The Stockyards Hotel
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
The Stockyards Hotel is a historic "haunted" hotel located in the Fort Worth Stockyards. It was built in 1906, at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Over the years, hundreds of famous (and infamous) guests have stayed the night that this Fort Worth Icon, including Bonnie and Clyde, George Straight, and many more. With a grand open lobby, artifacts, and more, a journey into this hotel is a step back into an era of cowboys, outlaws, and the law.
Images
Facade of the Stockyards Hotel
Main entrance to the hotel.
Bar at the hotel.
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
A walk through the Fort Worth Stockyards is truly like taking a step back in time. In an era where cowboys, outlaws, and gunslingers roamed the ranges of the Southwestern United States, Fort Worth quickly developed a reputation as an outlaw's hideout. Known throughout the the southwest for its rodeo, red-light district, and honkey-tonks, Fort Worth saw increased foot traffic throughout the early twentieth century.
Because of this reputation, in 1904 Colonel Thomas M. Thannisch built a wooden frame hotel in the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards.1 The Colonel named this new building the "Stock Yards Club," and it attracted hundreds of cowboys, frontiersmen, and outlaws. Because of Fort Worth's increasing popularity, in 1906-07, Col. Thannisch hired a contractor named C.E. Brown to build a three story brick addition to the Club on the east side.
Col. Thannisch quickly expanded several more times over the following years, and designed each addition to match the original structure perfectly. Once all the additions were completed, the hotel contained 86 rooms and several ground floor retail spaces.2 Over the years, the hotel has been the site of many boot shops, cowboy hat makers, and steak restaurants. Today, the hotel houses a world-class traditional steak restaurant, and a Texas-style bar. The original 86 rooms has been reduced to 54, to accommodate for modern amenities. From the hotel, guests can interact with a variety of western performers, artists, and historians. Local legend has it that several of these more infamous guests--who have long since departed--remain and haunt the famous rooms and suites of the Stockyards Hotel.
Over the years, the Stockyards Hotel has housed many famous and infamous guests, including Bonnie and Clyde, and country music legends from days past and present.3 Local legend has that Bonnie and Clyde handpicked their suite at Thannisch's hotel because of its location across from a bank--the very bank that they robbed the next day. Bonnie and Clyde stayed up through the night, observing and noting the bank and police movements through their window, carefully charting a plan that would allow them to escape with millions.
From the hotel, visitors can enjoy all that the historic stockyards district has to offer--from mock gunfights to longhorns, the Stockyards hotel allows guests to re-live history.
A stay in one of the famous suites is an experience even the most established history student will enjoy, as each room is decorated with wanted posters, furs, and other artifacts that teleport a guest back to the days when cowboys roamed the range.
Because of this reputation, in 1904 Colonel Thomas M. Thannisch built a wooden frame hotel in the heart of the Fort Worth Stockyards.1 The Colonel named this new building the "Stock Yards Club," and it attracted hundreds of cowboys, frontiersmen, and outlaws. Because of Fort Worth's increasing popularity, in 1906-07, Col. Thannisch hired a contractor named C.E. Brown to build a three story brick addition to the Club on the east side.
Col. Thannisch quickly expanded several more times over the following years, and designed each addition to match the original structure perfectly. Once all the additions were completed, the hotel contained 86 rooms and several ground floor retail spaces.2 Over the years, the hotel has been the site of many boot shops, cowboy hat makers, and steak restaurants. Today, the hotel houses a world-class traditional steak restaurant, and a Texas-style bar. The original 86 rooms has been reduced to 54, to accommodate for modern amenities. From the hotel, guests can interact with a variety of western performers, artists, and historians. Local legend has it that several of these more infamous guests--who have long since departed--remain and haunt the famous rooms and suites of the Stockyards Hotel.
Over the years, the Stockyards Hotel has housed many famous and infamous guests, including Bonnie and Clyde, and country music legends from days past and present.3 Local legend has that Bonnie and Clyde handpicked their suite at Thannisch's hotel because of its location across from a bank--the very bank that they robbed the next day. Bonnie and Clyde stayed up through the night, observing and noting the bank and police movements through their window, carefully charting a plan that would allow them to escape with millions.
From the hotel, visitors can enjoy all that the historic stockyards district has to offer--from mock gunfights to longhorns, the Stockyards hotel allows guests to re-live history.
A stay in one of the famous suites is an experience even the most established history student will enjoy, as each room is decorated with wanted posters, furs, and other artifacts that teleport a guest back to the days when cowboys roamed the range.
Sources
1. Roberts, John, AIA. "Stock Yards Hotel." Stockyards Hotel. 2015. Accessed July 24, 2016. http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/north/stockyardshotel.htm.
2. Ibid.
3. "Hotel History." The Stockyards Hotel. Accessed July 24, 2016. http://www.stockyardshotel.com/about-us/hotel-history.