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Former Mayor Ken Barr, former Mayor Betsy Price, current Mayor Mattie Parker and former Mayor Mike Moncrief stand under the new Stockyards sign on West Exchange Avenue on Nov. 12, 2025. (Fort Worth Report | Bob Francis) <\/p>\nThere was more bull than usual on West Exchange Avenue on a bright Tuesday afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The twice-daily cattle drive drove a little further west than usual on Nov. 12 to help celebrate a new Fort Worth Stockyards sign on West Exchange Avenue mirroring the familiar sign on East Exchange. The cattle \u2014 predictably \u2014 celebrated the only way they could and left their distinctive punctuation mark.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There were others who left their mark and maybe a little bullishness, too, as the current mayor and three previous mayors were also there to celebrate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is much more than a sign for me,\u201d said Mayor Mattie Parker, speaking to the crowd before the ribbon was cut on the new sign. \u201cIt really represents the connection and possibility in the future of the Fort Worth Stockyards.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
On Nov. 12, the mayors, mayor pro tem and city councilman for the area Carlos Flores, and a host of business owners and operators, along with other Stockyards luminaries celebrated the new sign.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It closely matches the landmark sign on East Exchange and has other connections to the history of Fort Worth and the Stockyards, including the architect who designed it, Arthur Weinman. His grandfather designed several buildings in the Stockyards when the area was in full swing in the early part of the 20th century with both Armor and Swift plants employing several thousand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bricks (for the posts) are Acme bricks, the same color as the ones used by Wyatt Hedrick for several buildings in downtown Fort Worth,\u201d Weinman said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Former Mayor Ken Barr, former Mayor Betsy Price, current Mayor Mattie Parker and former Mayor Mike Moncrief stand under the new Stockyards sign on West Exchange Avenue on Nov. 12, 2025. (Fort Worth Report | Bob Francis) <\/p>\n
While the new signage has connections to the past, it also has some modern touches to make it easier to maintain including solid concrete bases for the posts that, according to Weinman, \u201ccould withstand a collision with a Mack truck.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The project is funded by the city of Fort Worth through Stockyards Tax Increment Finance District. Its path to completion was managed by Fort Worth Stockyards Inc., which has a mission to work with business leaders, property owners, stakeholders, residents, elected leaders and community groups to increase public awareness of the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All the numbers haven\u2019t been added up yet, but Flores said the cost for the sign was about $190,000. The city\u2019s park and recreation department will maintain it, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe success of the Stockyards, for the most part, has been concentrated down there,\u201d he said, pointing to East Exchange. \u201cIt has had some benefit up here, but not to the extent we would like. Now, this will make it more possible.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
City officials estimate that the number of visitors to the Stockyards has increased to 11 million annually, up from 3 million visitors just 10 years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Janet Lane, whose late husband Jim Lane represented the Stockyards area from 1993 to 2005, said the sign would have had him \u201cbursting with pride.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis sign will shine a bright light up here on the hill, and for the businesses and the people who are truly part of the fabric of the Stockyards, even though most visitors we see their backs as they walk to East Exchange, will now know that there is more to do and more to see up here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For Ruth Hooker, owner of Hooker\u2019s Grill at the top of the hill at 213 W. Exchange Ave., it was the fulfillment of a dream.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hooker initially approached Flores about the sign several years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me basically, \u2018you need to do this, you need to do that,\u2019 and I did and here we are,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Hooker said every week she gets customers who come in and say they were visiting the Stockyards but wanted a burger, so they came to Hooker\u2019s Grill.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery week, if not every day, we get visitors to our business who think they\u2019ve left the Stockyards,\u201d she said. \u201cI tell them they are still in the Stockyards and now they\u2019ll know.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 70-acre core of the roughly 200-acre Stockyards Historic District is being redeveloped by Stockyards Heritage, a joint venture between Majestic Realty Co. and Hickman Companies, along with development partner M2G Ventures.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Phase 1 of the project, kicked off in 2014. That phase focused on adding the Hotel Drover and creating a retail district using the Mule Barns. The partnership is moving on to Phase 2, which will include more hotels, underground parking, commercial space and residential development, but hit a stumbling block<\/a> recently because of legal issues between the former leader of Stockyards Heritage, Craig Cavileer, and Majestic Realty.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bob Francis, business editor for the Fort Worth Report, can be reached at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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