Downtown Fort Worth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Downtown Fort Worth
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Downtown Fort Worth Skyline
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 Downtown Fort Worth
Location in Texas
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| County | Tarrant County |
| City | Fort Worth |
Downtown Fort Worth is the busy heart of Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. It's where you'll find most of the city's tallest buildings and exciting places to visit.
Contents
Fun Things to Do in Downtown Fort Worth
Sundance Square: A Lively Place to Explore
Sundance Square is a super fun area in downtown Fort Worth. It's filled with cool shops, tasty restaurants, and theaters. You can also find offices and homes here.
This area got its start in the early 1980s. A person named Sid Bass wanted to make downtown Fort Worth a more exciting place. Back then, the downtown area wasn't very lively. Sid Bass loved how New York City had shops, restaurants, offices, and museums all close together. He wanted to create a similar lively spot in Fort Worth.
Today, Sundance Square is easy to walk around. Many of its buildings are old and historic, or they have been rebuilt to look that way. The sidewalks are even made of brick!
Parks and Water Fun
- Sundance Square Plaza: This big plaza is like a town square in the middle of Sundance Square. It has cool umbrellas, a stage for shows, and fountains that light up at night. It's a great place to hang out!
- Fort Worth Water Gardens: This amazing park covers about 4 acres. It was designed by a famous architect named Philip Johnson. The park has three special pools of water. It's a calm and cool spot in the city. You might even recognize it from the 1976 science fiction movie Logan's Run!
Arts and Culture: Shows and Music
- Bass Performance Hall: This beautiful building is home to many amazing performances. You can see the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Texas Ballet Theater, and the Fort Worth Opera here. It also hosts the famous Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
Fort Worth Convention Center
The Fort Worth Convention Center is a large building where big events happen. It has a huge arena that can seat 11,200 people.
Cool Buildings in Downtown Fort Worth
- The Tower: This building used to be called the Bank One Tower. It was damaged by a strong tornado in 2000. But it was rebuilt and turned into homes in 2005. It now has a new look and is the fourth tallest building in Fort Worth.
- City Center Development: This area has two tall twin towers. The D.R. Horton Tower is 38 stories high, and the Wells Fargo Tower is 33 stories. From above, they look like pinwheels!
- The Hilton Fort Worth: This hotel opened in 1921. It's famous because U.S. President John F. Kennedy stayed here right before he passed away in Dallas.
Downtown Fort Worth's Economy
Downtown Fort Worth is the main business area of the city. Many companies have their offices here. There are four office towers that are over 450 feet tall!
Some big companies have their main offices in Downtown Fort Worth. These include Pier 1 Imports, XTO Energy, and TPG Capital.
Getting Around Downtown Fort Worth
Downtown Fort Worth is easy to reach by car. Many major highways meet up here. These include I-35W, I-30, SH 121, and US 287.
For public transportation, the main hub is Fort Worth Central Station. It's located downtown at Jones Street and 9th Street. Many bus lines meet here. You can also catch the Trinity Railway Express and TEXRail commuter trains. Bus service within certain downtown areas is even free! There's also a special bus called Molly The Trolley that looks like an old-fashioned trolley.
In the future, a new train line called TEX Rail will connect downtown Fort Worth to Grapevine and the DFW Airport.
The Trinity Trails are a network of over 35 miles of paths. You can walk or bike along the Trinity River starting from downtown.
Learning in Downtown Fort Worth
Colleges and Universities
- University of Texas at Arlington: This university offers many college programs in the historic Santa Fe Freight Building downtown.
- Tarrant County College: The Trinity River campus of Tarrant County College is located downtown. The college also bought the former Radio Shack headquarters building in 2008.
- Texas A&M University School of Law: This law school has been in downtown Fort Worth since 1997. It became part of the Texas A&M University System in 2013.
Schools and Libraries
Public Schools
The Fort Worth Independent School District provides public education for kids living downtown. There is one school, Nash Elementary, located downtown.
Library
The Fort Worth Library has its main Central Library downtown. It opened in 1978 and was made even bigger in 2000. It's one of the largest public libraries in Tarrant County.
Downtown Fort Worth in Movies
- The 1976 science fiction movie Logan's Run was filmed in Fort Worth. You can see the Fort Worth Water Gardens in the movie! The Water Gardens also appeared in another science fiction film, The Lathe of Heaven (1980).
- The inside of St. Patrick Cathedral was used in the 1990 comedy movie Problem Child.
- The outside of the Tarrant County Courthouse was often shown in the TV show Walker, Texas Ranger.
Cool Neighborhoods Near Downtown
Fort Worth has several other interesting neighborhoods close to downtown.
Stockyards District: A Taste of the Old West
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The Fort Worth Stockyards are just north of downtown. This area lets you experience the old west! It was a historic spot for cattle drives. Today, it's full of restaurants, clubs, and gift shops. You can even see Texas Longhorn cattle being driven through the streets twice a day! Don't miss the Stockyards Museum, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, and Billy Bob's, which is the world's largest country music venue.
Cultural District: Museums Galore!
The Cultural District is west of downtown. It's home to many of Fort Worth's museums. You can visit the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum, Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. This district also has the Will Rogers Memorial Center, which hosts the annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
West Seventh District: A Growing Area
The "West Seventh" area is between the Cultural District and downtown. It's a neighborhood that has been growing with new shops, restaurants, and homes.
Near Southside / Medical District: Hospitals and More
The Near Southside is a neighborhood just south of downtown. Many of Fort Worth's hospitals are located here. You'll find lots of activity along Magnolia Avenue.
Texas Christian University: A Big Campus
Texas Christian University (TCU) is Fort Worth's biggest university. Its campus is southwest of downtown. Many homes around the university are historic.
Panther Island: Future Fun Spot
Panther Island is an 800-acre area north of downtown along the Trinity River. Different groups are working together to make it a vibrant new neighborhood. They plan to build new homes, shops, and attractions here.
Panther Island already has some cool spots. These include the Coyote Urban Drive-In Movie Theater and Panther Island Pavilion. It was also home to LaGrave Field, where the Fort Worth Cats baseball team used to play.
Images for kids
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Downtown Fort Worth Skyline
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AMC Theatre in Downtown Fort Worth (currently unoccupied)
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Fort Worth Water Gardens
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Bass Performance Hall
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Tandy Center view from Belknap
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Fort Worth Live Stock Exchange (postcard, c. 1908)
