fort worth

2011 | imagesfortworth.com

texas

What’s
Online 
Get a taste of
Fort Worth’s
finest cuisine.

it takes
a village
Urban revitalization 
gains momentum

STREET smarts
College campuses  
enliven downtown

A River Runs
Through It
Trinity’s renewal makes big splash

presented by the fort worth Chamber of Commerce

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 fort worth
2011 edition | volume 1

texas

co nte nt s

F e atu r e s

18 A river runs through it

Trinity’s renewal makes big splash.

18 22 it takes a village
Urban revitalization program
gains momentum.

30 street smarts
College campuses
enliven downtown.

22 30
i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 3
Fort Worth
in action

Don’t just take our word for it – see for yourself how great Fort Worth
is in our quick videos at imagesfortworth.com, highlighting a little
bit of everything that Fort Worth has to offer.

imagesfortworth.com

 fort worth
2011 edition | volume 1

texas 42
d e pa r tm e nt s

10 Almanac
15 Fun Things To Do
16 Fort Worth in a Weekend
26 Image Gallery
34 Biz Briefs
36 Chamber Report
37 Economic Profile

16 44
39 Business Overview
4 1 Real Estate
42 Local Flavor
44 Health & Wellness
46 Arts & Culture
48 Sports & Recreation
5 1 Golf
52 Education
55 Community Profile

on the cover Photo by Antony Boshier

The Chesapeake Energy building

All or part of this magazine is  

printed on recycled paper containing

48 10% post-consumer waste.

Please recycle this magazine

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 5
 DINING CULTURE
HEALTH
C A R E SHOPPING
BUSINESSES
NEIGHBORHOODS
SENIOR LIVING
RECREATION SALARY
VOLUNTEERING
MOVING SCHOOLS
UTILITIES
MEDIA
WEATHER

POPULATION
INDUSTRY
TRANSPORTATION

Just the facts, please.

Many factors will determine your move, and now you’re just a click away from
all the basic facts you’ll need. Visit imagesfortworth.com for our enhanced
Facts & Stats section, now rich with quick, pertinent details about the community.

Trusted real estate

Digital Edition advisors to generations
of Fort Worth families
since 1926.
A River Runs
Through It
FORT WORTH’S RENEWED TRINITY RIVER MAKES A SPLASH
More than a house,
you want a
STORY BY LAURA HILL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY BOSHIER

N
ot long ago, the Trinity River was little more
than a neglected ditch, the victim of well-
intended flood control measures. But today,
thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens,

Lifestyle.
local, state and federal governments, the Trinity is the
beating heart of the city and a promise of great things to
come.
The tragedy of the Trinity came after disastrous floods
had periodically swamped Fort Worth’s downtown for
decades. Rerouting the river and building huge levees eased
floods but left the river little more than an eyesore.
Rescuing a River
Then, in 1971 a group of concerned community members,
Streams and Valleys, launched a campaign to restore the river
they loved, a groundswell that grew for three decades. In
2003, after hundreds of public meetings, citywide discussion
and planning, The Trinity River Vision plan was adopted by
the city.
An ambitious re-imagining of 88 miles of the river, its Walker on the Trinity River Trails in Trinity Park in Foth
tributaries and a large blighted area of downtown, it aims to Worth Texas. Left: Dowtown Fort Worth as seen from the

18 FO RT WO RTH I M AG E S F O R T W O R T H . C O M 19

We can make
Share with that happen.
a friend
Easily share an interesting
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OR WEBSITE? OUR MISSION
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through video and find links
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information.

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i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 7
 What’s Online 
imagesfortworth.com

Photos
fort worth
2011 | ImaGesFoRtWoRth.Com

See more photos in texas

our online photo gallery What’s

Online 
Get a taste of
Fort Worth’s
finest cuisine.

Get the inside scoop from It takes

our photographers’ blog a vIllaGe
Urban revitalization
gains momentum

stReet smaRts
College campuses 
enliven downtown

Facts & Stats a River Runs

through It
Dig deeper with in-depth data Trinity’s renewal makes big splash 

on industries, schools and more

pResented by the FoRt WoRth ChambeR oF CommeRCe

Video Digital
Get a moving glimpse at favorite
local places and attractions
edition
Easily share articles and
Real estate photos on Facebook,
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Learn about the local housing market
and get started finding your place

8 F o r t W o r t h
 fort worth
2011 edition | volume 1

texas

Project Manager Courtney Seiter

Proofreading Manager Raven Petty
Content Coordinator Jessica Walker
Staff Writer Kevin Litwin
Copy Editors Lisa Battles, Jill Wyatt
Contributing writers Laura Hill,
Kevin Litwin, joe Morris
Media Technology Director Christina Carden
Senior Graphic Designers Laura Gallagher,
Jessica Manner, Janine Maryland, Kris Sexton,
Candice Sweet, Vikki Williams
Media Technology Analysts Chandra Bradshaw,
lance Conzett, Michele Niccore, Marcus Snyder
Photography Director Jeffrey S. Otto
Senior Photographers Jeff Adkins, Brian McCord
Staff Photographers Todd Bennett, Antony Boshier
Web Content Managers John Hood, Kim Madlom
Web project manager noy fongnaly
Web Design Director Franco Scaramuzza
Web Designer Leigh Guarin
Web developer i Yamel Hall
Ad Production Manager Katie Middendorf
Ad Traffic Assistants Krystin Lemmon, Patricia Moisan
I.T. Director Yancey Bond
I.T. support technician bryan foriest
Regional Sales Manager Chris Sweeney
Sales Support/Community, Business, Custom
Rachael Goldsberry
Senior Accountant Lisa Owens
Accounts Payable Coordinator Maria McFarland
Accounts Receivable Coordinator Diana Guzman
Office Manager/Accounts Receivable
Coordinator Shelly Miller
Integrated Media Manager Rhonda Graham
Sales Support Manager Cindy Hall
color imaging technician Alison Hunter

Chairman Greg Thurman

President/Publisher Bob Schwartzman
Executive Vice President Ray Langen
Senior V.P./Sales Todd Potter, Carla Thurman
Senior V.P./Operations Casey Hester
Senior V.P./Client Development Jeff Heefner
V.p./External Communications Teree Caruthers
V.P./Custom Publishing Kim Newsom
V.P./Visual Content Mark Forester
V.P./Content Operations Natasha Lorens
V.P./Sales Charles Fitzgibbon,
Herb Harper, Jarek Swekosky
Controller Chris Dudley
Content Director/Travel Publications
Susan Chappell
Content Director/Business Publications
Bill McMeekin
Marketing Creative Director Keith Harris
Distribution Director Gary Smith
Executive Secretary Kristy Duncan
Human Resources Manager Peggy Blake
Receptionist Linda Bishop

Fort Worth magazine is published annually by Journal

Communications Inc. and is distributed through the
Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and its member
businesses. For advertising information or to direct
questions or comments about the magazine, contact
Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080
or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.
For more information, contact:
Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
777 Taylor Street, Suite 900, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Phone: (817) 336-2491 • Fax: (817) 877-4034
www.fortworthchamber.com
Visit fort worth online
at imagesfortworth.com
©Copyright 2011 Journal Communications Inc.,
725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067,
(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.
No portion of this magazine may be reproduced
in whole or in part without written consent.

Member The Association of Magazine Media

Member Custom Content Council
Member Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 9
 Almanac

Welcome to
Fort Worth
An introduction to the area’s people, places and events

Pet Paradise
Fort Worth is full of places to
take your furry friends. In fact,
many know the place by its pet
name – Fort Woof. Fort Woof,
located in Gateway Park, is the
city’s first and most recognizable
dog park, recently winning spots
on both Southern Living and Dog
Fancy’s lists of best dog parks.
Its biggest event is the annual
Barktoberfest, which features
performing dogs, Bark for Life
walk for cancer and a Howl-o-
ween dog costume contest. For
the pampered pet, specialty stores
such as Glamour Paws and the
Grand Pet Resort & Salon are
Bravo, Encore sure to satisfy.

Famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma once remarked that Bass

Performance Hall is a rare venue where the music heard by
the audience is the same as that heard by the performer. Singer
Tony Bennett said Bass Performance Hall tops every excellent
concert hall in Europe in which he has performed. The hall, named
by Travel + Leisure Magazine as one of the top 10 best opera houses
in the world, is the permanent home to many of the major performing
arts organizations in Fort Worth, and is also well-known for its arts
education classes. Some of its most unique architectural features are
the 48-foot limestone angels gracing the front of the building.

City Within a City

Ross Perot, Jr. and his Hillwood company are behind AllianceTexas,
a 17,000-acre, master-planned, mixed-use community located in north
Fort Worth. The development is home to 240 companies, 28,000
employees and 7,300 single-family homes. There are a variety of
commercial real estate options, including new industrial, office and
retail. Hillwood is a company known for taking on large projects, with
previous developments such as sports arenas, high-rise
condominiums, golf courses, airports, rail yards and regional malls.
For more information, visit www.alliancetexas.com.

10 F o r t W o r t h
 Taking Stock
This is no bull: One of the city’s most interesting
entertainment destinations is the Fort Worth Stockyards.
Once home to a thriving livestock industry, Fort Worth
became known as “Cowtown” because of the 4 million
head of cattle that passed through the city from 1866-
1890 on the Chisholm Trail. The entertainment
district in downtown those days was
disreputable and became known all
over the West as “Hell’s Half Acre.”
Today, the thriving Stockyards
District is home to quaint
shops, restaurants, night
clubs and historical
landmarks, as well
as rodeos.
Colorful Legacy
History buffs and curiosity seekers can rejoice.
Take a walk through downtown along the Fort
Worth Heritage Trails to learn about the people
and events that shaped the city’s rich history. The
trails celebrate the community’s early history on
engraved markers that detail the colorful legacy
of Fort Worth’s founders. Heritage Trails walking
maps are available at Downtown Fort Worth Inc.,
Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau,
Intermodal Transportation Center and the
Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel.

JFK Was Here

Fort Worth holds a special place in history – it’s
where President John F. Kennedy spent his last night
and gave his last speech on Nov. 22, 1963. That
morning, Kennedy addressed thousands after a Fort
Worth Chamber breakfast at the Hotel Texas, where he
and wife Jackie had spent the night. President Kennedy
then headed to Dallas, where he met his
untimely death. To commemorate
Kennedy’s Fort Worth visit, plans are
in place to erect an 8-foot-tall, cast- Fast Facts
bronze sculpture of him in the
downtown General Worth n The nonprofit Partners for Livable
Communities named Fort Worth one of  
Square. The statue, by artist
America’s Most Livable Communities.
Lawrence M. Ludtke, is
already completed and   n A 2009 U.S. News & World Report list called the
was funded by private city one of the Best Affordable Places to Retire.
contributions. The statue
is tentatively scheduled n Fortune Small Business ranked Fort Worth
to be officially the ninth-best place in the nation to Live and  
unveiled to the Launch a Business.
public in 2011.
n Sixty percent of America’s paper money is
printed at the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and  
Printing Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth.

n The Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth is the

second-largest museum gallery space for modern  
art in America, next to MoMA New York.

n Fort Worth ranked No. 4 on CNBC’s 2010

list of Best Cities to Relocate To in America.

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 11
 12 F o r t W o r t h
 From Cowboys
to Clubs
Sundance Square is rich in

High Art Western history and lore since

downtown Fort Worth was one
Seen a masterpiece lately? It’s easy to do in Fort Worth. The city’s of the major cattle stops on the
Cultural District, bordered by a boulevard paved with bricks, is home legendary Chisholm Trail of the
to five museums featuring Old World and New World art masterpieces 1800s. Today, the 35-block
along with exotic science and cultural exhibits. Many large outdoor area bears little resemblance
pieces also call the Modern home. One of the most prominent is to its cowpoke days. The
Conjoined by Roxy Paine, a stunning 40-foot-tall by 45-foot-wide entertainment district is
stainless-steel sculpture of two trees whose branches seem to have home to a lively collection of
reached out to each other and grown together. In addition, the area restaurants, clubs, live music
features charming shops and restaurants, a performing arts theater and venues and boutiques, two live
the Art Deco gem Will Rogers Memorial Center. The district also offers theaters, a comedy club and
several accommodations for overnight guests and is growing as a Bass Performance Hall.
residential community.

Fort Worth At A Glance Fort Worth

population (2009 estimate)

380
81
Fort Worth: 731,588
Plano
location
Keller 75
Located in north Texas, Fort Worth
635
is just 13 miles from Arlington, 23
Irving
miles from Irving and 32 miles
from Dallas.
Fort Worth
30 Dallas
20
Arlington 80
beginnings 20
The city was established in 1849
as an Army outpost overlooking TA R R A N T 175
the Trinity River. Mansfield 45

377
for more information 35W
287
Fort Worth
Chamber of Commerce
777 Taylor St., Ste. 900
67
What’s Online 
Fort Worth, TX 76102 Take a virtual tour of Fort Worth, courtesy
Phone: (817) 336-2491 of our award-winning photographers, at
Fax: (817) 877-4034 imagesfortworth.com.
www.fortworthchamber.com

287
i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 13
 P R E M I E R MVR
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cumulative experience of the Fort
Worth Metroplex, we offer the latest
in real estate technology
Service – a team approach
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Commitment – Realtors on our staff
have earned one or more advanced
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Find us on Facebook
Results – we walk you through every
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and happy transaction
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14 F o r t W o r t h
 Fun Things To
Do in Fort Worth
Discover all the fun that Fort Worth has to offer

With three distinct districts, Fort Worth has an abundance

of attractions to entertain residents and visitors of all ages.

1.
Soak up the “city of cowboys
and culture” in Sundance
Square at the Sid Richardson
Museum, one of the finest and
most focused collections of
western art in America.
4.
Have some fun at the Main
Street Fort Worth Arts Festival,
a downtown favorite with locals
and visitors for 25 years.

2.
5.
Photo Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway

Shop on more than 30 blocks of

boutiques and specialty stores in
Fort Worth’s brick-lined Camp
Bowie District.
Attend the Crowne Plaza Invitational
at Colonial and walk the course five­
8.
Catch a thrilling NASCAR race
at Texas Motor Speedway.
-time winner Ben Hogan called home.

3.
Visit the new Museum of Living
Art exhibit at the Fort Worth Zoo.
9.
Saddle up for horseback riding
at Stockyard Station.

6.
Visit the Fort Worth Botanic
Gardens, the oldest in Texas, for
a dose of tranquility in a central
109 acre setting.
10.
Enjoy Texas football with NCAA
ranked TCU Horned Frogs.

7.
Lose yourself in an enchanting story
with mesmerizing performances at
the Fort Worth Opera.

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 15
 Fort Worth
In a Weekend
an itinerary highlighting the best of fort worth

Known as the “City of Cowboys and Culture,” Fort Worth offers all that and plenty
more. With a bustling downtown, a sophisticated arts scene and a helping or two
of Old West culture, Fort Worth has a wildly diverse mix for any traveler – not to
mention that famous Tex-Mex cuisine, among other culinary highlights. Here’s our
itinerary to discover some of Fort Worth’s best bets, all in a weekend visit.
Antony Boshier

16 F o r t W o r t h
 Day 1: Downtown Fort Worth
7 pm: Classic Texas Cuisine at Reata
Start your weekend by taking in the warm Texas
weather at Reata, a downtown Fort Worth favorite.
The four-story eatery, decked out cowboy-style,
has a seat for everyone – but the rooftop bar and
dining patio is the place to see and be seen during
Cowtown’s long warm season. Cuisine here is
Southwestern eclectic, with everything from
steaks to Creole and Southern dishes. Locals
swear by the fish tacos.
9 pm: Sundance Square and Four-Day Weekend
Spend some time window-shopping or grabbing
a post-dinner cocktail as you walk your way through
Sundance Square, Fort Worth’s downtown hub full
of bars, cafes and boutiques. Catch some laughs at
local improv comedy troupe Four-Day Weekend’s 10
p.m. show. The all-male group has been entertaining
the city for more than a decade. (Too late for you?
Early birds can catch the 7 p.m. show instead.) Wind
up your night at The Ashton Hotel in downtown
Fort Worth, a boutique hotel renovated from
two buildings listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.
Day 2: Southside, Cultural
District, Stockyards District
8 am: Breakfast at Paris Coffee Shop
Smack in the middle of the hipster Near Southside
neighborhood is your breakfast destination – the
old-school diner Paris Coffee Shop, known for its
cheese grits and biscuits and gravy. The no-frills
atmosphere belies the diner’s pedigree: Bon Appetit
magazine named Paris one of the top 10 places in
the U.S. for pie. (No, it’s not too early for a top-
heavy meringue chocolate or coconut slice.)
9 am: Cultural District Museums
Spend the morning exploring the Cultural District,
where you’ll have your pick of five museums, Art
Deco jewels and kids’ activities all in the lushly
landscaped, urbane middle of the city.
If art is what you’re after, The Modern Art Museum
of Fort Worth boasts a provocative collection, as
well as renowned architecture, and the Kimbell Art
Museum has been called one of the country’s best
small collections. For western art, the Amon Carter
Museum’s Remington and Russell collection is a
good option. Kids will love the Museum of Science
and History.
1 pm: Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican Lunch and Patio
For a little south of the border, drive a bit north to
local favorite Joe T. Garcia’s, known for its handmade
tortillas, legendary margaritas and perfect patio.
(Tip: If you’re not ready to leave the Cultural District
yet, Cafe Modern within The Modern Art Museum
provides upscale fare with a dramatic view).
3 pm: Stockyards District and Cattle Drive
Ready to see why Fort Worth is affectionately
known as Cowtown? A walk around the Stockyards
District will explain it all. The areas once housed one
of the largest cattle markets in the world. Today
it’s filled with Western-themed shops, saloons and
attractions like the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. Stick
around until 4 p.m. to see a real-life cattle drive.
6 pm: Lonesome Dove Bistro,
White Elephant Saloon
Don’t even try to leave the Stockyards without
having a steak. Luckily, Lonesome Dove Bistro is
one of the best restaurants to find one. Well-
known Texas chef Tim Love runs the upscale
eatery, where signature hand-cut steaks share
space on the menu with exotic wild game, like
grilled Texas quail quesadillas, kangaroo carpaccio
and buffalo ribeye.
Afterwards, belly up to the bar at White Elephant
Saloon, whose authentic Old West saloon ambiance
and live Texas music and dancing every night earned
it the title of one of Esquire magazine’s 100 Best
Bars in America.
9 pm: Live Music at Lola’s or Top Live
Country entertainment at Billy Bob’s
Fort Worth has a rocking local music scene. Catch
a set to close out your night at Lola’s Saloon, a bar
and venue in the Stockyards that focuses on the best
local, regional and national live music in Fort Worth.
Day 3: Trinity Trails,
Spiral Diner Brunch
8 am: Trinity Trails Workout
Get in an early workout along the Trinity Trails, a
network of more than 40 miles of paths for walking
and biking along the Trinity River. The trail network
connects with 21 parks, the Fort Worth Botanic
Garden and Japanese Garden, Log Cabin Village,
Fort Worth Zoo, the Stockyards and downtown
Fort Worth.
11 am: Spiral Diner Brunch
After working up an appetite, try the all-you-
can-eat pancake brunch at Spiral Diner along hip
Magnolia Avenue. This organic, vegan restaurant
appeals to both herbivores and carnivores, with
specialties like migas and “The Lumberjack” that
assure you won’t miss the meat.
i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 17
 18 F o r t W o r t h
 A River Runs
Through It
Fort Worth’s renewed Trinity River makes a splash

Story By Laura Hill

N
ot long ago, the Trinity River was little more
than a neglected ditch, the victim of well-
intended flood control measures. But today,
thanks to the efforts of concerned citizens,
local, state and federal governments, the Trinity is the
beating heart of the city and a promise of great things
to come.
The tragedy of the Trinity came after disastrous floods
had periodically swamped parts of the city for decades.
Re-routing the river and building huge levees eased floods,
but left the river little more than an eyesore.
Rescuing a River
Then, in 1971, a group of concerned community members,
Streams and Valleys, launched a campaign to restore the river
photos by Antony Boshier

they loved, a groundswell that grew for three decades. In

2003, after hundreds of public meetings, citywide discussion
and planning, The Trinity River Vision plan was adopted by
the city.
An ambitious re-imagining of 88 miles of the river, its Trinity River Trails Left: The view of downtown
tributaries and an area of downtown, it aims to protect the Fort Worth from the Trinity River Trails.

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 19

20
F o r t W o r t h

Photo Courtesy of Glen E. Ellman.

 Antony Boshier

Antony Boshier
river and make it more accessible to the entire community.
“We don’t want to see just skinny, sweaty people running
along the river trails,” says J.D. Granger, executive director
of Trinity River Vision Authority. “We want a river available
to everybody.”
Recreation on the Riverbanks
While the project moves toward its 2021 completion, Fort
Worth is already enjoying its renewed river, from quiet walks
along its banks to wet and wild water sports. Trinity River
Trails, a 40-mile riverside greenway system of walking, biking,
horseback and hiking trails connects 21 parks, the Fort Worth
Botanic Gardens, the Fort Worth Zoo, the Historic Stockyards
and downtown. Stops offer launch sites for kayaks and canoes,
picnic areas, water fountains, parking and misters. You can
even cross the river by train, courtesy of the Forest Park
Miniature Railroad.
One of the most anticipated amenities is the Cowtown
Wakepark, set to open in spring 2011 near Northside Drive.
Only the eighth park in the country devoted to wakeboarding,
a hybrid of surfing and waterskiing, the riverside facility will
replicate wave movement with cables.
Fishermen love the banks of the Trinity for catch-and-
release sport. The fishing pier at Trinity Park is a popular
spot; each spring hundreds of trout are released into the
river, affording anglers a field day.
Summer of Splash
Increasingly, outdoor-lovers find themselves not just next
to the river or on it, but in it. Trinity River Vision Authority
launched three wildly popular tubing events in 2010, floating
hundreds of people down river in inner tubes, and plans
more in summer 2011. The river also boasts a water-ski
slalom course.
For those who prefer sprawling on the sofa to splashing,
Colonial Park apartment homes offer “tranquil views” of
the river, while River Park lures renters with its proximity to
Trinity Trails. As the city’s vision emerges, more riverfront
housing and commercial space will turn a once-blighted area,
Trinity Uptown, into a vibrant new Fort Worth – inspired by
the river that runs through it.
“From 2000 to 2007 we grew from 530,000 people to
708,000,” Granger says. “Lots of young people who moved
here have no memory of an industrial riverfront – they just
see a beautiful river.”
Antony Boshier

Clockwise from top left: Downtown Fort Worth; Forest

Park Miniature Railroad; Biking on the Trinity River Trails;
A man walks his dog on the Trinity River Trails.

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 21
 It Takes a
Village
Urban revitalization program gains momentum

Story By kevin litwin

Photography By Antony boshier

N
ot one, not two, not three
– but 16 individual urban
villages are now located
throughout Fort Worth,
and the city is working with developers,
business groups and neighborhood
associations to revitalize all 16.
Urban villages are small geographic
areas, usually one square mile, that are
zoned for multiple-use development,
and are mass-transit and pedestrian
friendly. An ideal urban village is one
where parks, businesses, entertainment,
residences and stores are all within
walking distance of one another, resulting
in a virtual city within a city.
Magnolia, West
Seventh Lead the Way
All 16 villages are in what is called
the Central City portion of Fort Worth.
The village names are Berry/Riverside,
The Usual is a trendy bar in the Near Southside District. Right: Montgomery Berry Stalcup, Berry/University,
Plaza on West Seventh features stores, restaurants and residences. Bluebonnet Circle, Evans & Rosedale,

22 F o r t W o r t h
 i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 23
 Condos in Oleander Plaza in the Near Southside district, just south of downtown Fort Worth. The Near Southside
community dates back to the beginning of the 20th century, when it was developed as the city’s first streetcar suburb.
Today the neighborhood is a diverse and eclectic mixed-use community with plenty to offer diners, shoppers and dwellers.

Hemphill/Berry, Historic Handley,
Historic Marine, Magnolia, Near East
Side, Oakland Corners, Polytechnic/
Wesleyan, Ridglea, Six Points, South
Main and West Seventh.
Perhaps the most successful and
well-publicized villages to date are
Magnolia and West Seventh.
“Magnolia has experienced extensive
transformation along Magnolia Avenue
and the surrounding area, and has
actually become a regional attraction
thanks to what is being called Restaurant
Row,” says Mike Brennan, planner with
Fort Worth South Inc., which oversees
Magnolia Village, as well as the South
Main and Evans & Rosedale villages. “In
fact, one of the Magnolia restaurants is
Ellerbe Fine Foods, which was named one
of the Top 10 New Restaurants in America
for 2010 by Bon Appetit magazine.”
24-Hour Destinations
Brennan says one of the main
goals in the Fort Worth Urban Village
Program is to create a better balance
between housing and jobs, therefore
turning nine-to-five areas into 24-hour
destinations. For example, Magnolia
has been adding several loft apartments
over storefronts.
“Magnolia is already home to 30,000
jobs, so now the goal is to make it more
livable and pedestrian friendly,” he says.
“That included reconfiguring the four-
lane Magnolia Avenue into one lane of
travel in both directions, with a middle
turning lane. There is also a roomy bike
lane running along each perimeter.”
As for West Seventh Village, it
has been renovated from a warehouse
district of a decade ago into a walkable,
live/work environment that has become
an important link between downtown
and the Cultural District. Businesses
that moved into West Seventh in 2010
are Fidelity Investments, Hacienda San
Miguel Restaurant, MK’s Sushi, MODA
Salon & Spa, Reads Jewelers, VLK
Architects and In-N-Out Burger.
“When searching for the ideal site
for In-N-Out Burger, we do our due
diligence to find primary corridors of
activity and vibrancy,” says Carl Van
Fleet, vice president. “West Seventh
fits that requirement nicely.”
Just Starting the Process
Meanwhile, some villages are just
starting their redevelopment process.
For example, both Historic Marine
and Oakland Corners villages were
awarded $50,000 grants in 2010 to
undertake a community-driven
planning process that will address
various issues, including development
opportunities, transportation needs
and an overall vision.
“More livable villages means wider
sidewalks, trees, new buildings set back
from the road, traffic being slowed
down, and residential additions,”
Brennan says. “It’s an exciting time to
be involved with the Fort Worth Urban
Village Program.”

24 F o r t W o r t h
 Listen Up
fort worth hosts a wide variety of live music venues
E stablishments like City Streets, The Aardvark, Billy
Bob’s Texas, Flying Saucer Draught Emporium,
Sardines, and 8.0 Restaurant and Bar are well known
around the Fort Worth music scene.
They are just some of the numerous live entertainment
venues that grace and enrich the city’s nightlife. Live rock
spots include The Moon, Rockstar Sports Bar, 1919
Hemphill and Lola’s Saloon, which hosts popular local
bands such as Brutal Juice, Obituary and Moistboys.
Capital Bar in the Cultural District is a popular
rooftop bar featuring the Backyard, the bar’s “stage
under the stars” for live music and more. Plans are in
the works to expand Capital Bar with the addition of
the Back House, a smoking section with a more laid-
Capital Bar
back pub feel. The Back House will offer pool tables,
darts and video games, and will open up to the
Backyard area through garage doors.
There are also several live country music
destinations in Fort Worth, specifically in the Historic
Stockyards District. Some hot spots include White
Elephant Saloon, Stagecoach Ballroom, Rodeo
Exchange, Stockyard Saloon and Pearl’s Dance Hall
and Saloon, which has performances every Tuesday,
Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
The city is also home to a number of good blues
and jazz venues, including Embargo, 7th Heaven,
J&J Blues Bar, Buttons, and Scat Jazz Lounge.
– Kevin Litwin
i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 25
 Image Gallery

26 F o r t W o r t h
 Downtown Fort Worth
Photo by Antony Boshier

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 27
 Image Gallery

Elephants at the
Fort Worth Zoo
Photo by Antony Boshier

28 F o r t W o r t h
 Flamingos at the
Fort Worth Zoo
Photo by Antony Boshier

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 29
 30 F o r t W o r t h
 Street
Smarts
College campuses enliven downtown Fort Worth
Story By kevin litwin
F
ort Worth has 200,000
college students enrolled
at any given time, and it
graduates 35,000 students a
year. Much of the learning is going on
right in the center of the city’s vibrant
downtown district.
The district’s college scene is about
to get even bigger in the fall of 2011 with
the opening of Tarrant County College’s
Trinity River East Campus. Tarrant
County College is already the sixth-
largest college or university in Texas
Antony Boshier
The University of Texas Arlington Fort Worth Center offers graduate classes and continuing education programs in
the renovated historic Santa Fe Freight Building downtown.
in terms of enrollment, and the 2011
opening will become its sixth campus.
“Approximately one in every 19
Tarrant County residents takes a class
at TCC each year,” says Erma Johnson
Hadley, chancellor. “We expect our
new campus to be a main part of the
downtown landscape.”
State-of-the-Art Future
The Trinity River East Campus will
focus primarily on health-care training,
with students studying course
programs in nursing, radiology,
sonography and respiratory care.
Classrooms will feature 21st-century
technology and will resemble hospitals
complete with lifelike mannequins, so
students can gain a full spectrum of
clinical skills.
The Tarrant County College nursing
program is currently headquartered at
the TCC South Campus, and all allied
health programs will move to Trinity
River East once that campus opens in
time for the 2011-2012 school year.
i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 31
 Photo Courtesy of RadioShack Corp.
Tarrant County College’s downtown campus lights up the banks of the Trinity River. The state-of-the-art campus  
adds to downtown’s features and offers students a unique view as they walk to and from classes. Its central  
location also adds convenience for downtown workers who want to pick up evening classes.

Letter of the Law
Downtown Fort Worth is also home to the Texas Wesleyan
School of Law, which bills itself as providing a private school
education at virtually a public school cost.
“In today’s economic climate, providing a quality
educational experience at a reasonable cost is a rare thing
indeed,” says Frederic White, dean of Texas Wesleyan
University School of Law. “Here, our focus is on the student.”
The law school offers flexible scheduling so students can
choose between full-time or part-time course loads on a day
or evening basis, and the faculty is highly accessible. The
Texas Wesleyan law library is also regarded as one of the
best in all of Texas.
In the Santa Fe Depot
Meanwhile, the district is also where the University of
Texas at Arlington-Fort Worth Center holds classes. The
campus has been in existence since 2007 and offers a variety
of graduate classes and continuing education programs.
The campus is located in the historic Santa Fe freight depot.
The transformed building now features eight classrooms for UT
Arlington students, as well as meeting and conference space, a
resource library and a public art space called Gallery 76102.
Green Campus
UT Arlington-Fort Worth Center has also been making
news for its recycling and sustainability efforts.
“We’re doing what we can on a local level,” says Megan
Topham, operations director. “We use recycled paper with
the highest post-consumer waste content available. We use
soy ink. We have fluorescent, energy-saving light bulbs and
a comprehensive recycling program.”

32 F o r t W o r t h
 Hello, ESPN
fort worth to host
super bowl xlv game

Courtesy of Sundance Square

day coverage

C ollege students aren’t the only

ones who love Fort Worth.
ESPN will use Sundance Square,
a shopping and entertainment Sundance Square
district in the heart of the city,
as its headquarters for pre-game
and post-game coverage of Super
Bowl XLV. The game will occur
Feb. 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium
in Arlington, but the cable sports
network will host ESPN Game
Day programs from Feb. 1-7 in
Sundance Square. Fort Worth
officials courted ESPN for several
months prior to the network
selecting Fort Worth in late 2010.
City officials estimate $4.5
million in overall Super Bowl
promotions and marketing will be
spent during the special week. The
more than 80 hours of ESPN’s live
radio and TV broadcasts are likely
to bring in thousands of people
to Fort Worth’s downtown. The
actual broadcasts are expected
to showcase Fort Worth to tens of
millions of people throughout the
world, and the National Football
League estimates that as many as
150,000 visitors will come to North
Texas for the big game.
Besides ESPN, one of the other
highlights at Sundance Square in
downtown Fort Worth will be Lone
Star Live, a 21,000-square-foot
multi-themed bar that will combine
music and live entertainment.
And, if location rules, Fort
Worth is only a half-hour drive
from Cowboys Stadium.
For more information about
Super Bowl XLV and the role North
Texas will play by hosting the big
event, visit the North Texas Super
Bowl XLV Host Committee website
at www.northtexassuperbowl.com.
– Kevin Litwin

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 33
 Biz Briefs
Businesses – both large and small – that help define  
Fort Worth’s economic climate

Scorecard
Business At
A Glance

$5.8 billion
Annual retail sales

$10,190
Retail sales
per capita

$855 million
Annual hotel
and food sales

40,813
Total number
of firms

Company
Source:
U.S. Census
QuickFacts
of The Dannon
Photo Courtesy

MOTHER RUCKER’S SWEETS

Biz: Cookies and candy
Buzz: Mother Rucker’s Sweets is a gourmet
sweets and gift company that makes fresh-
baked cookies, brownies, handmade chocolate
bars and confections from its Fort Worth
headquarters. The company was founded in
2003 by Karel Rucker, who brought 25 years of
professional baking experience to her operation.
Many of the company’s sales nowadays are via
the Internet, and their phone number is fittingly
appropriate at (866) 73-YUMMY.
www.motherruckers.com

34 F o r t W o r t h
 … Let us run with
perseverance the
race marked out for us.
JUSTIN Brands ~ Hebrews 12:1
Biz: Boot manufacturer
Buzz: H.J. Justin and Sons was formed
in 1908, and by 1910 Justin boots were
sold in 26 states, Canada, Mexico and
Cuba for $11 a pair. The company
became headquartered in Fort Worth in
1925, and today Justin Boots is owned Est. 1963
by Berkshire Hathaway. All boots are
handmade and manufactured Offering Two Locations:
for men, women and children.
www.justinboots.com Arlington Campus
Early Childhood-12th Grade
2201 W. Park Row
PIER 1 IMPORTS Arlington, TX 76013
Biz: Home furnishings (817) 460-3315
Buzz: Pier 1 Imports started in 1962
with a single store, and today has more Mansfield Campus
than 1,000 locations nationwide. The Three Years-5th Grade
2351 Country Club Dr.
company bills itself as North America’s
Mansfield, TX 76063
largest specialty retailer of imported (817) 522-5900
home furnishings and décor, and
is headquartered in Fort Worth. Accredited by
Merchandise ranges from home ACSI, SACS-casi
accessories such as candles, vases
and picture frames to full-sized www.pantego.com
upholstered furniture, hand-carved
armoires, large-scale vases and wall art.
www.pier1.com

GORDON BOSWELL FLOWERS

Biz: Florist
Buzz: This company has been serving
Fort Worth since 1919, and numerous
times has been voted Best Florist in
Tarrant County. Most of the sales
at Gordon Boswell Flowers are for
traditional events such as weddings,
birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s
Day and Mother’s Day. However, the
business also features flowers for
categories such as For Him, School
Colors, High Style and In the Doghouse?
www.gordonboswell.com

The DANNON COMPANY

Biz: Yogurt maker
Buzz: This well-known company sells
and produces 6 million cups of yogurt
a day in nearly 100 flavors, styles, and
sizes. Dannon’s plant on the Near
Southside is one of Fort Worth’s
industrial landmarks, employing
hundreds of people in making and
distributing the world’s top-selling
brand of yogurt.
www.dannon.com

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 35
 Chamber Report

The Eyes Have It

Vision Fort Worth recruits young professionals

T here are 200,000 students

currently attending colleges and
universities in Fort Worth, and there
professionals to join, even if they aren’t
chamber members. Young professionals
in Vision Fort Worth are considered to
opportunity. We also have 20 mentors
on the chamber board who are older,
well-established, successful business
is potential for them to leave the city be between the ages of 21 and 40. leaders in Fort Worth who can provide
once they graduate. The Fort Worth “We’ve already signed up 300 one-on-one career mentoring to young
Chamber of Commerce wants them people,” says Brianna Broussard, professionals at any time.”
to want to stay. Vision Fort Worth manager. “This
The chamber has established an is an organization that gives young Perhaps Public Office?
organization called Vision Fort Worth professionals a connection with one Vision Fort Worth also allows
and is inviting all local young another – it’s a great networking members to get involved in community
service projects and even think about
perhaps getting into public office .
“Two of the city’s current council
members are under 40 years old,” says
Skillfully creating beautiful Andra Bennett, senior director of
communications with the Fort Worth
smiles for more than 30 years. Chamber of Commerce. “We also want to
help our young professionals get onto
nonprofit boards around town, so they
can get board experience and help a cause.”
Fort Worth, Circa 2036
Vision Fort Worth presents
annual 20/20 Awards to Fort Worth
companies that attract and retain
young professionals. In addition
young professionals are involved in
a Visioning Process initiative getting
under way now.
The group is working with TCU
Neely School of Business Associate
Marketing Professor Dr. Stacy Grau
and her colleague Dr. Susan Kleiser.
Joe H. Crain, D.D.S., M.S. Together, they will survey and conduct
research analysis that will culminate
Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics
in a town hall meeting in the spring
orthodontics for Children & adults of 2011.
Competing for
Give your smile a signature – a promise of a healthy, beautiful, Young Workers
long-lasting smile! With Dr. Crain’s signature smile, you will receive Broussard says studies show that
the benefit of his attention to detail, his clinical excellence 23 million baby boomers will retire by
and his experience. Dr. Crain and his team are committed to helping you 2012, but only 10 million Gen Xs and
achieve the smile you deserve in a warm and caring atmosphere. Gen Ys will enter the workforce.
“That means companies and
communities will need to compete for
Two locations to serve you: those younger workers,” she says. “We
4375 S. Hulen St. • Fort Worth, TX 76109 • (817) 926-9777 need Fort Worth young people to stay
in Fort Worth, which is what Vision
134 El Chico Trl. • Willow Park, TX 76087 • (817) 441-2122 Fort Worth is all about.”
For more, call Brianna Broussard
www.crainortho.com at (817) 338-3311 or visit the website
at www.visionfw.com.
– Kevin Litwin

36 F o r t W o r t h
 Economic profile
Economic Overview
Of the nation’s 20 largest cities, Fort Worth is the fastest growing.
People choose to start their business here due to the impressive
workforce. Those businesses thrive because Fort Worth is a major
center for industry, technology, distribution and transportation.

TRANSPORTATION workforce

taxes Rail:
BNSF Railway 372,639
www.bnsf.com Total workforce

1%
City Sales and Use Tax
Union Pacific 
www.up.com 57.2%
White Collar Jobs

1/2% Trinity Railway Express 

www.trinityrailwayexpress.org
42.8%
Fort Worth Crime Control
Blue Collar Jobs
Air:

1/2% DFW International Airport 

www.dfwairport.com major Employers
MTA (Mass Transit Authority)
Alliance Airport  AMR/American Airlines 24,540
www.alliancetexas.com/
6.25% services/allianceairport.aspx
Texas Health Resources 18,448
Lockheed Martin
State Sales Tax
Meacham International  Aeronautics Company 13,500
www.fortworthgov.org/ Fort Worth Independent
8.25% aviation/meacham School District 10,316
Total Sales Tax Arlington Independent
Spinks Airport 
School District 8,126
www.fortworthgov.org/
income aviation/spinks City of Fort Worth 6,558
Bell Helicopter

$23,399 Road:
Fort Worth connects to
Textron, Inc.
University of Texas
5,718

Per Capita Income

national and international at Arlington 5,422
markets through four major
$45,188
JPS Health Network 4,633
interstate highways – I-20,
Texas Health Harris Methodist
Average Annual   I-30, I-35 and I-45 – and is
Fort Worth Hospital 4,500
Household Expenditure encircled by Loop 820.

NOW LEASING URBAN LIVING on the Park in Fort Worth

ImAGINE WALkING tO EVERythING –

Living green
the movies, great restaurants, shopping, trinity Park and more.
Now imagine not having to wait! One- and two-bedroom homes
are now available for occupancy. We’d love to say
starts from the ground up. “Welcome home” to you this spring. Incentives available.
Living green is making sure the air in your home is healthy for your family to learn more about the exciting things happening
to breathe. Test your home for radon and build radon-resistant. at Parkside So7, call (817) 870-0302.
It's easy. That's living healthy and green.
Just call 866-730-green or visit www.epa.gov/radon
www.sosevenfortworth.com

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 37
 38 F o r t W o r t h

Dream Location
business community benefits from diversity, friendly climate
F ort Worth business leaders
are hard pressed to list all the
positives about running a company in
this town, and they couldn’t be more
pleased to have this difficulty.
High-Tech Hub
Whether large or small, an oil
or cattle operation or a new high-tech
entrepreneurial startup, Fort Worth’s
business climate is tailor made for
success. The city has become Texas’ high-
tech hub, boasting such corporations as
Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter and
Motorola. It’s also the international
headquarters for the likes of American
Airlines, BNSF Railway, Pier 1 Imports
and RadioShack. Want more? Justin
Brands, FedEx, Ben E. Keith and
Williamson Dickie also have settled
into Fort Worth and are growing their
presence all the time. Matter of fact, the
city is now home to the fourth highest
concentration of Fortune 500 company
headquarters in the United States.
Diverse Commercial Center
In addition to these major players,
Fort Worth is also a commercial center
for equally well-known players in health
care, finance, telecommunications,
education, tourism, retail trade and
services, all of which combine to create a
diversified local economy that not only
is withstanding the current economic
slowdown, but is poised to go full
Business Overview
throttle as the national and
international climates improve.
Sometimes those numbers are hard
these international hubs serve more
than 57 million travelers a year.
The city and its economic
to measure, but the hard facts are that development officials are well aware of
employment here is growing at the their assets, and are investing in both
fourth strongest rate of the country’s new development and infrastructure
top 25 largest metro areas, and Fort improvements to keep businesses
Worth has the third largest percentage moving into, and expanding within, the
increase in employment among region. Nearly $6.5 billion in public and
metropolitan divisions. private funds have been invested in the
17,000-acre Alliance Airport and
Multiple Airports, Alliance Corridor Industrial Area,
Transportation Links creating more than 28,000 new jobs, and
And this kind of success gets a host of other public and private projects
noticed, too: Forbes magazine ranked are now underway to accommodate
Fort Worth fifth in its Best Cities for current and future growth.
Jobs list in 2008, calling special Now add in a low tax structure and
attention to the city’s central location business-friendly climate that makes it
and central transportation system, easy to set up shop and expand, and it’s
which is highlighted by four area easy to see why Fort Worth is literally
airports – DFW International, Alliance, growing up, and out, in every direction.
Meacham and Spinks. Between them, – Joe Morris
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, located in Fort Worth,
Texas, produces over half of the nation’s paper currency.
Come experience the Tour and Visitor Center to see billions
of dollars and learn about the production and history of
United States paper currency.
• Two floors of interactive exhibits and displays
• 45-minute tour on an elevated walkway
• 75-seat theater showing a 15-minute high-definition movie
• Moneyfactory Gift Shop
FREE ADMISSION
Western Currency Facility
9000 Blue Mound Rd. • Fort Worth, Texas 76131
For tour information, call (817) 231-4000 or
toll-free (866) 865-1194 and press “2”.
www.moneyfactory.gov
i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 39
 visit our
advertisers
Alexander Chandler Realty
www.alexanderchandler.com
All Saints Episcopal School
www.asesftw.org
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
www.cartermuseum.org
Brants Realtors
www.brantsrealtors.com
Bureau of Engraving & Printing
www.moneyfactory.gov
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
www.cbdfw.com
Cook Children’s Hospital
www.cookchildrens.org
Country Day School
www.fwcds.org
Crain Orthodontics
www.crainortho.com
First United Methodist Church
www.myfumc.org
Fort Worth Museum of Science & History
www.fortworthmuseum.org
Fort Worth Transportation Authority
www.the-t.com
Frost
www.frostbank.com
Gallery 1701
www.gallery1701.com
Kimbell Art Museum
www.kimbellart.org
Marriott International Inc.
www.marriott.com
Mira Vista
www.miravistarealtors.com
National Cowgirl Museum
www.cowgirl.net
Omni Hotels & Resorts
www.omnihotels.com
Pantego Christian Academy
www.pantego.com
Parkside at So7
www.sosevenfortworth.com
Sid Richardson Museum
www.sidrichardsonmuseum.org
Southwest Christian School
www.southwestchristian.org
Tarrant County College
www.tccd.edu
Texas Health Harris Hospital Fort Worth
www.texashealth.org/fortworth
Texas Wesleyan University
www.law.txwes.edu
The Flint Academy
www.flintacademy.com
The Hill School
www.hillschool.org
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
www.themodern.org
Trinity Valley School
www.trinityvalleyschool.org
Virginia Cook Realtors
www.virginiacook.com
Williams-Trew Real Estate Services
www.williamstrew.com

40 F o r t W o r t h
 Real Estate

Homes for Every Lifestyle

Fort Worth’s diverse Housing market IS affordable, too

From high-rises to haciendas, Fort Worth has a home for every taste and budget. The city’s
heritage shines through with Southwestern detail in many historic neighborhoods, while new
residential communities, condominiums and urban lofts make sure there’s a style here for
anyone looking to lease or own.

Home Prices Remain Renovated in the Magnolia Avenue/Fairmount/

affordable
The median home price in Fort
Worth is around $115,000, making
all the city’s residential areas
affordable for those entering the
housing market as well as growing
families looking to upgrade or
empty nesters looking to scale
back a bit. And as the apartment
and condominium markets
continue to flourish throughout
the region, look for even more
options and amenities – and
less maintenance – in those
markets as well.
Neighborhoods
Provide History
Everything old is new again in
Fort Worth, including the Museum
District on the West Side, where
new apartments and condos are
helping to create a walkable urban
district in an always popular area,
while downtown continues to
experience a renaissance in
diverse urban living.
On the Southside, artists and
creative types are carving their niche
Ryan Place area, which feature
restored homes and fixer-uppers
waiting to happen. Out west,
Arlington Heights, Monticello, North
HiMount and Crestwood are also well-­
established neighbor­hoods close to
all the city’s cultural amenities, and
are seeing growth in apartments
and townhouses. And then there
are Berkeley, Mistletoe Heights
and Park Hill, beautiful, affluent
neighborhoods close to both
downtown and the TCU campus.
 – Joe Morris

New Master
Communities
Offer Choice
Some of the newer residential
areas include Walsh Ranch, Circle
T and Heritage, master-planned
communities that are providing
quality living options for both
singles and families. Properties
such as Pecan Place, Cotton Depot
Apartments, The Versailles and
Hillside Apartments are already
completed or under construction,
giving renters and buyers alike
plenty to choose from, along with
such high-profile developments as
The Cassidy, a 22-story residential
tower, and Trinity Bluff, a 1,500-
unit residential and mixed-use
project alongside the Trinity River.
Southwest Fort Worth is another
growing and diverse area, with
communities including gated country
club development Mira Vista and
City View, which offers stunning
views of downtown Fort Worth.

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 41
 Local Flavor
Cowtown Chowdown
Barbecue, TEx-mex rule Fort Worth’s diverse food scene
It’s not hard to believe that a place known as Cowtown might have a barbecue joint
or three (OK, maybe more like three dozen), but pigeonhole Fort Worth’s food scene
at your peril.
For More Information
angelo’s
www.angelosbbq.com
bonnell’s
www.bonnellstexas.com
byblos
www.byblostx.com
cacharel
www.cacharel.net
cattlemen’s fort
worth steak house
www.cattlemenssteakhouse.com
chadra mezza and grill
www.chadramezza.com
Genghis Grill
www.genghisgrill.com
h3 ranch
www.h3ranch.com
42 F o r t W o r t h
Joe T. Garcia’s
Antony Boshier
Beef, Barbecue
Are Big Players
True, beef rules the scene here, but it comes in
joe t. garcia’s all shapes and sizes. Southwestern, Tex-Mex and
www.joets.com Mexican are the largest players as far as types go,
junsuree and for the best of these try Railhead Smokehouse,
www.junsureethai.com
where the fork-tender beef brisket is so good they
lonesome dove
www.lonesomedovebistro.com ship it (along with ribs, sausage and their famous
sauce) nationwide. There’s also Angelo’s, where
los vaqueros
www.losvaqueros.com three generations of the George family have put
michael’s out barbecue so good that city officials take them
www.michaelscuisine.com on the road to promote Fort Worth.
reata
www.reata.net
Tex-Mex Stakes Its Claim Too
saint-emilion
www.saint-emilionrestaurant.com For a little south of the border flair, try local
favorite Joe T. Garcia’s, known for its legendary
spiral diner & bakery
www.spiraldiner.com margaritas and perfect patio. In the Stockyards
district, those in the know swear by Los Vaqueros’
 Steak Ranchera, an 8-oz. ribeye
served with Monterey Jack
cheese and ranchera sauce.
Steaks are the order of the
day at Saltgrass Steak House,
Lonesome Dove, Michael’s, La
Hacienda and H3 Ranch, while
Reata in downtown’s Sundance
Square offers the quintessential
Fort Worth experience: “cowboy
cooking”-inspired cuisine that
melds Southwestern, Creole and
Southern in a setting that includes
a picturesque rooftop bar and
dining patio.

International,
Vegan Cuisine
Also Has Outposts
Those looking for more
international fare can find Greek
and Middle Eastern at Byblos and
Hedary’s. Cacharel and Saint-
Emilion offer up French cuisine,
while Bella Italia blends Italian
favorites with a Southwestern
twist. Thai aficionados know
that Junsuree is a secret gem
for lunch, and Thai Tina’s remains
a longtime staple as well. And
Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine
recently picked up a Zagat award,
so it’s safe to say that calling
ahead for reservations is a good
idea. For a different kind of dining
diversity, Spiral Diner and Bakery
in Fort Worth’s hip Magnolia
neighborhood offers organic
vegan cuisine.

Farmers Markets
Grow in Popularity
The cook-your-own crowd also
fares well in Fort Worth, with
farmers markets on Saturday
mornings at The Cowtown
Farmers Market and the New
Public Market. Aduro Bean and
Leaf, Artisan Baking Company,
Latte Da Dairy and other local
favorites are on hand, and locally
grown fruits and vegetables, cut
flowers and tamales jostle for
shelf space with baked goods,
preserves and salsas, coffees and
teas, and more – even dog treats.
– Joe Morris

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 43
 Health & Wellness
High-Tech Healing
Fort Worth Offers Advanced, Specialized health care
If a community can be judged by its medical facilities, then Fort Worth scores
high marks. Several general care and specialty hospitals and clinics are located all
around the city, as well as outpatient facilities and dozens of satellite operations
such as drop-in clinics.
Major Hospitals, Satellite
Clinics Both Found Here
A major provider of care is Baylor All Saints
Medical Center, which has been taking care of
medical issues both major and minor for more than
100 years. The 537-bed hospital has spent more than
$300 million on upgraded facilities and services,
including research and community service programs
in education and screenings.
Within Baylor All Saints is Andrews Women’s
Hospital, a 110-bed facility just for women that
includes innovative programs like the Survivor Gals
Salon, featuring stylish wigs, fun scarves and hats for
cancer patients. The Joan Katz Center at Baylor All
Saints works specifically with breast cancer patients,
providing patient navigation services to help
patients find community resources, support
and help coordinating medical appointments.
Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth is another
core provider in the city’s Medical District. The
320-bed facility offers comprehensive diagnostic
44 F o r t W o r t h
Antony Boshier
and treatment services, and has undergone a $105
million expansion project to add and/or renovate
more than 70,000 square feet of space for a new
day-surgery center, private patient rooms, outpatient
chemotherapy and more.
Accidents happen, and JPS Health Network
stands ready to treat them regardless of severity.
The facility has been verified as a Level I Trauma
Center by the American College of Surgeons, which
is big news for an area where more than 20 percent
of deaths are attributable to some form of trauma,
according to public health data.
Huguley Memorial Medical Center shoulders its
share of the community care duties around here as
well, with more than 350 primary care and specialty
physicians offering a full range of in- and outpatient
services. The center also includes a 213-bed acute
care hospital and a 24-hour emergency room.
At Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort
Worth, the latest accolades are for the treatment of
hip fractures. The hospital is only the fourth in the
United States and the first in Texas to receive the
gold seal of approval in the treatment of hip
fractures in the elderly. The designation, which
comes from the Joint Commission, recognizes only
those hospitals that have proven to have excellent
outcomes for patients and also a strong
multidisciplinary program.
North Hills Hospital also makes the grade and
then some, having achieved all three levels of Chest
Pain Accreditation, and also became the first Center
of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery in Tarrant County.
North Hills’ rehab center is one of the top 10 percent
nationwide, and its nurses have received the
Pathway to Excellence Award.
Fort Worth’s littlest patients get top-flight care
at Cook Children’s Medical Center, which has spent
millions on renovations and expansions to its
facilities, including adding a fracture clinic, urgent
care center and heliport in recent years. Cook
Children’s has been recognized as a Nurse Magnet- Photo Courtesy of Dan Leffel

designated organization in honor of its quality

patient and nursing excellence, and in 2007 opened
the first dual-room IMRIS intraoperative magnetic
resonance imaging suite for pediatric patients in
the world.
– Joe Morris
 Arts & Culture

Stockyard to Symphony
Fort Worth’s Lively Cultural Scene EmbRaces Old And new

Photo Courtesy of Ed Schipul

Bass Performance Hall

Like Texas itself, Fort Worth’s cultural scene is big enough to offer just about
everything. The city’s arts communities have, over time, settled into three distinct
areas: the Cultural District, Stockyards National Historic District and the Downtown
District, crowned by Sundance Square. Each offers up a vibrant selection of music,
dance, theater and art, and stands as a community within itself while staying plugged
into the entire region’s artistic tapestry.

Cultural District
Follow tree-lined boulevards away
from downtown for a few minutes and
you’ll find yourself in the Cultural District.
With its brick paving and manicured
grounds, the district is a jewel dropped
into the metropolitan area.
Art offerings range from Western
Photo Courtesy of Jeffrey Washington

to avant-garde at The Modern Art

Museum of Fort Worth, the Kimbell and
Amon Carter, with each well-regarded
collection housed in distinct structures
renowned for their architectural styles.
The region’s collection of attractions,
including the Art Deco wonder Will
Rogers Memorial Center, draw in more
Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra
than 2 million visitors a year.

46 F o r t W o r t h
 Stockyards National
Historic District
Then there’s the Stockyards
National Historic District, the
“history book of the Texas stock
industry.” For drovers heading
up the Chisholm Trail, Fort
Worth was the last major stop
for supplies.
Now this part of Cowtown is a
shopping and dining destination
as well as a way station for all
kinds of artists and musicians,
many of whom perform to packed
houses at venues like Lola’s
Saloon and Billy Bob’s Texas.
film festival and related events
keep local movie houses busy.
Unique Cultural
Museums
On the museum front, there’s
a unique history to be explored
at the National Cowgirl Museum
and Hall of Fame and its male
counterpart, the Texas Cowboy
Hall of Fame.
Western art is represented
at downtown’s Sid Richardson
Museum, located in Sundance
Square.
The Fort Worth Museum of
Science and History offers world-
class traveling exhibits to visitors
young and old within an
innovative work of architecture,
and the National Multicultural
Western Heritage Museum
explores the contributions of
many diverse groups to the
region’s development.
Trying to stay on top of Fort
Worth’s art scene is an enjoyable
challenge. The best part? The
city’s residents are always hungry
for more, which means the
offerings, and the variety, just
keep increasing. – Joe Morris

Downtown District/
Sundance Square
For those who want it all in
one place, look no farther than
Sundance Square downtown,
where hip restaurants,
independent theaters and
art galleries collide to offer a
walkable feast for the eyes, ears
and palate. Favorite stops include
the improv comedy club Four-Day
Weekend and upscale Western
shopping at Leddy’s. Plenty of
urban lofts allow hip locals to live
right in the middle of the action.

Bass Hall,
Theater Scene
While it’s hard to single out
specific groups or institutions
here, there are a few that have
achieved national and
international prominence.
Take the Nancy Lee and Perry
R. Bass Performance Hall, which
houses the Fort Worth Symphony
Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theater,
Fort Worth Opera and the Van
Cliburn International Piano
Competition and Cliburn
Concerts. Little wonder that
this 2,065-seat venue, with its
80-foot Great Dome, is known
around the world.
Smaller but just as mighty are
the Casa Mañana, Jubilee Theatre,
Circle Theatre, Hip Pocket Theatre,
Stage West and a host of other
sites devoted to live theater.
Cinema buffs are hardly left in the
cold either, as the annual Q-Cinema

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 47
 Sports & Recreation

Trinity River Trails  

Below: Fort Worth Zoo

Park It Here

Antony Boshier
City’s outdoor venues, sports teams have all bases covered

Whether you’re into athletics as a player or avid watcher, Fort Worth’s got the
place for you. More than 200 places, actually. Fort Worth is second in the U.S.
only to Chicago in total park acreage within the city limits, with literally hundreds
of parks – large and small.

Botanic Garden, Zoo

CELEBRATE NATURE
Another natural highlight is the
Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the
oldest botanical garden in Texas,
with more than 2,500 species of
native and exotic plants. For a walk
on the wilder side, the Fort Worth
Zoo, the first zoo in Texas, is still
one of the nation’s most innovative
wildlife centers. It has been named
a top zoo in the nation by USA
Travel Guide and regularly earns
conservation kudos. To see
animals in a little more historic
context, check out the twice-daily
Antony Boshier

Fort Worth Cattle Drive in the

Stockyard District, where visitors
relive the city’s cattle-driving past.

48 F o r t W o r t h
 Armed Forces Bowl,
College Athletics
College athletics have their
pride of place in Fort Worth as

Photo Courtesy of TCU Athletics Media Relations

well. The city’s home to the Bell
Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl,
and Texas Christian University’s
Horned Frogs, fresh off a 2010
Rose Bowl appearance, compete
in the NCAA’s Division I athletics
bracket. The school’s football team
is usually found in the top 25, while
its baseball team continues to
close in on a College World Series
slot. Nearby Texas Wesleyan
University competes in the NAIA. Texas Christian University Horned Frogs

Crowne Plaza,
Cats DRAW CROWDS
As for big name sports events,
Fort Worth hosts the Crowne
Plaza Invitational Golf Tournament
at the Colonial Country Club each
May, where spectators watch the
pros take to the course that was
home to legendary native son Ben
Hogan. For more action, the Texas
Motor Speedway is home to both
NASCAR and IndyCar racing
events, including the Bombardier
Learjet 550. Or take yourself out
to the ball game with the Fort
Worth Cats at historic LaGrave
Field. Want to cool off a bit? Then
the Texas Brahmas hockey team
at NYTEX Sports Centre is the
place to be.

Green Space Galore

One jewel of the Fort Worth
Parks and Community Services
Department is the Fort Worth
Nature Center and Refuge, one
of the largest city-owned nature
centers in the United States. With
more than 20 miles of hiking trails
and an interpretive center, the area
offers residents and visitors the
opportunity to immerse
themselves in the natural history of
north central Texas. For recreation
with a river view, the Trinity River
Trails provide a 35-mile network of
scenic, green paths for runners,
hikers and bikers, many of which
cross through a half-dozen of the
city’s numerous parks.
– Joe Morris

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 49
 50 F o r t W o r t h
 Golf
In the Swing of Things
Golf in Fort Worth is way above par
The Fort Worth club scene is always in full swing with
more than 20 golf courses located within the city itself.
Here is some interesting background on five of them:
Mira Vista
Country Club
Well-known PGA golfer Tom
Weiskopf helped design Mira Vista,
where native grasses and thousands
of wildflowers provide a park-like
environment. The par-71, 6,849-yard
public course is highlighted by hole
No. 11, a 540-yard par 5 that was
ranked Best Hole No. 11 in America
by Golf Digest in 2000.
The Golf Club
at The Resort
This 6,626-yard, par-72 layout
is a championship-caliber course
on the eastern shore of Eagle
Mountain Lake. Rolling hills and
abundant wildlife highlight the
topography, and The Golf Club
at The Resort has been ranked
by GolfWorld among the finest
layouts in northern Texas. It has
also been rated one of the most
challenging in the state by the
United States Golf Association.
RIDGLEA COUNTRY CLUB
Ridglea Country Club offers
two challenging courses: the
Family Course and the
Championship Course, each
complete with its own driving
range, short game area, indoor
teaching facility and stocked golf
shop. Both courses have played
host to local, state and national
amateur golf tournaments.
Colonial
Country Club
Colonial was built in 1936 by
Marvin Leonard of the locally
famous Leonard Bros. department
stores. The 18-hole, par-70 private
layout is consistently rated one of
the best courses in the United
States, as evidenced by it hosting
the 1941 U.S. Open, the 1975
Tournament Players Championship
and the 1991 U.S. Women’s Open.
It continues today to showcase an
annual PGA Tour event, the
Crowne Plaza Invitational.
RIVERCREST
Country Club
Fort Worth’s oldest country club,
Rivercrest opened in 1911. Located
five miles from downtown Fort
Worth, the club was the first in Texas
to include residential housing on its
acreage and the first to stage a
statewide women’s golf tournament.
The club’s 6,368-yard course has
hosted legends of the game
including Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson
and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 51
 Education

Head of the Class

Fort Worth schools lead state, national rankings

Antony Boshier
Tarrant County College

Education is a priority in Fort Worth, where advanced learning programs begin at

the earliest grade levels and continue throughout high school and into some of the
country’s best-known colleges and universities.

Texas Wesleyan University Colleges, Universities

Support Fort Worth’s Growth
Local high school graduates don’t have too
far to go to pursue a quality degree either. Fort
Worth’s mix of colleges and universities means
there are more than 250,000 students enrolled
in higher education at any given time in the city,
with more than 35,000 degrees awarded
annually. They include such notable names as
Tarrant County College, Texas Wesleyan
University, Texas Christian University,
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary,
Tarleton State University - Southwest Metroplex
Photo Courtesy of QuesterMark

Center, University of North Texas Health Science

Center and Everest College. Each of these
institutions regularly adds to both core courses
and degree programs, and partners with local
municipal and economic development officials
to ensure that graduates have a direct pipeline
into the local and regional workforce.

52 F o r t W o r t h
 Fort Worth ISD Leads the Way
The Fort Worth Independent School District is the largest
district in Tarrant County, which has 20 other school districts
within its borders. The Fort Worth ISD has around 80,000
students in 144 schools for grades K-12, including 27 special
campuses. Its awards and honors include the “What Parents
Want” designation from SchoolMatch, a private firm that assists
companies with relocation. The honor has come for seven years
in a row, and only goes to 14 percent of the nation’s schools.
It’s no surprise that the Fort Worth ISD scores this well,
considering it had an 83 percent increase in high-performing
schools in recent years, and continues to rise at all levels of the
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills standards.
There also are more than 200 private schools here, giving
parents of different faiths and backgrounds multiple options
for their children’s education.

Businesses Benefit From

Development Centers
There also are multiple smaller centers of learning devoted to
specific job-related training and education, such as the Small
Business Development Centers operated by the city of Fort
Worth, as well as Tarrant County College, so whether it’s a
Antony Boshier

graduate degree or just some brushing up on skill sets, the Fort

Polytechnic High School  Worth area educational and community support system’s got
of the Fort Worth ISD
just the right program, just down the street. – Joe Morris
 The Flint Academy
Classical Christian Education
Charlotte Mason Educational Philosophy
3 Years Through 12th Grade
College Prep Academic Program Phonics
Multisensory Learning Classical Literature
Nature Studies Latin
Gardening
Art History

2111 Roosevelt Dr.

Arlington, Texas
(817) 277-0620
paulaflint@sbcglobal.net

www.flintacademy.com

54 F o r t W o r t h
 Community profile
Snapshot
Fort Worth offers culture, beauty, education, entertainment and
much more. It’s no wonder Fort Worth was ranked the fourth
Best City to Relocate to in America by CNBC.com in 2010.

household transportation
information
25 minutes
Median Travel Time to Work
731,588 The Fort Worth Transportation
Total Population
Authority, known as the T,
provides bus service throughout
30.8 Fort Worth and operates the
commuter rail line Trinity Railway
weather Median Resident Age
Express, or TRE. www.the-t.com
Serving more than 57 million
87.4 F 50.9% travelers in 2009, DFW
Summer average temperature International Airport is a
Married
major passenger hub located

42.9 F
only 17 miles from downtown

Winter average temperature 49.1% Fort Worth and serves as a

hub for American Airlines.
Single
www.dfwairport.com

34”
Annual Rain Fall (vs. National
Average Annual Rain Fall of 37”)
32.3% numbers to know
Age 19 and Under
Drivers License 
Texas Department
time zone 51.2% of Motor Vehicles
6413 Woodway Dr.
Age 20-54
Central
Fort Worth, TX 76133
(817) 294-1075

SIZE IN SQUARE MILES

16.5% www.txdmv.gov

Age 55 and Over Vehicle Registration

Tarrant County Tax
332 Assessor/Collector
62.4% www.tarrantcounty.com/etax/
White cwp/browse.asp?a=765&bc=0
cost of living
&c=43881&etaxNav=|7307|

$48,015 18.5% Voter Registration 

Tarrant County Elections Center
Median Household Income Black
2700 Premier St.
Fort Worth, TX 76111
$115,900 34.1% (817) 831-VOTE
www.tarrantcounty.com/
Median Home Price
Hispanic evote/site/default.asp

$772 17%
Recycling 
Environmental Management
Median Rent for a  
Two-Bedroom Apartment Other www.fortworthgov.org/dem/

i m ag e s f o r t w o r t h . c o m 55
 Through the Lens

Get the Story Behind the Photo

Now that you’ve experienced Fort Worth through our photos, see it through the eyes
of our photographers. Visit imagesfortworth.com to view our exclusive photographers’
blog documenting what all went into capturing those perfect moments.

From Our Photo Blog:

Fort Worth
The first time I had ever been
to Fort Worth was for my recent
assignment to photograph the
magazine. And, I must say it was a
great experience. The downtown
area has something to offer for
everyone. There are world-class
art museums, great nightlife,
nationally acclaimed restaurants
and wonderful parks. Trinity Park
is a gem of a park that allows for
great views of downtown and a
place to bike, run, or to take your
best friend on a sunset stroll.

Posted by Antony Boshier

More Online 
See more favorite photos and read
the stories behind the shots at
www.throughthelensjci.com/.

Fort Worth Zoo Sunset in Fort

Worth, Texas

56 F o r t W o r t h
 Ad Index
38 Alexander 41 Fort Worth Museum
Chandler Realty of Science and History

53 All Saints C4 Fort Worth

Episcopal School Transportation Authority

35 Amon Carter Museum 40 Frost

of American Art
1 Gallery 1701
7 Brants Realtors
8 Kimbell Art Museum
39 Bureau of Engraving
C2 Marriott
& Printing
International Inc.
C3 Coldwell Banker
14 Mira Vista
Residential Brokerage
51 National Cowgirl Museum
45 Cook Children’s Hospital
33 Omni Hotels and Resorts
47 Country Day School
35 Pantego Christian Academy
36 Crain Orthodontics
37 Parkside at SO7
49 First United
Methodist Church 54 Sid Richardson Museum
Ad Index (cont.)
50 Southwest
Christian School

50 Tarrant County College

12 Texas Health Harris

Hospital Fort Worth

9 Texas
Wesleyan University

54 The Flint Academy

40 The Hill School

38 The Modern Art

Museum of Fort Worth

38 Trinity Valley School

43 Virginia Cook Realtors

2 Williams-Trew
Real Estate Services