culture
Fort Worth History Center Preserves City Records Since 1849
The Fort Worth History Center preserves records of the city's 1849 founding and later developments for public access.
How we reported this
Fort Worth was established by the U.S. Army in 1849 as the northernmost of ten forts built to protect the frontier after the Mexican-American War. This origin shapes what visitors encounter when exploring the city's preserved records and sites today.
Founding as a Frontier Fort
Visitors to Fort Worth learn that the city's military start directly connects to its location on a treaty line that marked the boundary for Native American territory. That line gave the city its slogan 'Where the West Begins,' a detail preserved in local archives for those who want to trace the boundary's role in early settlement patterns.
Cowtown Identity and Cattle Trail Records
The city earned the nickname 'Cowtown' because it served as the final major stop on the Chisholm Trail. Over four million head of cattle passed through between 1866 and 1890, and those trail records remain part of the municipal collections that the Fort Worth History Center maintains for researchers and visitors.
Artesian Wells and Water History
After the first artesian well was drilled in 1876, more than 100 wells were drilled for drinking water. This period gave Fort Worth the name 'city of artesian wells,' and the details appear in the same archives now housed at the Fort Worth History Center at 501 E. Bolt St.
Accessing the Archives
The Fort Worth History Center at 501 E. Bolt St. was opened to maintain and preserve the city's municipal and local history archives, including digital access to its collections. Visitors can use these resources to review documents tied to the 1849 fort establishment, the Chisholm Trail years, the 1876 well drilling, and the treaty line that produced the 'Where the West Begins' slogan.
Those planning a visit should check the center's digital collections first to identify specific records before arriving at 501 E. Bolt St. The facility focuses on providing access to original materials rather than interpretive exhibits, allowing direct examination of the dates and events listed in the municipal holdings.