Fort Worth cowboys re-create Old West

FORT WORTH, Texas -- As the cowboy slowly rides off, he turns to the crowd of onlookers and waves goodbye. It was the end of another day's work for the Texan, guiding a herd of longhorn cattle along a familiar trail lined with tourists.

As he dismounts back at the corral, one of his cowboy pals calls out, "Let's meet at the White Elephant Saloon in an hour or so."

The White Elephant. Back in 1887, it was the scene of a gunfight between the saloon owner and the local marshal. These days, all is relatively quite there, except at night when live music flows out the front door into the street.

"Meet you there, partner," says the cowboy, unsaddling his horse.

That scene is played out almost daily at the Fort Worth Stockyards (now the Stockyards National Historic District), about two miles north of Old Fort Worth, Texas.

It's part of the heritage of Fort Worth. Back in the mid-19th century the town was called Cowtown, the last major stop on the Chisholm Trail. Since the railroad chugged into the Stockyards in 1900, making it the hub of an entire industry and a way of life, more than 160 million head of livestock have been sold here.

In the past year I have been to the Stockyards twice and I've become friends with cowboys such as "Paunch Leslie" (Tom Carpenter), "Big Jim Diamond" (Danny Woods), "Sheriff Chris" (Chris Whatley) and "Chester" (Chester Stidham), to name a few who delight in re-creating the feeling of the Old West.

The twice-daily cattle drives down the main street bring smiles to the faces of onlookers. But there's much more to see here for those interested in cowboy life.

You can go back in time at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Stockyards Museum. You can take a gentle trail ride along the banks of the Trinity River. You can watch a rodeo at the Cowtown Coliseum (built in 1908). And you can settle into a seat on the Tarantula Steam Train for a ride around town.

In the heart of the historic district is Stockyards Station, 85,000 square feet of shopping, dining and meeting space, more than 30 shops and restaurants. It's also the location for special events such as Pioneer Days and the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering & Western Swing Festival.

Need a place to stay? The Stockyards Hotel (800-423-8471), where Bonnie and Clyde once bunked, offers Western-theme rooms. Its lobby is decorated in what's called "Cattle Baron Baroque." Check out the bar where the stools are Western saddles.

Another fun place to stay is Miss Molly's (800-99-MOLLY). Each of the eight rooms in this quaint bed-and-breakfast is furnished with Old West antiques.