Fort Worth was the last major stop for drovers driving longhorn cattle up the Chisholm Trail to the rail heads. Between 1866 and 1890 more than four million head of cattle were trailed through Fort Worth and consequently it became known as Cowtown. The official symbol of Fort Worth is the Texas Longhorn, the first breed of cattle established by the early settlers to the region, by crossing feral Mexican cattle with their own eastern breeds. Still farmed today for their beef, many ranchers keep herds because of their link to Texan history.

Evening dinner will be at a local restaurant before our visit to the Cowtown Coliseum for the big Rodeo.

Local Agriculture

Cotton ranching once dominated the economy, with railroad construction starting after 1870, this contributed to the forming of new cities, with names we are familiar with today. Timber became an important industry towards the end of the 19th Century, but in 1901 the most productive oil well the world had ever seen was discovered and led to Texas’ reputation as an oil rich state.

Agriculture is also a significant part of the Texan economy, with the state having the greatest annual beef production in the USA, in addition to the largest producer of cotton, harvesting 8 million bales annually.