Fort Worth: Outpost, Cowtown, Boomtown

Fort Worth, Texas, has grown from a military camp in the 1840s to a major city, but its future was uncertain. Fort Worth: How a Landlocked Outpost on the Arid Plains Made and Remade Itself chronicles the city's early years, from the cattle drives that made it prosperous to the arrival of railroads, the Panic of 1893, the growth of meatpacking, the discovery of oil, and the growth of a notorious vice district. The book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in Fort Worth, urban history, municipal development, or Texas and the West.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 292 pages
Publication date: 08 July 2021
Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press

From its humble beginnings as an army camp in the 1840s, Fort Worth has emerged as one of the largest cities in Texas and the United States, a vibrant hub of culture and commerce. However, the city's future, let alone its present prosperity, was anything but certain. Fort Worth chronicles the story of how this landlocked outpost on the arid plains of Texas transformed itself in its early years, setting a pattern of boom-and-bust progress that would guide the city through to the twenty-first century.

Harold Rich takes up the narrative in 1880, when Fort Worth found itself at a crossroads as the cattle drives that had been a significant economic boon began to decline. He explores the arduous struggle that ensued, marked by numerous setbacks, failures, missteps, and successes. The journey begins with a single-minded commitment to attracting railroads, which played a pivotal role in fostering the growth of a modern municipal infrastructure. Rail access led to the development of paved streets, streetcars, waterworks, and made Fort Worth the transportation hub of the Southwest.

Although the Panic of 1893 posed another challenge, the arrival of Armour and Swift in 1903 turned the city's fortunes around by expanding its cattle-based economy to include meatpacking. With a wealth of data, Fort Worth meticulously documents the changes wrought upon Fort Worth's economy in subsequent years through the rise of packinghouses and military bases, the discovery of oil, and the establishment of a notorious vice district known as Hell's Half Acre. Throughout, Rich notes the social trends woven intricately into this economic history and delves into the machinations of municipal politics and personalities that give Fort Worth its distinct character.

As the first comprehensive economic history of the city's early years in over five decades, Fort Worth is a valuable contribution to the field. It sheds light on the city's origins, growth, and development, providing a deeper understanding of its past and shaping its future.

Weight: 445g
Dimension: 234 x 156 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780806169118