10 historic landmarks in Fort Worth

Fort Worth is filled with history and some buildings give us a glimpse at what life in the city used to look like. Here’s a list of 10 historic landmarks for you to reference next time you’re exploring the city.

Leonard’s Department Store | 200 Carroll St.

• Then: From 1918 through the 1970s, the department store was an anchor of downtown and offered shoppers everything from a piano to clothes.
• Now: It serves as a museum with photographs of the original store and its employees plus memorabilia like a popcorn machine.

Knights of Pythias Building | 315 Main St.

• Then: The first Pythian Castle Hill was built in 1881 — after a tragic fire, it was rebuilt in 1901 and served as the city’s first coin-operated laundry + first offset printing press. It’s now a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
• Now: It houses Haltom’s Jewelers and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark

Livestock Exchange Building | 131 E. Exchange Ave.

• Then: This adobe-style building, once known as “The Wall Street of the West,” was built in 1902 and served as a center for cattle traders.
• Now: Inside the building, you’ll find the North Fort Worth Historical Society Museum with artifacts from the beginning of development.

Ball-Eddleman-McFarland House | 1110 Penn St.

• Then: This Victorian-style house was built in 1899 and features unique stylings like a porch made of red sandstone. It was passed down through several families before the Junior League of Fort Worth bought it in 1979 and was later acquired by Historic Fort Worth, Inc.
• Now: It’s open to tour and available to rent for special events.

Burk Burnett Building | 500 Main St.

• Then: The neoclassical building was erected in 1914 and was once the tallest building in the city with 12 floors. It was originally occupied by the State National Bank and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
• Now: Permanently closed.

Bryce Building | 909 Throckmorton St.

• Then: The Revival-style office building was constructed in 1910 and is known for its odd five-sided shape. It was added to the National Register in 1984.
• Now: The building currently houses a law firm.

Flatiron Building | 1000 Houston St.

• Then: When it was built in 1907, it was one of the city’s first steel-frame buildings + the tallest in North Texas. If you look closely, you can see panther heads carved into the side of the building that commemorates our city’s nickname “Panther City.”
• Now: The building houses apartment units, office spaces, and conference rooms.

Tarrant County Courthouse | 100 E Weatherford St.

• Then: The courthouse was built in 1893-1895 with pink Texas granite (closely resembling the state capitol). The construction of the building was estimated to cost around $400,000 — upsetting locals and prompting them to vote out the County Judge and the entire Commissioners Court at the next election.
• Now: It houses the Tarrant County clerk’s office, probate and county courts at law, a law library, and the Tarrant County facilities management department.

Log Cabin Village | 2100 Log Cabin Village Ln.

• Then: Six log cabins from the mid-1800s were moved to the village site and restored in the 1950s and early 1960s. It was later donated to the city with the aim to preserve the log structures that were rapidly disappearing from Texas architecture.
• Now: The village is home to a museum dedicated to the preservation of both architecture and the way of life during the 1800s.

Thistle Hill | 1509 Pennsylvania Ave.

• Then: This Georgian-style mansion was built in 1903 and was the city’s first designated landmark in 1978. The home once held lavish dinners and parties for the city’s powerful and elite. It was restored in 1912 and listed on the National Register.
• Now: It’s open for public tours, special events + weddings and receptions.

If you want to check out more historic sites around the city — book a walking tour at the Stockyards + learn more about our architecture through Historic Fort Worth.