A GRAND HOTEL – Back
in 1878, a hotel called the “El Paso” opened in downtown Fort Worth. It was
three stories high and gas-lit. It featured a telephone (a luxury then) and a
billiard room. It was a major meeting place for city leaders, businessmen,
visitors, actors, and gamblers. There was even a stagecoach to take patrons to
the local railroad that headed west to Yuma, Arizona.
Over the years, the hotel changed its name to the
“Pickwick” and later the “Delaware.” It was demolished in 1911. In the 7-story
“Westbrook” hotel was constructed. In the lobby, there was a sculpture that was
named
“Golden Goddess” because many oil deals took place around it. In 1978, the
sculpture was moved to the nearby Petroleum Club, and the “Westbrook” was also
torn down.
FORT WORTH’S 1880s NICKNAME – During the days of the wild west, the city was known as the “Queen City of the Prairies.”
FAMOUS
1880s FIGURES VISITED – Those who know me, know that I’ve
traveled around the U.S. to visit cities where Wyatt Earp, Doc John Holliday
and Bat Masterson visited, as I am totally enamored with them. So, it was
appropriate that I finally made it to Fort Worth because both of them had
visited the city! They visited Luke
Short’s Casino (which was in yesterday’s blog)
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