The Fort Worth Stockyards Were Once the Livestock Hub of the Southwest

The railroad reached Fort Worth in 1876, and that changed the cattle trade. Local business owners paid for permanent yards in 1888. Work on the Fort Worth Union Stockyards began in 1890.

Armour and Swift started packing plants in 1902, and the plants opened in 1903. The yards, plants, Live Stock Exchange Building, Coliseum, barns, hotels, cafes, and shops all grew along Exchange Avenue and North Main.

The Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District joined the National Register on June 29, 1976. Its listed areas of significance are industry, commerce, architecture, and agriculture.