|
Adventures West
Cowboys In The City : Ft.Worth, Branson, California, Denver
Because sometimes you need to kick up your heels amid bright lights
and bustle, we offer up four exciting getaways for cowboys and
cowgirls looking to explore the urban wilds.
by Connie Hubbard
Ft.Worth
Branson
California
Denver
Fort Worth
The Stars are Bright, Most Every Night
A Western whirl in Fort Worth, Texas, can be as citified
or as countrified as tastes demand. Drew
Womack’s lyrics say it best: “Fort Worth, you got
class, you blend the future with the past, like the words and
music to a classic song.”
In the 1930s, singer Kate Smith affirmed the star quality of
the area, “The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the
heart of Texas.” But more recently it was Chris LeDoux who
playfully crooned, “I’m headed to a place called Cowtown.”
From Western swing, two steppin’, and boot scootin’, to
Longhorn cattle, rodeo, big hats, BBQ, and honky tonks—
and clear on over to five-star dining and lodging, as well as
big name entertainment in acoustic perfection—it’s all here.
“Cowtown” is Fort Worth’s nickname, and nowhere is
that moniker more apt than in the district known officially
as The Stockyards. There, the brick-paved main thoroughfare,
grandly called “Exchange Avenue,” is the route of a
longhorn cattle drive twice a day with drovers dressed in
1880s attire. The railhead and stock pens from the same era
are still here, too, with the stock pens now serving as a
“Texas Size Human Maze.” Across the street there’s the
Stockyards Station, where an 1896 vintage stream engine
pulls six beautifully restored rail cars, although these days
it’s tourists and not cattle that take a ten-mile ride across
town to the neighboring village of Grapevine. Grapevine—
as the name suggests—is noted for its wineries.
Also beautifully restored is the Stockyards Hotel, built in
1913. Famous and infamous guests have stayed there, including
Bonnie and Clyde. One of Bonnie’s guns is even encased
on the wall. The hotel bar has a string of saddle bar stools that are waiting for thirsty dudes to swing aboard. Once in the saddle,
with whistle suitably wet, a guest can dismount and amble to the
Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in the former Horse and Mule Barns,
or shop for Western wear along Exchange Avenue. Not inclined to
shop? Simply follow the 126 bronze inlaid star markers honoring
those who have personified the Western way of life—Will Rogers,
Charles Goodnight, and Roy Rogers, to name but a few.
| |
 |
|
Mural on side of Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame |
There’s a rodeo every Friday and Saturday in the air-conditioned
Coliseum, and lively nightlife every evening. The White
Elephant Saloon is handily located between two hotels, and
within boot scootin’ distance is Billy Bob’s, the “world’s largest
honky tonk,” where big-name entertainers perform regularly,
and bull riders ride real bulls within earshot of a bar—and there
are plenty of bars there. More than 600 feet of bar rails exist
inside Billy Bob’s, as well as plenty of room to dance.
On Oct. 24-26, Red Steagall hosts a Cowboy Gathering and
Western Swing Festival in the Stockyards. The 2008 festival
opens with chuck wagons setting up camp along Exchange
Avenue, where delicious aromas from Dutch ovens waft from
campfires. Cowboy poets recite tall tales, with the likes of Oscar
Auker, Chris Isaacs, and Red Steagall (aka Poet Laureate of
Texas) participating. Don Edwards and the Quebe Sisters provide
musical entertainment, while working ranch hands from
some of the most famous Texas ranches team up to compete in
ranch-hand rodeo events, including wild cow milking.
If after all that you’ve still not had enough Western fun, there
are several working ranches in the area that welcome visitors,
including the nearby MD Ranch, which has a petting zoo for
children, as well as a bed and breakfast.
The second stanza in the sparkling Fort Worth trio of stars is
known as the Cultural District, which is about a ten-minute cab
ride and a century removed from the Stockyards. Here, individuals involved in today’s cattle and horse industries are often in
action at the impressive Will Rogers complex. Scheduled for
the autumn of 2008 are the Appaloosa Horse Club World
Championship Show, the American Paint Horse Association
Show, and the National Cutting Horse Futurity.
Adjacent to the Will Rogers complex is the new National
Cowgirl Hall of Fame, where 150 women of the West, from
Sacajawea to Annie Oakley to Patsy Cline, are celebrated. Also
within walking distance of Will Rogers are the magnificent
Kimbell Art Center, which showcases art from the prehistoric
era to Picasso, and the Amon Carter Museum, which features
Western and other American art.
Blending the future with the past, Fort Worth’s third “star”
sparkles brightly. If the Stockyards are “cowtown,” and the
Cultural District is “now town,” then Sundance Square
(named after the Sundance Kid, who allegedly hid out in the
area) is “wow town.” Sundance Square is less than two miles
from the Cultural District, but it’s where the lights are
brighter, and the restaurants glitzier.
Take an afternoon stroll through the Sid Richardson gallery,
where you’ll encounter works by Frederic Remington and
Charles Russell that will make your heart sing. Speaking of
singing, there is an acoustically correct performance hall in
Sundance known as “The Bass,” (Bass Performance Hall, to be
precise), home to the Fort Worth Opera and Ballet.
You’ll still see boots and Wranglers in Sundance Square, but
odds are they’ll be polished boots and pressed denim.
Hank Williams Jr. sang wistfully of “the girl on the front row
at Fort Worth,” while Kathy Mattea’s mellow alto crooned
“she came from Fort Worth.” People know about Fort Worth’s
multifaceted focus on the working cowboy’s past in the
Stockyards, the livestock producers of today seen at the
Cultural District’s Will Rogers complex, and the playground
of the Western lifestyle enthusiasts as seen in Sundance
Square’s “downtown but still Western” city ambiance.
Before planning your next Western Entertainment
Excursion, let us pose the same question that George Strait
asks: “Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind?”
Places to see near FT. WORTH, TEXAS
-
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
-
Amarillo, with its AQHA Heritage Center and Museum, Big Texan Restaurant, and nearby Palo Duro Canyon.
-
The Alamo, in San Antonio
- Cowboy Artists of America Museum
Contact: Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau www.fortworth.com; 1-800-433-5747
|
Branson: Where East is West top
by Tom Wilmes
Branson just may be the easternmost outpost for bigtime
Western entertainment—as well as just about any
other kind of live entertainment you’re after. With 53
theaters offering more than 100 shows—most playing yearround—
there are certainly no lack of options. In fact, the selfproclaimed “Live Entertainment Capital of the World” can boast more theater seats than all of Broadway.
A few new developments for 2009 should help solidify
Branson’s status among the top overnight vacation destinations
in the country. Of big news to fans of Western-style spectacle
is the new permanent home for The Great American
Wild West Show in Canterbury Gardens, set to open in late
spring. Modeled after the Ft. Worth Stockyards, the show is a
sensory overload of Western pageantry, replete with daredevil
stunts, music, riders, ropers, and much more celebrating
the heritage of the Old West
Another new development is the opening of the
Springfield/Branson National Airport slated for this
spring. The airport, which will be serviced by an as-yet-tobe-
determined low cost carrier, is just eight miles south of
town. Currently the closest major airport is 52 miles away
in Springfield, Mo. The Springfield/Branson National
Airport will be the first privately funded commercial airport
in the country.
Whether arriving by plane, bus, or by car (as most visitors
do), you’ll find that, once in Branson, it’s easy to find your way.
Most of the city’s numerous attractions are located along
Hwy. 76, known locally as “The Strip.” Much like the larger Las
Vegas version, Branson’s Strip has theaters and other attractions
that compete for attention with elaborate facades and
miles of glowing neon lights. Highlights for those in a Western
frame of mind include Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, a popular
dinner show that features stunt riders, musical numbers,
and even a stampeding herd of live buffalo. The nearby Grand
Country Square and Music Hall is a destination unto itself. It
includes a hotel, theater, restaurants, shopping, and an indoor
water park. It’s also home to the world’s largest banjo.
Slightly removed from the Strip, Circle B Chuckwagon is a
down-home dinner show that begins with a bang—literally.
After reenactors stage an Old West shootout, hungry guests
gather for a chuck wagon dinner while enjoying cowboy music
and humor from the Riders of the Circle B. Back on trail, you
might take in a show at one of the many theaters in the area, or
head to the far Western end of the Strip to see the famed production
of The Shepherd of the Hills. Its season ends in early
October. Based on the 1907 book by Harold Bell Wright—a
largely fictional work credited with first drawing visitors to
Branson—the outdoor production tells the story of mountain
life in the Ozarks.
Be sure to make a pilgrimage to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
Museum for an inside look into the lives of Cowboydom’s
First Couple. Many of the couple’s personal effects are included
in the exhibits. The adjacent Happy Trails Theater is the
home of Roy Rogers Jr. and The High Riders, who perform two
shows a day five nights a week. Rogers’ son Dustin joins his dad
as a guest star throughout 2008.
Down the street, RFD-TV The Theatre features shows to
complement the popular rural network’s programming,
including The Penny Gilley Showfeaturing Jeff Brandt, and Take
It To The Limit—A Tribute To The Eagles. A few doors down, the
IMAX Little Opry Theater features a mix of first-run IMAX
movies and live entertainment.
The Oak Ridge Boys Theater is another popular attraction.
The band performs a nightly show during its fall residency,
and its big Christmas Show is not to be missed
| |
 |
| |
Rhonda Vincent |
Branson’s largest attraction—Silver Dollar City—is also not
to be missed. It’s easy to spend a full day or two just exploring
this theme park, which is modeled after a 1880s-era town. The
whole family will find something to enjoy, whether it’s thrill
rides, water slides, stage shows, or one of the many festivals
held throughout the year. Currently, the National Harvest
Festival runs through October 25, and includes a Salute to The
Great American Cowboy in September with Western artists
and musicians, and roping and riding in the Wild West Arena.
October brings a Tribute to the American Farmer, with performances,
a working animal farm, and more. Headin’ West, an
original musical production that tells the story of Western
expansion, will be performed at the Opera House during the
duration of the festival.
Of course Branson’s live shows and year-round attractions
aren’t all this friendly city has to offer. With its prime location—
situated in the heart of the Ozark Mountains near three
scenic lakes and numerous golf courses—the area has nearly
inexhaustible options for those who want to refresh and rejuvenate
in the great outdoors.
Places to see near BRANSON, MO.
- Mark Twain’s Birthplace and the Mark Twain State Park
- Harry S. Truman Birthplace
- Nathan Boone Homestead, father of Daniel Boone
- Confederate Memorial State Historic Site
- Battle of Lexington State Historic Site
- Battle of Athens State Historic Site
- Marvel Cave
Contact: Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and
Convention & Visitors Bureau www.explorebranson.com; 1-800-296-0463
|
Southern California’s Western Ways
top
By Dan Gagliasso
Southern California and the word “cowboy” might not seem to go together,
unless of course you’re talking about movie “cowboys.” But away from the
pavement, the transplanted New Yorkers, and the palm trees there are still
parts of Southern California rich in the heritage of the Spanish ranchero, Mexican
vaquero, and the American Cowboy.
Down the coastline off the 101 Freeway just above Santa Barbara is one of the prettiest
California cowboy towns you’ll ever encounter. Santa Ynez may be upscale
horse country, but it’s friendly horse country that’s proud of its vaquero past—and
shows it. The restaurants and Western-themed stores on Sagunto Street reflect
times past, and bespeak horse owners who were born to California cattle country.
Every November, the Santa Ynez Historical Museum hosts a Vaquero show that
attracts collectors from across the country. This little gem of a museum features
exhibits on local ranching, as well as permanent exhibits on carriages and the vaquero
tradition, and even temporary exhibits on local cowboys like Charlie Russell’s
only protégé, Joe De Yong, who settled nearby after Russell’s death in 1926. The
curator of this fine collection, John Crockett, is a descendant of the hero of the
Alamo himself, Davy Crockett. All the more fun when you realize that Fess Parker,
Walt Disney’s Davy Crockett, is the owner and proprietor of a very well regarded
winery and upscale bed and breakfast right down the road in Los Olivos.
Further south in the beautiful beachside city of Santa Barbara, the ranchero and
vaquero tradition is kept alive on an even larger scale by the Carriage and Western
Arts Museum. This is perhaps the largest collection of varied period horse-drawn
vehicles outside of the Smithsonian Institute. There are at least six stagecoaches—
including one that ran over nearby San Marcos Pass into Santa Barbara—as well as
Indian War-era Army “mud wagons,” fire wagons, and beer wagons.
The saddle collection includes numerous ornate Bohlin parade saddles dripping
in silver, as well as personal saddles that belonged to Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable,
early cowboy artist Ed Borein, and even President Ronald Reagan. There’s also a
sculpted mural by Borien depicting the evolution of the cowboy.
One hundred miles further south in
the beautiful Los Angeles suburb of
Pacific Palisades lies a hidden jewel of
Western tradition. The 186-acre estate
of the most popular cowboy entertainer
in history next to John Wayne, Will
Rogers’ home is now a state park.
Donated to the state of California in
1944, this 31-room home of the beloved
Oklahoma cowboy, commentator, ropetrick
artist, and movie star reflects his
love of the West. There are a number of
paintings and bronzes by Charlie
Russell, the great cowboy artist, who
was a close friend of the humorist.
Rogers’ saddle, various cowboy artifacts,
the polo stables, and the graves of
two of his horses, including Bootlegger,
his favorite roping horse, are also part of
the displays and grounds.
Just north of Los Angeles off of
Interstate 5 in the city of Newhall is an
equally impressive estate of a cowboy
superstar that is also open to the public.
William S. Hart acted in 65 Western
films between 1913 and 1925, and was the
first major Western film star. He may
have been a transplanted New Yorker,
but his love for the West was more than
real, and his Spanish Colonial style
home on more than 300 acres reflects
that heartfelt appreciation. Western art,
again from Russell and Russell’s protégé,
Joe De Yong, graces many of the
walls alongside a collection of Plains
Indian artifacts. There is even a small
herd of buffalo donated by Walt Disney
in the early 1960s that graze in a corral
near the entrance to the park. Also in Newhall is the Western movie
set recently in use at Gene Autry’s old
Melody Ranch. If you watch HBO’s
decidedly adult Western Deadwood,
you’ve seen this impeccably researched
and constructed set that is not just a
false Hollywood front, but actually an
array of fully functional buildings.
Autry’s horse Champion is buried on the
property, which also houses a nicely
done Western movie prop and gun
museum. Private tours can be arranged
depending on filming schedules. The set
is also the site of the Santa Clarita
Cowboy Poetry Festival every late April.
Back in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, off
of Interstate 5 and the Ventura Freeway,
is the renamed Autry National Center in
Griffith Park that Autry founded in 1988.
The complex will soon see major
changes, including the addition of an old
Southwest Indian collection. Major
reconstruction is scheduled for 2009.
Two hours south, just north of San
Diego off of the State 78 Freeway and
Interstate 5, is San Pasqual Battlefield, a
well-preserved site and a museum dedicated
to the only major battle of the
Mexican War fought just between
mounted men. It was here in late 1846
that U.S. Dragoons (early cavalry), guided
by famed scout Kit Carson, were
soundly whooped by California vaqueros
wielding tall lances and braided
riatas. The Americans later won the
California campaign when U.S. Marines,
sailors, and those dragoons stood fast in
a square at San Gabriel and turned back
repeated charges of the Californio
lancers. The battlefield is in the center
of San Diego horse country, and well
interpreted with displays of uniforms,
art, and other exhibits. These are just a
few of the top quality and educational
attractions that horse and cowboy-type
folks will find fascinating to visit during
a sunny Southern California outing.
|
Places to see in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
- Sacramento: Old Sacramento, California Railroad Museum, Crocker Art Museum,
California Military Museum, Sutter’s Fort, Discovery Museum
- Calico Ghost Town
- Zane Grey Pueblo Hotel
- Mt. Whitney, John Muir Trail, Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon
- Contact: California Travel & Tourism: www.visitcalifornia.com; 1-800-862-2543
|
Denver’s Mile-High Fun top
By Tom Wilmes
Looking for an easily accessible Western getaway with
urban flair? Look no further than Denver. From its origins as a
mining boomtown, to its days as a major cattle-trading crossroads,
to its current status as a technology and tourism hub,
Denver has hosted a steady stream of the “who’s who” traveling
in the West. Its central location and early affluence helped
establish the Queen City of the Plains as a major destination,
and as a resu lt the city’s colorful history reflects that of the
West itself.
Gold was the first color of consequence here. Prospectors
discovered flakes near the confluence of Cherry Creek and the
South Platte River in 1858. As more strikes were made in the
nearby Rocky Mountains, the Great Colorado gold rush was
on and thousands came West to seek their fortune. But with
no access by water, rail, or major road, the young mining town
stagnated in isolation. When the transcontinental railroad
bypassed Colorado on its route West, city leaders took action
and raised funds for Denver to build its own line to meet the
Union Pacific in Cheyenne, Wyo. Soon after, the Kansas
Pacific Railroad crossed the plains to connect with Denver.
When a major silver strike was made in Leadville, Denver was
once again the center of attention.
The newly minted mining barons built stately mansions—
each trying to outdo the other—and opulent new hotels were
constructed that rivaled those of major cities in the east. These
ornate buildings continue to give Denver its unique charm, and
a stroll through the downtown neighborhoods of Five Points
and Capitol Hill is a great way to get acquainted with the city.
Among the many boutiques and restaurants found in the hip
LoDo, or Lower Downtown, neighborhood is The Oxford Hotel.
Built in 1891, it’s the city’s oldest continuously operating hotel,
and it offers a glimpse of the lifestyle enjoyed by Denver’s gilded-
age elite. Completed just a year later, The Brown Palace is
another of Denver’s iconic early hotels. Its soaring, ornately
detailed atrium is not to be missed. For more on the city’s history, as well as Western novels and just about anything else you’d
like to read, stop by the famed Tattered Cover Book Store, one of
the largest independent booksellers in the country.
Along with the mining operations and railroads, cowboys
played a major role in forging Denver’s identity. Many of the
great cattle drives came through Denver, and at one time the
city’s stockyards were the most active in the West. Denver celebrates
its cowtown roots each January with the National
Western Stock Show, a huge two-weeks long event and rodeo
held annually for more than a century. But there’s no need to
wait until January to experience Denver’s cowboy side.
| |
 |
| |
Color Guard at the National Western Stock Show & Rodeo |
The Black American West Museum and Heritage Center is a
great resource to learn the story of African American Cowboys
in the West, as well as accounts of rodeo stars, politicians, and
entertainers.
At Rockmount Ranch Wear you can get duded up in the
most authentic Western wear around. In business since 1946,
the store’s founder, “Papa Jack” Weil, created the first
Western shirt with now-iconic pearl (or diamond) snap buttons.
Once suitably outfitted, head out for a night on the town
at the Grizzly Rose, one of the nation’s premiere country and
Western dancehalls.
For more in-depth details on Denver’s story and the characters
who shaped it, a new service lets visitors dial into a guided
tour from their cell phones at different points throughout the
city and listen to free recorded messages. For more on the various
tours offered, such as “Settling the Frontier” and
“Women of the West,” visit denverstorytrek.org and call
(303) 562-2407 to access the Trek Connect line.
Not far outside city limits is the town of Golden, Colo. Here
you can pay a visit to Buffalo Bill’s Grave and Museum and
observe one of the nation’s largest remaining buffalo herds
from an overlook on I-70. In town, the Colorado Railroad
Museum, Golden Pioneer Museum, and Colorado History
Museum are all worth a visit, as are the shops and attractions
at Heritage Square. The famous Red Rocks Amphitheater and
Park is also nearby. From a seat in this outdoor amphitheater,
surrounded by monolithic rock formations, you watch the sun
slowly fade over Denver in the distance as you take in a show
A bit further south in Manitou Springs, just outside
Colorado Springs, another great way to take in the scenery is
aboard the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. The famed cog railway, the
highest in the world, climbs though forest above timberline on
its nearly nine-mile journey to the summit of Pikes Peak. The
unsurpassed view of the Great Plains and surrounding mountains
inspired Katharine Lee Bates to pen the words to
“America the Beautiful” after a visit in the summer of 1893. Bus
tours from Denver are available if you don’t have your own
transportation. While in Colorado Springs, make a side trip to
the The ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American
Cowboy to see the exhibits and tour the hall.
| |
 |
| |
Trophies and other memorabilia lines the wall at The Buckhorn Exchange. |
The city of Boulder, just northwest of Denver, is worth a visit
if only to tour the Leanin’ Tree Museum and Sculpture Garden
of Western Art, which houses one of the largest privately
owned collections of Western art in the country. From here
you can also continue on to the town of Estes Park, gateway to
the Rocky Mountain National Park, and book a horseback
riding excursion with one of the many stables there.
Back in Denver, you may be tempted to rest your feet after a
long day of seeing the sights, but a meal at the Buckhorn
Exchange will perk you right back up. The city’s oldest restaurant,
this National Historic Landmark and Western Museum
has operated continuously since 1893. Belly up to its dark
wood bar and survey the menu filled with prime beef steaks,
buffalo, and elk, and it’s easy to imagine the likes of Buffalo Bill
himself stopping in for a meal. In fact the original owner,
Henry H. “Shorty Scout” Zietz, once rode with Buffalo Bill.
At the end of the day, Denver’s Old West roots seem more
tangible than ever.
Places to see near DENVER, COLO.
- Fort Sedgwick Historical Society’s Depot Museum
- Overland Trail Museum, Sterling, Colo.
- Fort Morgan Museum
- Greeley’s Centennial Museum
- Bent’s Old Fort
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Hall of Fame
- Cave of the Winds
- Estes Park Contact: Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau www.denver.org; 1-800-233-6837
|
|
