The Courtyard Fort Worth Downtown/Blackstone was built in 1929 and is a fine example of Art Deco architecture.

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The Blackstone Hotel, today officially called the Courtyard Fort Worth Downtown/Blackstone, is the tallest hotel in Fort Worth and an excellent example of  Art Deco architecture. The 22-story building reaches a height of 268 feet and its most notable feature is the setback massing that starts on the 14th floor. It was built by wealthy rancher C.A. "Gus" O'Keefe in 1929 and has hosted several American presidents and celebrities including Harry Truman and Elivis Presley. It remained in operation under different names until 1982. It then sat vacant for about 15 years before it was restored in the late 1990s and reopened in 1999.    

Blackstone Hotel

This walking tour starts at Tarrant County Courthouse and makes its way south to the Ashton Depot. Along the way, visitors will see landmarks such as the Blackstone Hotel, Sundance Square Plaza, Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the historic post office, and the Texas and Pacific Terminal Complex.

The first two markers pertain to the city's founding and growth. Fort Worth was founded on June 6, 1849, when Maj. Ripley S. Arnold established a military outpost here as part of a larger plan to establish ten forts along the western Texas frontier. Arnold named the fort in honor of General William Jenkins Worth (1794-1849), who developed this plan but died after being stricken with cholera (he served with distinction during the Mexican-American War [1846-1848]). The city grew around the fort.&nbsp; Fort Worth's Masons organized themselves in 1854 and were officially chartered in 1855. They rented space&nbsp;before constructing their own building, a two-story structure, located at this site in 1857. It was made of red brick and had a bell tower. Lodge functions took place on the second floor and the first floor was divided into rooms used for a public school, church services, and public meetings. The Masons moved out in 1878 after the building became too small, and it is not clear when the building was demolished.&nbsp;

Three historical markers are located at this corner just outside the Tarrant County Criminal Courts Building: The Site of Camp Worth; Fort Worth; and Site of the First Masonic Hall in Fort Worth (see below for more information). 

Site of Camp Worth and Fort Worth Historical Markers

The brothers&nbsp;also made strides in the Civil Rights Movement, deciding to desegregate the store in the early 1960s before Congress passed&nbsp;the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The "white" and "colored" signs were taken down from the bathrooms and drinking fountains. African Americans were also allowed to eat in the cafeteria. Desegregation contributed to the store's growth (African Americans constituted a large percentage of the customer base), enabling it to add product lines and floor space. The store was sold to the Tandy Corporation in 1967, which retained the Leonard name. However, the new owners opened stores in the suburbs and began to only sell products&nbsp;with a high turnover rate (vs. the variety that the store had always sold). As a result, profits declined, leading to the store's closure in 1974.&nbsp;

This large historical commemorates brothers John and Obadiah "Obie" Leonard who, in 1918, founded what would become one of the largest department stores in Fort Worth. It was so large, in fact, that by the 1960s it occupied six city blocks here in downtown Fort Worth. The store was so successful because the customers could buy almost anything they wanted, from fresh produce to auto supplies, and the brothers treated their employees and customers well. Other draws to the store were the first escalators built in the South and, remarkably, the store's subway line. Called the M&O Subway Express, the subway ferried customers from a large parking lot to the store for free. In effect, the subway was a small-scale mass transit system, encouraging people to not only shop at Leonard's but other businesses as well. As a result, the entire downtown benefitted. The store no longer exists but the tunnel is still there although it is sealed off from the public.

Leonard Brothers Department Store 1918 - 1967 - Historical Marker

The historic Tarrant County Courthouse sits among the modern glass towers of downtown Fort Worth, Texas. A Fort Worth landmark, the Courthouse is both historic, and functional.&nbsp;However, the Courthouse has not always looked so regal, nor has it been seen as useful.&nbsp; Although admired for its beauty and historic charm, the costs associated with&nbsp;the&nbsp;construction of&nbsp;Tarrant County Courthouse aroused controversy at the time of its completion in the late 19th Century. The colossal building costs were considered such a public extravagance that a new County Commissioners' Court was elected in 1894, prior to the building's completion.1 The Courthouse was modeled after the Texas Capitol Building in Austin and uses the same&nbsp;rare Texas&nbsp;Pink Granite, a costly building material even today.2 It was one of the first public buildings to utilize a&nbsp;steel frame in the Southwestern United States-a trend that emerged (and largely stayed) in New York City. The first such building was the flatiron building--a triangular New York icon that also stands to this day.&nbsp; Rising to a then-towering&nbsp;height of&nbsp;191 feet, the once-commanding size of&nbsp;the courthouse was soon dwarfed by newly-constructed high-rise commercial towers as Fort Worth grew rapidly in the early 20th century. Although revered for its historical qualities, for several decades the leaders of the county attempted to "modernize" the interior of the building. For example, construction crews covered the central&nbsp;rotunda and even added a&nbsp;neon flag to the roof, just to name a few of many "improvements." In 1958, the County Commissioners devised a plan to add a new Civil Courts building on the west side of the Courthouse.3&nbsp;The old west portico was removed to make a connection between the two buildings. The new Civil Courts building was the part of a master plan to build a criminal courts building on the east side of the Courthouse. After both expansions were completed, the city attempted to demolish the grand 1895 Courthouse. Local citizens came together to oppose the destruction of the historical courthouse, causing county officials to quickly reconsider the plan and preserve rather than replace the historic building. Nearly one-hundred years after initial construction, the Fort Worth City Council decided to restore the Courthouse to its former grandeur. Led by master architect Ward Bogard, the city restored the entirety of the Courthouse, excluding the clocktower. In 2012, architect Arthur Weinman led the restoration of the famous clocktower, finishing the decades long restoration of the famous building. Finally, in 2014, the city demolished the Civil Courts Building, and restored the west portico, creating the beautiful courthouse that now graces the skyline of Fort Worth.&nbsp;

Considered by many to be one of the "crown jewels" of downtown Fort Worth, the Tarrant County Courthouse was designed by the architecture firm of Frederick C. Gunn & Louis Curtiss. It was built between 1893-1895 at a cost of over four hundred thousand dollars, an expense that aroused concern among many residents and led the election of local candidates pledged to limiting public expenditures in the future. In the second half of the 20th century, a number of local officials hoped to modernize the interior and exterior of the courthouse, while others hoped to replace the building altogether. For many residents, however, the building's distinctive western flair and historical qualities were qualities that demanded its preservation. 

Tarrant County Courthouse

Sid Williams Richardson was born on April 25, 1891 in Athens, Texas. He studied at Baylor University and Simmons College (which is now Hardin-Simmons) from 1910-1912. Then in 1919, he got rich after he and a partner got into the oil industry. The next dozen years weren't as fortuitous, however, as the oil market went up and down during those years. The situation permanently changed for the better in 1933. Richardson invested a small sum in a drilling operation run by friends in what is now known as the Keystone Field located in West Texas. This turned out to be a very profitable decision and his business thrived once again, allowing him to become even more wealthy. He became President of Sid Richardson Gasoline Co. in Kermit, Texas, and President of Sid Richardson Carbon Company in Odessa, Texas. Here in Fort Worth, he was President of Sid W. Richardson, Inc. and was a partner in Richardson and Bass, Oil Producers.Richardson was also a philanthropist. Throughout his adult life, he donated to various organizations and institutions including churches, hospitals, schools around the country. He was not one to flaunt his wealth or give interviews, nor did he live an ostentatious life. In 1947, he founded the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, which has provided funds to many organizations in Texas.Richardson began collecting Western-themed art in 1942. Not surprisingly, he grew to love Western art through his ranching experience. The first piece he collected was a Charles Russell painting. By the time of his death (peacefully in his sleep) on September 30, 1959, he had gathered one of the largest private collections of works by Russell and Frederic Remington.

Situated in the historic Sundance Square neighborhood of downtown Fort Worth, the Sid Richardson Museum is an art museum dedicated showcasing the art of the American West. To this end, the museum features permanent and special exhibitions of works by notable Western artists including Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, Oscar Berninghaus, Charles F. Browne, and Edwin W. Deming. The museum is named after Sid Williams Richardson (1891-1959), who amassed a fortune in the oil industry, which allowed him to collect the art collection that is now housed in the museum (the museum has also acquired four paintings since Richardson's passing). The museum also offers a wide variety of educational opportunities for visitors of all ages. It is operated by the Sid W. Richardson Foundation.

Sid Richardson Museum

In the 1970s, Artist Richard Haas had begun to make a name for himself as a talented painter with his large murals popping up on building facades in New York City. He would receive a call from Sid Bass, founder of the Sundance Square in Fort Worth, Texas, to paint a mural on an old wall that overlooked the square.1 After some discussion between Haas and Sundance officials the decision was made to depict the historic Chisholm trail on the Great Wall of the old building as "Nothing says Fort Worth like a three-story cattle herd".2 Since the mural's completion, both sides have been quite satisfied with the work with Sundance executive Johnny Campbell calling it a "centerpiece" for the downtown square and Richard Haas claiming it to be "one of the best located and the most appreciated" murals he had ever done.To understand the significance of this mural it is important to understand the relevance of the subject matter being depicted. The Chisholm Trail was a cattle route that ran through much of Texas all the way to Kansas and along this trail sat the settlement of Fort Worth. From 1866-1890 over four-million heads of cattle were driven through the city, often stopping there for rest and supplies. The city of Fort Worth served as one of the final stops in Texas&nbsp;for cattle drivers and this proved to be a major catalyst for economic growth in the city. Its geographic position made it a perfect area for for cattle to be transported to other parts of the country that did not sit along the Chisholm Trail which meant that a lot of railroad development was necessary. The constant flow of cattle drivers also allowed Fort Worth to become a center of entertainment in the region which allowed for the establishment of many saloons and other businesses that the men traveling along the trail would frequent before moving up into Oklahoma. This reputation as a city that provided an opportunity for rest and relaxation on the trail did bring with it some negatives as the cattle drivers were able to indulge in some of their vices but overall the cattle industry made it possible for Fort Worth to emerge as a prominent city in Texas.7Considering the Chisholm Trail was a major reason for the growth and development of the city of Fort Worth, it is only fitting that it would be used again in 1985 to revitalize the city's downtown. The building itself had long been a part of the city, serving as the home for the Northern Texas Traction Company which ran the interurban railway. After the Northern Texas Traction Co. moved to a new location the building took on several other tenants such as a candy factory as well as a sandwich shop before being abandoned for many years until the late 70s.3 Its limited use for many years lead some to think about tearing it down but because of the buildings well designed neoclassical elements, there was a strong desire to find some use for it. The mural painted on its wall indeed saved the building just as the beauty of the building itself allowed the Mural to come into existence. Fort Worth benefits from both as this structure and the mural depicted on its walls are celebrated by many citizens of Fort Worth.Appreciation for the Mural would increase in 2013 when a one-acre outdoor plaza was opened under the Mural.4 After an 18 month construction that renovated two parking lots and a street and made way for the addition of two new buildings a large open area complete with a fountain and a sitting area shaded by large umbrellas. There four large umbrellas measuring 40 feet by 40 feet that allow the plaza to be enjoyed year round regardless of the weather.5 The general atmosphere created by all the improvements to the surrounding area of the mural has made possible the hosting of exciting events such as ESPN College Game Day and the coverage of the NCAA tournament, as the senior coordinating producer of College Game Day called the square a "can't miss spot".6 These improvements to the area surrounding the mural help to bring in more people to appreciate its beauty and work well with the mural to bring a little more beauty to the downtown area of Fort Worth.&nbsp;The Mural and the square it looks over have only recently come together but have been part of a plan to bring something special to the city of Fort Worth for nearly 30 years. the development has been a major success for the city of Fort Worth with the square and mural working together to provide a bright future for the city while still celebrating its charming past. The popularity of the plaza will only increase the exposure of the beautiful mural and will always remind visitors of the cities humble cattle town roots.&nbsp;

Painted in 1985 by Richard Haas, this large mural depicts the famous Chisholm trail and serves a centerpiece of the Sundance Square public space in downtown Fort Worth. The Mural serves as a reminder of Fort Worth's heritage which as the economy of the city was at one point heavily reliant upon the cattle industry. Fort Worth was one of the final stops for cattle drivers on the Texas portion of the Chisholm Trail and the beauty of the mural allows the trail to once again provide something valuable to the city as it revitalized this area of its downtown. 

Chisholm Trail Mural, Sundance Square Plaza

The Bass hall, constructed more recently, is considered to be among the best opera houses in the world.&nbsp; The Hall&nbsp;was built with Texas&nbsp;limestone and was designed by Architect David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services, Inc. in 1998. Carefully designed to evoke the masterful styling of a classical European opera house, it features an 80-foot diameter (24) meter Great Dome, with murals designed by artists Scott and Stuart Gentling.1&nbsp;The hall contains orchestra seating,&nbsp;box seating, a mezzanine level, and several galleries, all arranged in a european-yet-western horseshoe shape. The hall also features two 40-foot-tall (15 m) Texas limestone&nbsp;angels sculpted by acclaimed artist Marton Varo&nbsp;grace the Grand Facade.2&nbsp;The main auditorium, called The Founders Concert Theater, features exquisite hand-painted artwork on dozens of surfaces. The extraordinary detail of Bass Hall has led many locals to call it "The Crown Jewel of Fort Worth,"&nbsp;as it sits alongside several iconic local buildings. The hall, designed as a multi-purpose facility, seats a staggering 2,056 people. Prior to its construction, Fort Worth lacked a centralized performance venue for all of its artisic organizations, using the historic Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium, venues at Texas Christian University, and several others. The Hall houses several of&nbsp;Fort Worth's flagship artists, among them: The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Texas Ballet Theater, the Fort Worth Opera, and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and Cliburn Concepts. The Cliburn, named after noted Fort Worth pianist&nbsp;Harvey Lavan&nbsp;"Van"&nbsp;Cliburn Jr., is considered to be the world's premier piano competition. In 2001, the adjacent Maddox-Muse Center officially opened; and with it, the new Van Cliburn Recital Hall and the McDavid Studio with 220 seats (renamed in 2006 from McNair Rehearsal Studio). Also housed within Maddox-Muse Center are offices for Performing Arts Fort Worth, the non-profit organization that oversees management of the Hall, and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Both venues in the Maddox-Muse center feature unique programming in addition to that offered in the hall, bringing in live music, comedians, and other forms of entertainment to delight audiences from all around Texas.The Bass Performance Hall is open for use by a variety of performing arts organizations. Beginning in 1998, the Hall was in a partnership with Casa Mañana Theater, who would present touring Broadway shows at the Hall, as well as self-produced productions. Despite universal acclaim, this program ended in the mid 2000s with the&nbsp;creation of Performing Arts Fort Worth, the organization that has since been responsible for programing at the Bass Hall.Every year, Bass Hall invites thousands of young school children to experience first-class entertainment, including concerts, live theater, and cinema. The outreach program conducted by the hall allows for tens of thousands of students to glimpse the glamorous would of entertainment, and experience art beyond the classroom.

Billed as "the last great hall built in this century," Bass Hall graces the Fort Worth skyline. Featuring two intricately crafted 48-foot high limestone angles on the front facade, the artwork and craftsmanship of Bass Hall is certain to dazzle. 

Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall

Amon G. Carter was born on December 11, 1879 in Crafton, Texas. Until he became an adult when he changed it, his name was Giles Amon Carter. In 1892 his mother died, compelling him to&nbsp;quit school and move to the town of Bowie where he found work to&nbsp;help support his family. In the upcoming years, he found work in Oklahoma and California including working as a traveling salesman in 1900. He moved&nbsp;to Forth Worth in 1905 to start an advertising company.&nbsp;The next year 1906, he founded the newspaper&nbsp;Fort Worth Star, which he would later merge with the&nbsp;Star-Telegram.&nbsp;As stated above, this marked the beginning of the most successful period of&nbsp;Carter's career. He passed away in 1953 of a heart attack. He was married three times and had a son and two daughters.

This historical marker describes the life and legacy of one of Fort Worth's most consequential figures of the 20th century, newspaper publisher and entrepreneur Amon G. Carter, Sr. (1879-1955), who played a key role in Fort Worth's economic development. He is most known for founding the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in February 1909. He also established WBAP, the city's first radio station in 1922 (it would later become the first TV station in the South and Southwest in 1948). Carter used the paper and radio station to vigorously promote the city around the state and country, employing the phrase "Where the West Begins." He was ultimately successful. A few successes included: oil companies moved to Forth Worth and built skyscrapers; the state established what is now Texas Tech University; as president of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Carter was largely responsible for bringing the first airplane to the city; and, the company that is now American Airlines moved to Forth Worth from Dallas. Carter was also a philanthropist, establishing the Amon G. Carter Foundation in 1945, which supported education and cultural programs.  


Amon G. Carter, Sr. (1879-1955) - Historical Marker

Though it has had many names, 714 Main is a definitive piece of Fort Worth history.&nbsp; Rising to a towering 24 stories, 714 main was designed by Sanguinet &amp; Staats and constructed from 1920-1921.1 Initial Construction was done by Mauran, Russell, and Crowell as Associate Architects and with Westlake Construction Company as the General Contractor.2&nbsp;The building was originally commissioned on behalf of the Farmers and Mechanics National Bank--then a titan of Texas Banking. The building was, for a short time, the tallest building in Texas.3&nbsp; Aside from being the tallest, the building was also one of the most handsome structures in any skyline, especially in Texas. 714 Main features remarkable four-story arched windows on its base, and arched windows on its 24th floor. These beautiful features grace the building's facade, allowing an unprecedented amount of natural light to filter into the building's lobby and working environments.&nbsp; Despite its towering height and unique architecture, the building has undergone many renovations since its construction in the early 20th Century. Despite being billed during and after construction&nbsp;as the "Farmers and Mechanics National Bank," 714 Main later became the "Fort Worth National Bank."4&nbsp;In 1950, the building was sold to the Continental Life Insurance Company and was so named. Shortly after, the Continental Life Insurance Company installed a large red neon sign along the roof, facing the south and east sides of the building.5&nbsp;These signs were removed during the early 1980s.6 &nbsp;In 1952, the Bank moved. The building's beautiful terra cotta and granite base were covered with blue Mexican tile, and a curtain wall fashioned out of glass.&nbsp; This renovation was accompanied by new tenants--among them&nbsp;Conoco, who erected a large revolving sign with their logo on the roof.&nbsp;7 This was removed during the 1970s. In 1988, the "Continental Life Building" was purchased by Transport Life, who renamed the building after themselves. Their occupation was accompanied by a large-scale renovation that re-designed the base of the building in an attempt to restore the former grandeur of the terra cotta. Transport Life vacated the building in 1997. Following their exit, the building fell vacant once again.&nbsp; 714 Main sat vacant for several years following the exit of Transport Life. In 2004, a local Fort Worth developer attempted to renovate the building--first as luxury lofts, then as offices--before XTO Energy bought the building in 2007. XTO continued the renovations and restored the original terra-cotta base at considerable expense. The Fort Worth architecture firm of Schwarz-Hanson Architects was responsible for the renovation.9

Formerly known as, the "Transport Life Building," the "Continental Life Building," the "Fort Worth National Bank Building," and the "Farmers and Mechanics National Bank Building," 714 Main Street is a historic skyscraper located in downtown Fort Worth, Texas. 714 Main was, for a short time, the tallest building in Texas. A visit to 714 Main is a glimpse of Texas history and an architectural treat. 

714 Main

Cynthia was born in Crawford County, Illinois around 1824 or 1825. Her and her family moved to Texas when her grandfather, John Parker, was recruited to settle in North-Central Texas and establish a fortified settlement. Comanche raids had made white colonization of Texas and Northern Mexico nearly impossible. The Parker family established Fort Parker. On May 19, 1836, a Comanche raid devastated Ft. Parker, capturing Cynthia, who was around nine years old at the time.

Cynthia and Peta Nocona had three children, sons Quanah and Pecos and daughter Topsannah. Their son, Quanah, was the last free Comanche chief. In December of 1860, Cynthia was captured by Texas Rangers, who were looking for her upon her father’s request. Cynthia never properly reintegrated into her family and Euro-American culture. In 1864, the only child that came with her back to her birth family, Topsannah, died of influenza. After her daughter’s death, Cynthia began refusing food and water, resigning herself to die. She died in March of 1871.

Cynthia’s memory is still celebrated to this day. Crowell, Texas holds a Cynthia Ann Parker Festival every year and the town of Groesbeck, also in Texas, holds an annual Christmas festival at the former site of Ft. Parker. An exact replica of the old fort has been built on the site. Also, the 1954 novel The Searchers by Alan LeMay and the 1956 adaptation of the novel are loosely based on Cynthia’s life.

Cynthia Ann Parker was a white American who was kidnapped by a group of Comanche Native Americans who had massacred her family’s settlement. She lived as a Comanche for twenty-four years, marrying Comanche chief Peta Nocona. She was given the Native American name Naduah, which means “someone found” or “keeps warm with us.”

Cynthia Ann Parker and the Native Americans of North Texas- Historical Marker

This statue and tribute site is located at General Worth Square where President John F Kennedy spoke to a crowd of thousands on the morning of November 22, 1963 prior to traveling to Dallas where he was assassinated. Guests to the tribute can view a sculpture of President Kennedy, along with images and descriptions of his speech and his visit to Fort Worth.

JFK Tribute Site at General Worth Square

Completed in 1907, the Fort Worth Flatiron building invokes classical styling in its beautiful&nbsp;renaissance-revival architecture.1&nbsp;The building was designed by the Fort Worth architecture firm&nbsp;Sanguinet and Staats, who strove to combine the best of New York design with the best of Southern Style.2 The building was ordered by Dr. Bacon Saunders, the then-Dean of the Fort Worth Medical College.3&nbsp;Dr. Saunders saw the original Flatiron building during a conference in New York City, and enjoyed the building's design so thoroughly that he wanted to bring it back to his home city.4 Once back in Fort Worth, Saunders commissioned a ten-story building that evoked the design elements that he loved so much. However, Saunders underestimated the building costs for such a large structure and was forced to reduce the building to seven stories--still the tallest building by far in Fort Worth, and in all of North Texas. Even so, the commission reportedly cost Dr. Saunders $70,000, a staggering sum of money at the time. Much of the cost was due to the building's novel steel from, which was groundbreaking technology for the era. Indeed, the Flatiron building in Manhattan had used a similar steel frame, which allowed it to tower above surrounding&nbsp;buildings.&nbsp;Dr. Saunders-who wanted to&nbsp;reserve the top floor of the building for his offices-wanted to make the building as tall as possible, and so thus used a similar frame.&nbsp; During the construction process, nearby merchants complained often about the shadow that such a "tall" building would cast. These complaints eventually dwindled, as the town grew excited about the publicity that such a tall building would bring. Police Chief Maddox pacified many with his promise to watch the construction area to ensure that the strong winds would not bring down the heavy steel girders used in the construction of the structure.The building opened in&nbsp;July 1907.5 The first tenant of the new building was the West Fort Worth Land Company.6&nbsp;The completed structure incorporated panther heads and other elements into the traditional New York Styling.7 These panther heads commemorate Fort Worth's nickname of "Panther City." Local legend holds that during the Panic of 1873, things were so quite in Fort Worth that a adult panther was seen sleeping in the middle of Main Street. Of course, this report was picked up by the citizens of the&nbsp;nearby City of Dallas, who were only too happy to slander the name of Fort Worth. However, rather then being insulted, the Fort Worth leadership embraced the panther as the city's mascot, and included it on police badges.8 Today, the building is owned by a prominent Fort Worth Doctor, who is transitioning the building to luxury apartments.9 The building also features a large mural by Italian artist Franco Alessandrini.10Interestingly, Fort Worth's namesake, William Jenkins Worth, is buried at the base&nbsp;of the Flatiron building in New York City.11

One of the most iconic landmarks of Downtown Fort Worth, the Flatiron building is as historic as it is iconic. Based off of the famous 22-story triangular Flatiron Building located at 175 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, the Fort Worth Flatiron combines the best of New York culture with Southern elements to create a building that is simultaneously beautiful, and practical. 
 

The Flatiron Building

Throughout most of the&nbsp;19th Century, the population of the South remained small. However, as the economic cycles of the American Economy took their toll, thousands of Americans and foreign citizens&nbsp;moved west. In the years following the civil war, the population of the south increased, and citizens thrived. As the population of Texas grew, so did the Catholic population of North Texas. However, the administrative structure of the Catholic Church did not account for the massive&nbsp;change in population. The Catholic Church had only established one diocese for the entirety of&nbsp;Texas--the diocese of Galveston, which was the largest city in Texas at the time.&nbsp;By 1870, there were so many Catholics living in Texas that Claude Marie Dubuis, the second bishop of Galveston, began to send Father Vincent Perrier to visit Fort Worth twice a year.1 At the time, this journey was long and dangerous. Galveston is more than 300 miles from Fort Worth, and at the time there were few towns in between. Despite the risk, Father Perrier made the journey often, and&nbsp;hosted Catholic events and masses at the Carrico family home.2&nbsp; Soon after, St. Stanislaus Church was established to provide a permanent home for the Church in Fort Worth. Father Thomas Loughrey, the pastor of St. Stanislaus Church, quickly opened a boy’s school that operated until 1907, when St. Stanislaus was demolished.3 &nbsp;In 1885 the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur established Saint Ignatius Academy in Fort Worth and Xavier Academy in Denison. Then, a mere three years later, the Catholic community in Fort Worth began construction on Saint Patrick's Church, which would become Saint Patrick Cathedral. The church was designed by Fort Worth Architect James J. Kane out of Texas limestone.4&nbsp;&nbsp;The church was designed in the Gothic Revival style, and was supposed to contain twin spires. These were never built, with just the&nbsp;towers&nbsp;standing today.5 In 1910 the same order of nuns founded Fort Worth’s first Catholic college, Our Lady of Victory College. For many years, the Catholic community in North Texas&nbsp;flourished and expanded. Seeing the astonishing expansion, in 1953&nbsp;Pope Pius XII changed the name of the Diocese of Dallas to the more apt&nbsp;Diocese of Dallas-Fort Worth. This led to the renaming of&nbsp;Saint Patrick’s Church in Fort Worth, and elevated its status&nbsp;to co-cathedral. Then,&nbsp;in 1985 Saint Patrick Cathedral, Saint Ignatius Church, and the Saint Ignatius rectory were added to the National Register of Historic Places.6 On August 22, 1969, Pope Paul VI created the Diocese of Fort Worth by&nbsp;separating 28 counties of north central Texas from the Catholic Diocese of Dallas.7 This was accompanied by an elevation of Saint&nbsp;Patrick to cathedral, a title it carries to this day.&nbsp;

St. Patrick Cathedral is the cathedral of the Catholic Church located in Fort Worth, Texas. It is a parish of the Diocese of Fort Worth and the seat of its bishop, Bishop Michael Fors Olson, S.T.D., M.A. St. Patrick's cathedral was constructed beginning in 1888 and dedicated in 1892. The cathedral is proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Patrick Cathedral

The United States Post Office is one of Fort Worth's more striking buildings. The massive structure was erected in 1933 and is an excellent example of Beaux-Arts and Classical Revival architecture. Several Corinthian-like columns featuring Longhorn and Hereford cattle depicted in the capitals are located on the front of the building. Other decorative elements include lion heads are and ornamental bas-relief panels. Inside, the lobby runs the entire length of the building and features marble, offices, original decorative features, and facilities for mailhandling operations. The building continues to operate as a post office today. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places 1985. 

United States Post Office

Built in 1931 and also known as the T&P Station, the Texas and Pacific Terminal Complex is comprised of three buildings: the passenger terminal/office building, a large warehouse, and an outbound freight building. The terminal/office building is thirteen stories high and was converted to loft homes in 2006. It also serves as the western terminus of the Trinity Railway Express commuter rail line. The building is one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in the city. Specificially, it is known for its "zigzag" moderne design. It was the work of architect Wyat C. Hedrick, who also designed many other buildings in Fort Worth. The complex represents both the height and the beginning of the end of the railroad era in the city, as railroads began to be used less and less starting in the 1950s. The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. 

Texas and Pacific Terminal Complex (T&P Station)

The Ashton Depot, originally&nbsp;known as the Sante Fe Depot, was opened on March 1&nbsp;of 1899.1 Fort Worth's population had boomed during the late 19th Century as railroads made transportation easier, cheaper, and faster than ever before. The city had previously allowed the construction of the Teas and Pacific Railway's depot on Lancaster Avenue, a massive structure that served as the primary station for the entire city.&nbsp;As the population grew, city officials found that the existing railroad infrastructure was unable to cope with the heavy passenger traffic, and commissioned the beautiful structure that stands today.&nbsp;The Depot was designed to relieve mounting pressure on other local stations, and is known today for its historic architecture.&nbsp; The building is styled in the beaux arts styles, which contributes to its red-and-white stone banding and decorative brickwork.2 There is no historic record that tells the name of the architect who designed this building, though it was recently discovered that the contractors were David Smith and John Bardon.3 The Ashton Depot serviced several railroad lines that ran through Fort Worth, including both the Santa Fe, and Amtrak.4 Over the years that followed the Depot's construction, the freight station next door was converted into the University of Texas at Arlington Fort Worth Center.&nbsp; During 1937, the Depot was renovated by the Fort Worth Union Passenger Station and the Santa Fe Railroad.5&nbsp;This renovation followed the demolition of the original Texas and&nbsp; Pacific Railway depot on Lancaster Avenue, a structure that was replaced in 1931.&nbsp;The renovation of Ashton Depot&nbsp;followed the construction of the Texas and Pacific building, and&nbsp;saw the removal of many of the Depot's iconic features, including the stained glass, marble floor, and decorative electric lights in an attempt to "modernize" the structure. All of these artifacts and design elements have since been found and returned to the Depot. Following the renovation,&nbsp;the station served many lines. This continued until 1960, when the&nbsp;Santa Fe line&nbsp;became the sole provider to use the facility.6&nbsp; Today, thanks to private backers, the facility has been fully restored at considerable expense. The original stained-glass windows, barrel-vaulted ceilings, and marble floors were re-located, uncovered, and brilliantly restored to&nbsp;dazzle visitors and historians alike. This restoration was completed in 2006.7 Since then,&nbsp;the building continues to serve Fort Worth, but now as an event center, wedding venue, and for other private functions.8 It serves Fort Worth's Ashton Hotel, a "upscale boutique hotel" that is in the heart of Fort Worth's historic Sundance Square, Bass Performance Hall, and near the Fort Worth Stockyards.9

Currently operating as a meeting and banquet facility for the Ashton Hotel, Ashton Depot (originally the Santa Fe Depot) was opened in 1899 response to Fort Worth's growing population's demand for railroad service. The Depot has truly witnessed some of the most historic events of the Twentieth Century.

Downtown Fort Worth Walking Tour

Blackstone Hotel

Introduction

Images

Sources

Additional Information