Welcome to Imagine Notes, this guide has been published by Imagination Celebration Fort Worth in collaboration with ArtsCorps members and Fort Worth Stockyards.
Imagine Notes contain:
Bill Pickett
Quanah Parker
Pawnee Bill
Mae Lilly
Stockyards History
Stockyards Timeline
BILL PICKETT (1870-1932)
Bill Pickett was the first African-American cowboy to be inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. He invented the rodeo event Bulldogging, known today as Steer Wrestling.
In the Miller Brothers, "101 Ranch Wild West Show" Bill Pickett became famous by performing his spectacular act, "bite the steer on the lips",
Bill Pickett died of injuries received, when he was kicked in the head, as he was thrown off of a horse during competition.
QUANAH PARKER - LAST COMANCHE WAR CHIEF (1845-1922)
Quanah Parker was the son of Cynthia Ann Parker and Chief Pete Nocona.
As a War Chief, Quanah was feared by many people.
Later as a Statesman, Quanah became a good friend to the "White Man"
THE COWTOWN COLISEUM
The Coliseum was constructed in 1907-1908 to provide an exhibition hall for the Fort Worth Fat Stock Show.
The Coliseum is the birthplace of the first Indoor Rodeo, in
In 1911, President Teddy Roosevelt spoke in the Coliseum.
Elvis Presley had a Rock 'n Roll Concert in the Coliseum, in
1956.
FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS
Sesquicentennial means 150 years.
World Champion Cowgirl, Tad Lucas often did trick riding in the Coliseum.
The Fort Worth Fat Stock Show began on the banks of Marine Creek in 1896.
The bronze longhorn that watches over the Stockyards from the Livestock Exchange Building is known as "Molly".
Over 100 million heads of livestock were processed in the Stockyards during its 70 years.
"Mule Alley" was known as the largest mile and horse market in the world in 1912.
Soldiers came from around the world in 1918 to buy draft and cavalry animals from the Stockyards.
The Swift and Co. Building now houses The Spaghetti Warehouse.
PAWNEE BILL'S WILD WEST SHOW
Pawnee Bill's real name was Gordon William Lillie.
The Pawnee called Pawnee Bill, White Chief of the Pawnee.
Buffalo Bill Cody was Pawnee Bill's boyhood hero.
Pawnee Bill fell in love with and married a Philadelphia society girl named May Manning.
Pawnee Bill's wife, May Lillie, became an expert marksman and she starred in Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show.
From the 1890's to the 1930's, Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show was the biggest and the best of all the touring Wild West Shows.
In the glory days of Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show, they carried a cast and crew of 645 people, over 400 horses and steers, a herd of 20 buffalo, the world's largest power plant or generator, and a 21 foot oven. All of this was loaded on a specially designed train and they toured the world for over 30 years.
Today's Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show is a reenactment of the Original Wild West Show that toured the world from the 1890's to the 1930's.
Alan Cartwright, the star and producer of Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show, is an expert marksman, trick rider, and a master with the Blacksnake Bull Whip.
STOCKYARDS HISTORY
The history of the Stockyards is a vital part of the 150 year history of Fort Worth. Fort Worth was established by the pony soldiers in 1849, on the south bank of the Trinity River, to protect settlers from Indians that never attacked. As a result about 4 years later the soldiers were sent further west to protect the ever growing country.
Fort Worth continues growing and with the herding of cattle north to the Chisholm Trail, it earns the name "Cowtown". With more and more cattle being driven up the Eastern or McCoy Trail and the coming of the railroad, local businessmen are convinced of the need for a local stockyard. In 1877 the Union Stockyard is built on what is now the Fort Worth Stockyards. Less than twenty years later the Fort Worth Stockyards Company buy the Union Stockyard.
The first Fort Worth Fat Stock Show was held in 1896 on the banks of Marine Creek near the present site of the Coliseum. The Livestock Exchange Building, the Armour & Co., and Swift & Co. all begin building in the stockyards in 1902. Five years later, the success of the meat-packing industry and the annual stock show brings about the building of the Coliseum to house the stock show indoors. The World's first indoor rodeo was held there ten years later. The Coliseum held many events besides the stock show and rodeo. It has seen the appearances of famous people such as, Chief Quanah Parker, President Theodore Roosevelt, Bob Wills, Elvis Presley, and Bob Hope. Today, the Coliseum is the home of the Stockyards Championship Rodeo.
The 1960's and 1970's bring about the closing of the Armour & Co. and the Swift & Co. packing plants. With their closing much of the Stockyards are closed down. This didn't last long. In
1976 the Stockyards become a National Historic Site. That same year the North Fort Worth Historical Society is organized and the work of revitalizing the Stockyards begins.
The 1980's sees the opening of Billy Bob's Texas in a former livestock exhibition barn. A few years later the Texas Bi-Centennial Wagon Train ends its 6 month statewide trip in the Stockyards. The 1990's have continued the revitalization with The opening of the Visitor Center, the Stockyards Station, and the beginning of regular runs of the Tarantula train. A local businessman buys the Livestock Exchange Building and remaining pens to keep ownership local. The great American Cattle Drive leaves the Stockyards with a herd of Longhorns headed for Montana and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo becomes 100 in 1996. The next year the Stockyards holds the kickoff celebration for the Texas Motor Speedway and established the Stockyards Trail of Fame.
1887
Union Stockyards incorporated on the site of present Stockyards
1892
Boston businessman 0. Simpson sees a full stockyards and helps
make Fort Worth one of the world's biggest livestock centers
1893
Fort Worth Stockyards Company is chartered, later buys Union
Stockyard
1896
First Stock Show held on the banks of Marine Creek at Stockyards
1901
Fort Worth Livestock Exchange incorporated
1902
Armour and Swift begin building their packing p1ants.
North Fort Worth Town Site Co. buys 1,200 acres and builds 1,040
homes near the Stockyards
1903
Livestock Exchange is built in the Stockyards.
1904
Over 1 million head of cattle handled at the Stockyards.
Sam Rosen builds home near the Stockyards called Rosen Heights.
1908
Cowtown Coliseum is completed in 88 working days.
1910
Fort Worth Stockyards sign erected across Exchange Ave.
1918
World's first indoor rodeo held in the Cowtown Coliseum
1920
Enrico Caruso sings in the Coliseum
1923
Cowtown Coliseum has the first live radio broadcast of a rodeo
1956
Elvis Presley sings in the Coliseum
1962
Armour & Co. closes their packing plant
1971
Swift & Co. close their packing plant
1976
Fort Worth Stockyards become a National Historical Site
North Fort Worth Historical Society is organized.
1981
Billy Bob's Texas opens in a Stockyards' livestock exhibition barn
1985
Texas' Bi-Centennial Wagon Train ends its statewide trip in the
Stockyards
1992
Stockyards Visitor Center and Stockyards Station open
1995
Great American Cattle Drive leaves Stockyards with Longhorn
herd headed for Montana
1996
Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is 100 years old
1997
Stockyards establish the Stockyards Trail of Fame
Stockyards hold kickoff party for Texas Motor Speedway
