May 26th Dallas Cattle Drive Sculpture

Dallas Cattle Drive Sculpture by Robet Summers

I spent Saturday and Sunday the 27^th and 28^th doing genealogy research at the downtown Dallas library. Jane Lindsey told me it is one of the best genealogical libraries in the country, so even though I had planned to bypass Dallas, I decided I had to at least check it out.

As I drove into downtown, from where I was camping in the Cedar Hills State Park, I saw a fabulous sculpture of a herd of longhorn cattle in a park. I was a little early because the library did not open until 11:00 that day so I pulled into a small parking lot. I was just about to try to squeeze into a small parking space when a car started backing out leaving me ample room to maneuver into the space and still leave room for a small car next to my motorhome.

One of three cowboys included in the artwork

I never saw a sign identifying the sculptor so later that evening I checked Google and learned that the name of the artist is  Robert Summers and that it consists of 49 steers and three trail riders – all larger than life size and all cast in bronze. It was evident that the artist worked closely with a very talented landscape architect who worked with several first rate craftsmen to design and built the dramatic setting for the artwork. The herd ran over a cliff – all hand crafted, and down through a stream before they headed for the City of Dallas with its glass and mirrored buildings in the background.

The Park is known as Pioneer Plaza because it is adjacent to a Pioneer Cemetery. The work was created in 1992-94, costing $9 million and was funded almost entirely with private money. There were lots of people in the park – kids, locals and Europeans. Apparently it is one of the most popular attractions in Dallas.

The detail in the sculpting is quite fine. The spur actually spins

This Pioneer Cemetery is immediately adjacent to the sculpture

This low shrub with vibrant pink flowers was part of the
planting. Wish I could tell you what it is.

The stamped heading for downtown Dallas

Kids enjoying climbing up the sculpted rock steps

Crossing the stream just like on the real trail

Part of the landscape architect's work

This man made cliff wall emulates the local limestone cliffs

May 25th Tarrant County Courthouse

Tarrant County Courthouse in downtown Fort Worth

When I left the Handley Cemetery I drove south to Camper World to have my solar power converter fixed. I arrived a little early for my 1:00 appointment but spent the time shopping for a few things I needed. After the lunch break I went out to the shop to show them where the converter was hidden. The technician asked me a couple of questions about what the problem was, he tested for electricity flow, then moved a little black switch into the “on” position and voila my problem was fixed – No charge! So, now all my technical problems were fixed and I had time to visit the Tarrant County Courthouse that afternoon.

It is a beautiful building designed by Gunn & Curtis Architects in the Renaissance Revival style. The original cost of construction was $408,840 and the citizenry thought the politicians were so extravagant at the time they voted them out of office.  The interior of the building is also spectacular. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Hallway of the Tarrant County Courthouse

After finding a parking space directly across the street from the courthouse, I made my way to the City Clerk’s office. The man at the front desk informed me that the marriage record I sought for my great grandparents did not exist because there had been a fire and ….. just then one of his co-workers, Mary Boyd, returned from her break and chimed in, “oh, yes we do have those records”. The front desk person looked dubious but Ms. Boyd escorted me into the adjacent room filled with computer workstations and within five minutes had located my prize. She explained, “we only get requests for these old records about once every five years, so they forget that we have them, but I love looking for them.”

Stairway and balustrade

So, once again I felt I’d found what I was after by a small miracle. Unfortunately, it is a minimalist document that provided me no new details about the couple’s family. The only new information I now have are the names of the two officials who signed the document – J.P. Woods, County Clerk and J.J. Canafax, M.G.

I inquired about death certificates for the three children buried in the Handley Cemetery but those apparently really were destroyed in the fire. I was sent four blocks away to inquire about possible land records but the very pleasant young archivist was unable to find any type of documents associated with my great grandparents, so I left downtown Fort Worth content that I’d obtained the official marriage record and drove back to Cedar Hill State Park just 10 miles south of Dallas.

Looking up from the center of the main lobby

Detail of the stair post

The main entrance is comparatively subdued
but the plates at the door handle are elaborately cast.

May 25th Handley Cemetery

Simple wooden sign for Handley Cemetery, now part of
Fort Worth, TX

After the Stock Yards on the 24th I drove to Azal, a little northwest of Fort Worth, where I found an RV Park for the night. My spot had a very nice view of a field with a small herd of Angus cows grazing in it. I planned to find the Handley Cemetery, the following day, and look for the grave of Wirt W. Pattillo. Wirt was listed on the 1880 census with his parents and his birth information showed he was born in May of that year. I Googled “Handley Cemetery” to I could find the location and the FindAGrave site came up – a tremendous resource for genealogists.

Confederate soldier flags put out for Memorial Day

I entered “Pattillo” and three burials were listed. I was taken aback to find three infant sons buried in the Handley Cemetery. Previously, I’d known about two infant boys that had died but now I found that there were three. Wirt W. Pattillo was born May 25, 1880, James H. Pattillo, named after his grandfather, was born September 18, 1882 and died November 11, 1883 – just 13 months old, and Infant Pattillo, a son died January 31, 1884. In just three years James and Carrie Pattillo had lost three children. How very tragic. I’d like to know the causes of death but those records were lost in a fire, as I learned later in the day at the Tarrant county Courthouse.

The Handley Cemetery is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places

I found James, Wirt and their brother’s headstones grouped together under a mesquite tree. All of the stones were broken but someone had taken care to prop two of the stones up against the tree trunk. The third was placed carefully on top of a small, concrete vault. Today the cemetery is surrounded by industrial uses but volunteers maintain the fence and keep the grasses mown. A historic sign mounted inside the fence explains that the site served as the cemetery for early Handley Pioneers who came to the area after the Texas and Pacific Railroad A Line arrived in 1876. The earliest burial was in 1878, so the Pattillo children were among the earliest burials.

Three Pattillo sons are buried together. James's headstone is
leaning against the trunk, Wirt's is on the backside, and
Baby Pattillo is in the brownish vault to the right.

James H. Pattillo Sept. 18, 1882 - Nov. 11, 1883

Baby Pattillo died Jan. 31, 1884

Wirt W. Pattillo, born May 25, 1880

May 24th The Fort Worth Stock Yards

Gateway to the Fort Worth Stock Yards, 1910

One of the other recommendations I received from Roger was that I should visit the historic Stock Yards. He warned me that it was touristy but said it was important to visit in order to understand the City of Fort Worth. This had been a big day starting at AAA, the Cowgirl Museum and the Kimball Art Museum, so I wasn’t sure I had the energy to add a visit to the Stock Yards but I decided to go and am glad I did.

Part of a mural in the Visitor Center

The Stock Yards are where ranchers brought their horses, mules, cattle and pigs to be sold and distributed to the rest of the United States. During WWI they provided the horses and mules needed in the war effort. Cattle were herded from throughout Texas and other states to this location where they were placed in pens before being processed and shipped out by train. The pens, yards, barns and processing equipment were all state of the art. Fort Worth was one of the greatest cattle markets in the world. Between 1866 and 1890 it was the last stop on the Chisholm Trail and the true start of the west beyond.

This map shows where all the cattle came from to Fort Worth

A mural inside the visitor center showed that between 1896 to 1959 1.5 million horses and mules passed through the yards, 50 million cattle, 50 million sheep, and 33 million hogs – that’s a lot of steak and pork chops. At its peak the Fort Worth Exchange Building was like the “Wall Street of the West”.

Some of the pens with their brick paving, several buildings and the historic gateway built in 1910 are still there. The Stock Yards Company, Livestock Commission and Buyer’s Building still houses active businesses and a small Stock Yards museum. It made a good finale to a great day in Fort Worth.

Mural showing numbers of animals shipped through the Stock Yards

Stockyards Company, Livestock Commission & Buyer's Building

Interior of the Stockyards Company Building

A small portion of the stock pens that remain today

 

The yards were all paved with brick and were washed down each day

This historic photo from the museum shows the extent of the
yards and the trains on the left

Coliseum M Building, 1908

Found this painting of Babe before she went into the movies.
Cowboy unknown

Interior of the Coliseum M Building 

The saddle bar stools were pretty comfortable

May 24th The Kimbell Art Museum & Louis I. Kahn Exhibit

Renzo Piano Pavillion and Kahn landscape

After spending two hours enjoying the Cowgirl Museum I returned to my motorhome to have lunch and relax in the still-shaded spot. When Roger led my tour of downtown Fort Worth he drove by the Kimbell Museum and insisted that I must go there. I’m not big on museums – generally preferring to be outside when I travel but I headed that way after lunch. The Kimbell is located in an area of downtown Fort Worth called the Cultural Center – the same area where the Cowgirl Museum, the Science and History Museum, the Amon Carter Museum, the Will Rogers Memorial Center, the Botanical Garden and a few other cultural resources are all located together.

Sloped landscape over the underground garage

The Kimbell Art Museum is a complex of modern buildings designed by Renzo Piano and Louis I. Kahn. The complex opened in 1972. The landscape that surrounds the complex is stunning with bold, angular lines and rigidly aligned trees. A few pieces of sculpture are strategically placed in the landscape.

Highly-finished concrete and light are the key ingredient in the buildings. Both Kahn and Piano were geniuses when it came to using natural light to illuminate the interior of their buildings. Inside I toured the Louis I. Kahn exhibit and learned much more than I’d previously known about the extraordinary breadth of his architectural work throughout the world.

Roof of the Piano Pavillion

Rain God Vessel, ceramic, Mexico, ca. 1100-1400

Interior of Renzo Piano building

Aligned trees in the Kahn landscape with Will Rogers tower
in the background

Bold, angular landscape detail

L'Air by Aristide Maillol in the green court

100 foot long bays