Stockyards History
The Fort Worth Stockyards Were Once the Livestock Hub of the Southwest
Fort Worth built the Union Stockyards in 1887, and by the early 1900s it had become a major livestock trading and meatpacking center.
When the railroad reached Fort Worth in 1876, the city became a natural shipping point for cattle. The Union Stock Yards were chartered in 1887 and opened in 1889. By 1902, Armour and Swift had negotiated agreements to build plants there, with construction and operations following in 1902–1903. During World War II, the facility processed over five million head of livestock in a single year.
After the war, trucking and smaller local auctions drew business away. The Stockyards district declined as an active market but was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Today it is a historic district with restored buildings and working corrals.
Source to confirm: Fort Worth Stockyards – Our Story