Opening Of Fat Stock Show.” Fort Worth Record-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas), March 12, 1918.