Fort Worth, TX

Major General William Jenkins Worth, second in command to Zachary Taylor during the Mexican-American War, proposed a line of ten forts to mark the Western Texas frontier from Eagle Pass to the confluence of the West and Clear Forks of the Trinity River. Though Worth died of cholera before he saw his plan carried out, the camp at the confluence of these forks was named for him in 1849. The fort was abandoned a few years later, but settlers remained and claimed the area for their own.

Although the town shot to prominence as a stop along the legendary Chisholm Trail, along which cattle were driven to market, the economy lulled after the Civil War. The arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1876 once again gave the town purpose and it became the westernmost railhead and a transit point for cattle shipment. Its stockyards became famous throughout the region.

The Amtrak station in Fort Worth is part of a modern facility constructed of brick and trimmed in regional stone. Located near Sundance Square and the Botanical and Water Gardens, the station’s 70-foot high, four-faced clock tower presents a striking landmark in that part of the city. Opened in 2002, the station also accommodates the Trinity Railway Express commuter rail service that provides connections to Dallas. Intercity and local busses make the station a truly intermodal center.

Tangible links to the city’s railroading past stand tall and proud. The Beaux Arts station opened by the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway in 1899 is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Although it now serves as a banquet facility for a hotel, it retains its original charm, including stained glass windows and gleaming marble floors. Fans of Art Deco design flock to the former Texas and Pacific Railway station on Lancaster Avenue. The extravagantly detailed 13-story building served as both a passenger depot and offices. Its lobby is known for its magnificent ceiling, which features floral and foliate motifs highlighted in metallic gold, silver and copper tones.

Fort Worth has remained an important center for oil exploration companies. In 2007, advances in drilling technology made available vast natural gas reserves in the Barnett Shale under the city. Fort Worth is often paired with neighboring Dallas, and the two are considered North Texas’s economic engine.

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In cooperation with the National Park Service, a limited edition National Parks Passport Cancellation Stamp has been created with the Amtrak 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train.  The cancellation stamp will be available for one year and only at select stops along the tour—such as this one.   Collectors will appreciate this cancellation stamp as a unique addition to their National Park Service passport. Find out more information on the National Park Service Passport Cancellation program.