First Texas and Pacific Bridge over Trinity River 1874
Meatpacking Industry comes to Fort Worth
Stockyards in Niles City, the Richest Little City Per Capita
March 14, 1911, fire at the Feeders and Breeders Show
Meatpacking industry and process
Cowtown Coliseum, March 1908
Quanah Parker and his tribe visit the new Coliseum
Bill Pickett, a cowboy of African-American and Cherokee ancestry. Pickett invented the act of “bulldogging” where the cowboy wrestles the steer to the ground. The method involved biting the steer on the lip, like he had seen cattle dogs do.
Enrico Caruso sings at the Coliseum in 1920
Elvis Presely has a concert at the Coliseum in 1956
1942 flood causes great damage
C.C French talks ranchers into raising hogs
Report from Texas film
Transporting livestock moves from rail to trucks
Armor meatpacking closes its doors in 1962, Swift closes in 1971
The stockyards become a tourist destination
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Produced by the North Forth Worth Historical Society and narrated by actor Barry Corbin, this educational film traces the history of Fort Worth from a military post to a booming stockyard. The arrival of railroads and trains made moving livestock easier, and Fort Worth became a hub for ranchers and buyers. With the arrival of meatpackers, the Fort Worth Stockyards Company flourished with activity, trade, and meat processing. The Stock Show and Rodeo further brought in ranchers and buyers, continuing to this day. After World War II, the emergence of smaller stockyards and auctions made the Fort Worth Stockyards no longer the central market for livestock. It slowly began to diminish, completely closing in 1971. The stockyard has since enjoyed a new life as a tourist attraction.
Barry Corbin was a Shakespearean actor and skilled equestrian (specifically in cutting) before breaking out into film and TV with roles in WarGames, Lonesome Dove, and Dallas (Sheriff Fenton Washburn). His career has persisted into the 2000s, finding roles in One Tree Hill and No Country for Old Men. When not acting, one can find Corbin tending livestock on his ranch near Forth Worth. Corbin has been inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame (2009) and Texas Film Hall of Fame (2012).