Fort Worth Stockyards: Sept 29th

Fort Worth began as staging point for cattle drovers heading north on the Chisholm Trail with their great herds of longhorn, heading for railheads from where the cattle could be transported east to the main markets.

The Spanish conquerors brought the longhorn breed from Spain because it thrived on sparse pasture. Wild populations of the cattle multiplied successfully so there were millions for the taking, and after the Civil War the demand for beef soared. Worth a dollar per head in Texas, the longhorns fetched 40 dollars at destination. It was profitable business.

The railroad reached Fort Worth in 1876, from which time the town was the drover’s destination. Stockyards were built to hold the huge herds that were soon being processed into meat products locally for dispatch by train. In peak years the town received more than a million animals.

The stockyard buildings were extended and improved, and what we see today dates mainly from the turn of the 19^th century. In the 20^th century different trading and cattle raising practices saw the yard’s throughput decline and, finally, grind to a halt in the 1980s. This is the time-capsule.

The stockyard buildings are now mainly retail premises catering to the visitors, but the rail tracks where the cattle arrived are visible in the next photo.

Our lunchtime café was genuine 1900 but thankfully not run by cowboys.

No cowtown is complete without a Wild West show. So here are the performers, in the Cowboy Coliseum.

The stunt riding was too fast for indoor photos, but the lasso performer shows up well on in the spotlight. He lassooed some stampeding cattle, but who wants to see fuzzy cattle.

The chuck wagon, Indian wardance and cattle herding were all part of the show. The longhorns were impressive but we saw more magnificent beasts in greater number later. Of course it was touristy, but great fun.

Back out on the main street they’re having a cattle drive. It’s scheduled twice a day. The herd charges down the street and then turns down a side road towards the pens just before it reaches the spectators. You hope this isn’t the one time when the cows carry straight on….

Back in the pens, my favourite shot is of this mean-looking bull peering through the rails.

Oddly enough, Fort Worth has now returned to cattle dealing, but by remote link video and computers. Cattle for sale are videoed and then displayed on screens in an auction room where the deals are struck. This all happens in the original Stock Exchange building.

Fort Worth stockyards are a genuine slice of Texan history, Disneyed up for the tourist admittedly, but interesting and quite different to anything we have back in the UK- except perhaps the ancient Norfolk turkey drives to London for the Christmas market!