THINGS TO DO IN FORT WORTH BEFORE THE TCU BEAT DOWN
~Try to visit all 1,000 natural gas wells tapping the Barnett Shale formation under Fort Worth. Each well site is a bare patch of gravel 2-5 acres in size. City ordinances permit them in all zoning categories. Some wells are secured by masonry fences, but most are secured by chain link.
~Skip the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History and go straight to the adjacent National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Women already in the hall of fame include Georgia O'Keefe, Sacagawea, Annie Oakley, Dale Evans, Enid Justin, Temple Grandin, and Sandra Day O'Connor. As you view the honor to Sandra Day O'Connor recall It was reputedly at the 1985 National Press Club's Salute to Congress at 529 14th Street NW in Washington D.C. that Riggins drunkenly told Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to "loosen up Sandy baby" because she was "too tight" when the two reputedly met at dinner.[29] Riggins then reputedly fell asleep under the table.[30] The incident created a national stir.[citation needed] The next time Ms O'Connor and John Riggins reputedly met at a function years later, she reputedly gave Riggo a dozen roses.[31] {The above was found at John Riggins wiki page.}
~Though it is off season, it is probably worth popping by Fort Worth Cats minor league baseball stadium. The Cats were a minor league baseball team from 1876 to 1960,when the team was merged into the Dallas Rangers. The Cats were resuscitated in 2001 and have been a local hit ever since.
~Definitely pop by American Airlines corporate headquarters in Fort Worth so that the next time your American flight is over booked, you know exactly who is responsible for your luggage destined for home winding up in Heathrow.
~Never hurts to take in Bell Helicopter headquarters just outside Fort Worth to see if you can get a look at the V-22 Osprey tilt rotor craft--one of most remarkable aircraft answers to a question no one asked.
~Net geeks have to sneak into Fort Worth's two big internet radio shows: "DFDubbIsHot" and "Thre Broadband Brothers."
~Get all Tayhoss Progressive by finding a copy of Fort Worth Weekly, an alternative newspaper that serves both Fort Worth and Dallas.
~You'd have to be crazy not to drive by the Federal Bureau of Engraving, one of only two Fed Debt Note (aka paper money) printing facilities in USA. As you gaze upon it realize that it prints all the fiat money for the privately owned Federal Reserve's San Francisco, Dallas and Kansas City branches.
~You'd have to be bat guano flippin' crazy not to drive by Federal Medical Center, Carswell, a Federal prison and health facility for women that is located inside the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. The major attraction is of course the federal death row for female inmates. Not many Big 12 university towns can boast Federal death rows for female inmates, eh?
~You absolutely must ride Molley the Trolley. It is a free bus the encircles Sundance Square, a 35 square block retail, apartment and happening district for swinging singles.
~Try to avoid walking in Fort Worth, because it is ranked the 47th most walkable city out of 50 major US cities.
~For live music, you should either go to the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra or Billy Bobs.
~Lastly, if you have survived the rigors of all the above, all joking aside, you really should take in the Kimbell Art Museum designed by famed modernist architect Louis I. Kahn. It is one of the great museum buildings in America and it houses a fine collection masters ranging from Michelangelo, Caravaggio, El Greco, Velazquez to Gauguin and Cezanne. They also have one of my personal favs, Theodore Gericault, though alas, not The Raft of the Medusa.
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