Welcome to Cowboy Town, Texas
Notorious villains Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow slept just down the hall from us when they stayed at the Stockyards Hotel in Cowboy Town Fort Worth in 1933.
Apparently they left in a so much of a hurry that Bonnie forgot her .38 revolver. It’s still there today in the suite along with a copy of a poem she wrote for Clyde.
The hotel takes you back in time. It takes time to check-in. Room keys are still real keys and it captures the essence of what really makes Fort Worth, Fort Worth from the “Howdy” greeting with the tip of a hat to the “have a nice day” Cowboy Town farewell.
Nothing much changes in the 15-block Stockyards National Historic District of Fort Worth _ one of the city’s five entertainment districts.
It may well be the 16th largest city in the United States (777,992 people) but the fact that it is caught in a time warp is part of its tourist appeal as the city of “cowboys and culture”.
There’s definitely no shortage of bibles, beer, outlaws, saddles and steers in this Cowboy Town.
Watch out for the cattle
In fact Fort Worth hosts the world’s only twice daily cattle drive which runs down Exchange Avenue just outside our hotel. We arrived in town driving our big red Chevrolet on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of a long weekend. There are people standing five deep on the footpath to get a view of the cattle drive.
The western influence permeates every part of life in this district from shopping to education and dance. But Texas life evolves mostly around food and that food has a distinctive Mexican flavour.
If you want to eat like a local why not start the day with some serious Cowboy Town Tex-Mex cuisine at Esperanza’s Mexican Bakery and Cafe. Even breakfast here comes with corn chips and a fiery salsa. ($20 for two people)
At night try a steak at H3 Ranch and don’t bother with entrees or desserts. Just order the gigantic Texas steak which comes with fries and corn. Toss in a couple of Rahr & Sons beers to wash it down for about $70.
If you are in the market for a pair of custom-made boots Maverick Fine Western Wear has something to fit you. Be aware though boots here are not cheap. They are authentic and it costs a pretty penny to own a pair of genuine Texas-made boots.
Australians love Fort Worth
Texas is a hot destination for Australians right now.
Australia is the sixth largest international market after Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and Brazil.
Just over 40,000 Australians visited Dallas Fort Worth last year _ more than double the figure from 10 years ago.
Australian visitor numbers to Texas are also rising by 45 percent with 74,000 people holidaying in 2012. That’s triple the number of a decade ago.
The vast majority come for a holiday and stay at least eight nights.
The DFW airport is 25 kilometres from Fort Worth _ about a $50 cab ride to Cowboy Town.
Fort Worth is spread out and even though its five main entertainment districts are all within five kilometres of each other you will need a car to get around.
Head for the outlet malls
We headed downtown to Sundance Square on Monday _ the shopping precinct. To be honest serious shoppers need to avoid all US downtowns and head to the Outlet Malls and there are three within 40 minutes of Fort Worth.
Sundance Square itself though is a great family-friendly spot to hang out with lots of cafes and fine dining options. If you want to have some fun with burgers head to Rodeo Goat (www.rodeogoat.com) where the burgers come with names like Oh Whitney, Country Joe & the Fish, Hot Bastard and Redheaded Stranger. There was only one burger on the menu over $10 and the fact that it was crowded from noon shows how much diners love it.
Famous in Fort Worth
Ginger Rogers kicked up her heels on the stage of Fort Worth’s Majestic Theater long before she partnered with Fred Astaire. Her childhood home is still here and one of her early cabin cruisers still plies the waters of a local lake.
Actor Bill Paxton, star of Titanic and Big Love, spent his youth in Fort Worth. Tony-award winning Broadway star Betty Buckley got her start at Casa Manana and went on to captivate audiences worldwide while performing in Cats and Sunset Boulevard. She still calls Fort Worth home and is very involved in our theatre scene.
Actress Kate Capshaw was born at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth. She often visits the city with her famous husband, director Steven Spielberg. Larry Hagman may have found fame in the television show Dallas, but Fort Worth was his, and his mom’s (Broadway star Mary Martin) home.
Oscar nominated actor Ethan Hawke (Dead Poets Society) frequently visits his family in Fort Worth. Award-winning actor Lou Diamond Phillips (Stand and Deliver, La Bamba) graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington and performs at our magnificent Bass Performance Hall.
Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean is a native Texan and grew up in Fort Worth. He was one of the earliest men to walk on the moon and also returned to space with Skylab 3. He’s now an artist and actually uses real moon dust in his paintings.
Music to our ears
Musicians, from classical to country, have also flourished in Fort Worth. Roger Miller, John Denver, and American Idol-winner Kelly Clarkson have all called the Fort Worth area home.
The internationally acclaimed, classical pianist Van Cliburn moved to Texas as a young child and has made Fort Worth his home for many years. The prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held every four years, has been hosted at Bass Performance Hall since 2001.
Even with such an impressive roster of celebrities, the city of Fort Worth is famous in its own right. As early as the 1950’s the city was a backdrop for films such as Strategic Air Command with Jimmy Stewart and June Allyson. The incomparable Fort Worth Water Gardens were the set for the 70’s sci-fi thriller Logan’s Run. Chuck Norris filmed his TV series Walker: Texas Ranger throughout the city. And the world’s largest honky-tonk, Billy Bob’s Texas has launched countless singing careers and been the location for numerous films.
FAST FACTS
In 1963, President Kennedy gave his final public speech in Fort Worth before leaving for Dallas where he was shot and killed.
More than 60 percent of America’s paper money is printed in Fort Worth.