While the 1960s were turbulent at times in Fort Worth, they were also marked by steady growth and significant progress. The Metroplex thrived because of a strong economy, good jobs, and affordable housing. Fort Worth and Dallas airports vied for dominance as regional air facilities in the 1960s until the cities came together to create Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, linking North Texas to the world.
Here are some stunning historical photos that will take you back to the 1960s in Fort Worth.
#1 Blackstone Hotel and Lerner Shops department store, downtown Fort Worth, Texas, 1960
#2 Downtown Fort Worth at night with buildings outlined in Christmas lights, 1967
#3 Western Hills Hotel, 1960s
#4 Overview of marchers, Civil Rights demonstrations in Fort Worth, protesting brutality in Selma, Alabama, 1965
#5 Aerial of future location of a parking garage for the Continental National Bank, downtown Fort Worth, Texas, 1966
#6 Fort Worth National Bank proposed motor bank, 1960
#7 Main St. between 7th and 8th Streets showing Fort Worth National Bank sign and man walking down middle of street, 1960s
#8 Texas & Pacific Railway Station exterior, 1963
#9 Fort Worth downtown skyline looking northwest, 1969
#10 Road construction at Edeville Road and Bridge Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1968
#11 Lightning above the Fort Worth community Christmas tree, 1966
#12 Construction at Sixth Street, 1967
In the picture you can observe the on going construction at Sixth Street of the overpass that will connect Star-Telegram building at 7th street and Taylor. There is a crane on the right side of the picture, and the metal structure is horizontally positioned, there is a man walking through it. There is a lot of metal on the floor surrounding the crane, and there are three buildings in the background.
#13 Exterior view of building, storage containers, Burlington freight container at Carling Brewery, 1965
#14 Continental Life exterior, 1960
#15 Fire truck adjusts Worth Theater sign, 1964
#16 Exterior of the new Fort Worth State Adult Mental Health Clinic, 1962
#17 Hightower family residence, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#18 Poly Freeway connector with 5th Street, downtown Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#19 Exterior of a “Show house,” 6349 Juneau Road, Fort Worth, Texas, 1963
#20 Hogue family residence, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#21 Exterior of Fort Worth family residence in Westwood, Fort Worth, Texas owned by Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, 1961
#22 Exterior of the Van Zandt Mansion on 800 Penn Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1965
#23 Exterior of the Dutch Colonial residence purchased by the Hull family, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#24 Exterior of the Amon Carter home, 1962
#25 Exterior of the Bernie L. Anderson family home on 1025 Penn Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1963
#26 Exterior of the Armer family’s Fort Worth, Texas residence, 1962
#27 Hogue family residence, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#28 Apartment building, 3572 Bellaire Drive North, Fort Worth, Texas, 1960
#29 Exterior of a model home in the new Hi-Crest section of Western Hills Addition, Fort Worth, Texas, 1966
#30 Perry family residence, Everman Park, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#31 Will Rogers Coliseum, 1967
#32 Ongoing construction of the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, 1960
#33 Ongoing construction of the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, 1960
#34 Continental National Bank building with revolving clock, 200 W. 7th and Houston Street, downtown Fort Worth, 1961.
It was a 30-story skyscraper in Fort Worth, Texas. Designed by Fort Worth architecture firm Preston M. Geren & Associates, it was the tallest building in the city from its opening in 1957 until the completion of The Fort Worth Tower in 1974. After being abandoned in 1990, the tower stood vacant for more than 15 years until it was demolished in 2006. It is one of the tallest buildings ever to be demolished.
#35 An aerial of turnpike at Handley, 1969
#36 Mr. and Mrs. B. T. Balcom and daughters on their way to board a train, 1969
#37 John Peter Smith Hospital building, 1961
#38 Congregation Ahavath Sholom, 1300 West Myrtle Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1968
#39 The Construction of 225 foot structure for the Trinity Park dam, 1969
#40 An airview of Fort Worth mixmaster, 1960
#41 Tarrant County Convention Center construction, 1968
#42 Leonard’s Department Store, 1967
#43 Motheral Printing Company, 510 South Main Street, Fort Worth, 1967
#44 Exterior of Fort Worth family residence in Westwood, Fort Worth, Texas owned by Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, 1961
#45 Exterior of the Dutch Colonial residence purchased by the Hull family, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#46 Golston family residence, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#47 Jack E. and Jane Turnbow family residence, 3409 Autumn Court, Fort Worth, Texas, 1961
#48 Helmuth Naumer, director of Fort Worth Children’s Museum, rides an old fashioned bicycle, 1967
#49 Trinity Valley, new secondary school and gymnasium shown from window, 1969
#50 The Exterior of West Side State Bank with fountain in front, 1967
#51 The exterior of West Side State Bank, 1960
#52 The interior of lobby of renovated West Side State bank, 1960
#53 Aerial of Southwest Exposition and Fat Stock Show at Will Rogers Memorial complex, 1967
#54 Aerial of Will Rogers Coliseum, Casa Manana, Farrington Field and surrounding area, 1961
#55 J. M. Ware home will be demolished soon, 1965
#56 Aerial of Meacham airfield and terminal, Fort Worth, 1965
#57 Downtowner Motor Inn Hotel at Throckmorton Street and 9th Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1964
#58 Demolition of Victor Hotel, 1312-1/2 Main Street, to make room for Tarrant County Convention Center, 1965
#59 Aerial of downtown Fort Worth, Texas showing Jones Street, Spur 280 (4th Street access), 35W, Hwy. 121; Santa Fe railroad tracks on eastside near bottom right, 1967
#60 Fort Worth’s first brick house, 904 Penn Street, 1963
#61 Aerial of new construction around Ridglea Country Club, 1960
#62 Congregation Ahavath Sholom, 1300 West Myrtle Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1968
#63 Parade in downtown Fort Worth with Miss Flame of Arlington, 1965
#64 Looking north at Hulen Street bridge over the railroad yard at time of completed construction of bridge, 1967
#65 Ticket counter at Greater Southwest International Airport, 1968
#66 Greater Southwest International Airport concourse, Gates 3 and 4 with escalators to American flights, 1968
#67 Empty concourse, Gates 3 and 4, clock hanging from ceiling, Greater Southwest International Airport, 1968
#68 Flatbed truck brought in for President John F. Kennedy to speak from to crowd outside Hotel Texas; crowd begins to gather, 1963
#69 Exterior of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram building, 7th and Taylor Sts., downtown Fort Worth, 1963
#70 Fort Worth Star-Telegram building, exterior, 7th and Taylor Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1963
#71 Rolling Stones rock group arrives in armored car inside Will Rogers Coliseum for a concert in Fort Worth, Texas, 1965
#72 Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital exterior, Mattison and Montgomery streets, 1962
#73 Seniors at Castleberry High School hoist a heifer cow to the roof of the high school building, 1962
#74 A round porch at McCart house, Arlington Heights, Fort Worth, Texas, 1969
#75 A staircase in McCart home, Arlington Heights, Fort Worth, Texas, 1969
#76 John F. Kennedy standing in convertible car, 1963
#77 Exterior of McCart residence, Arlington Heights, Fort Worth, Texas, 1969
#78 An airview of Fort Worth north/south freeway, 1960
#79 Buildings to be demolished for Tarrant County Convention Center construction, 1968
#80 Rodeway Inn Motel, Lancaster Avenue and Henderson Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1960s
#81 Lee Harvey Oswald’s funeral, Fort Worth’s Rose Hill Cemetery, 1963
#82 Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital, 1962
#83 Cereal Feeder, Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, 1964
#84 High altitude aerial of Fort Worth Stockyards, 1961
#85 Fort Worth downtown Rescue Mission in old Liberty Theater building, 1100 Main Street, Fort Worth, Texas, 1960s
#86 Lee Harvey Oswald’s funeral, Fort Worth’s Rose Hill Cemetery, 1963
#87 Aerial view of Seminary South shopping center, Fort Worth, Texas, 1962
#88 Burnett Park in Fort Worth with lightning flashes over the Christmas Tree, 1966
#89 Fort Worth Club remodeling, rugs being lifted to 12th floor, 1960
#90 Farm worker strikers picketing at Buddies Grocery store, Fort Worth, Texas, 1969
#91 Crates for mass moving, 1964
#92 Packaging liner, Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, 1964
#93 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, Texas, 1964
#94 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, Texas, 1964
#95 The dedication of golf course clubhouse at Carswell Air Force Base, 1960
#96 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, Texas, 1964
#97 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, Texas, 1963
#98 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, warehouse rail dock and railcar on truck, 1963
#99 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, Texas exterior of building with pond in foreground, 1965
#100 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, construction, powerhouse and brewhouse before the silos, 1963
#101 Carling Brewery, Fort Worth, front of building showing driveway, 1963
#102 First African American Student at Lily B. Clayton Elementary School, 1963
#103 A group of Cub and Boy Scouts at 1968 Cub Scout Olympics competing in a hula hoop race.
The group on the right shows scouts from Cub Scout Pack 231, represented by Kirkpatrick Elementary school students Dale Brown, 10, Anthony Earle, 9, and Marcus Jones, 9, who won the hula hoop race. The event was held by the Woodbine Trail District Longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts which took place in Harmon Recreation Center in Fort Worth and was attended by about 100 Cub and Boy Scouts
#104 Aerial of downtown Fort Worth, Texas, 1962
#105 Blue Star Restaurant, 5716 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth, Texas, 1963
#106 The interior of Carling Brewery, 1964
#107 B-58 production line at the Convair factory, Fort Worth, 1960
#108 TCU vs. SMU football game scoreboard, 1966
#109 Arlington Mayor Tom J. Vandergriff and his wife, Anna, conversing with an attendee of an appreciation dinner held in Vandergriff’s honor in Hotel Texas’ Grand Ballroom, 1966
#110 The 1966 Assembly Ball at Ridglea Country Club, 1966
#111 President John F. Kennedy and Jackie shaking hands in crowd just before leaving Carswell Air Force Bas , Fort Worth, 1963
#112 Larry Bulaich, Texas Christian University (T. C. U.) #26, drives for touchdown, 1962
#113 Goal Tenders, Fort Worth Wings booster club, 1968
#114 President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy descending from Air Force One. Congressman Jim Wright, Governor John Connally, and Mrs. Connally seen in doorway, Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, 1963
#115 Casa Manana – Three women dressed as witches lounging on stage, a skeleton butler with broom and vacuum in “Wizard of Oz,” 1961.
#116 Miss Alita Rose, president of one of the two classes of student nurses at John Peter Smith Hospital School of Nursing, locates a book in the library and prepares to spend a couple of hours in quiet study, 1965
#117 Betsy Rawls and Aniela Goldthwaite at River Crest Country Club, 1961
#118 John Peter Smith Hospital Capping Class of 1963
#119 The Women’s Golf Association ready for National Invitational Tournament, 1968
#120 Nursing students at the University of Texas School of Nursing in Fort Worth. Jeanneane Cline, front row center, Mary Beth Steward, school secretary, at bottom right in the front row, 1968.
#121 Lois Lynn and John Peter Smith Hospital nursing student choir, 1960s
#122 John Peter Smith Hospital students in front of the new school in Fort Worth, Texas, 1964
Jeanean Boyd is pictured on the far right. The sign pictured at left reads "Phase III, John Peter Smith Hospital, Construction Now in Progress, the eight-story tower now being built is continuing proof of your hospital district's concern for better community healthcare." There are four women pictured, all wearing nursing uniforms and carrying umbrellas.
#123 People entering Hotel Texas Grand Ballroom with tables set for breakfast for President John F. Kennedy and party, 1963
#124 Rolling Stones rock group arrives in armored car inside Will Rogers Coliseum for a concert in Fort Worth, Texas, 1960s
#125 Lee Harvey Oswald’s funeral at Rose Hill Cemetery with people (mostly reporters) standing near the gravesite, Fort Worth, Texas, 1963
#126 People waiting on flight line at Carswell Air Force Base, 1963
#127 A pen of sheep in Fort Worth Stockyards, 1961
#128 Crowd gathered to hear John F. Kennedy speak, 1963
#129 John F. Kennedy speaks to crowd outside Hotel Texas, 1963
#130 Overhead view of large crowd outside Hotel Texas, 1963
#131 President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy in presidential limousine with Texas Governor John Connally, outside Hotel Texas, Fort Worth, 1963
#132 Mrs. W. K. Gordon Jr. with Mrs. James M. Harrison taking tickets at The Assembly Ball, Ridglea Country Club, Fort Worth, 1961
#133 Casa Manana performance of “An Enchanted Evening,” 1965
#134 Placido Domingo and Raina Kabaivanska in Fort Worth Opera Assoc production of Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut”, 1968
#135 The 1968 Assembly Ball at Ridglea Country Club, 1968
#136 The 1968 Assembly Ball at Ridglea Country Club, 1968
#137 Textron’s Bell Helicopter company employees show them pose with UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) helicopter main rotor blades, Fort Worth, Texas, October 20, 1965.
#138 Fans of the Texas Longhorns celebrate and climb on the goal posts after the win against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs after the rivalry game on November 12, 1960 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
#139 LBJ & JFK Campaigning
American politicians, senators, and Democratic nominees for Vice President and President, respectively, Lyndon B Johnson (1908 - 1973) (center left, in hat) and John F Kennedy (1917 - 1963) (center right) ride in a convertible as they greet supporters on their way out of Burnett Park after a campaign rally, Fort Worth, Texas, September 13, 1960. Seated between them is American lawyer Judge Sarah Tilghman Hughes (1896 1985). Following Kennedy's assassination in 1963, Hughes was called upon to administer Johnson's Oath of Office.
#140 Fort Worth Courthouse, 1967
#141 Fort Worth Stockyard, 1967
#142 Fort worth stockyard, November 1967, Fort Worth.
#143 Downtown fort worth, November 1967, Fort Worth, Texas
#144 A driveway in Fort Worth, 1950
#145 A driveway in Fort Worth, 1950
#146 Photograph of a billboard, 1950
#147 The interior of the Thistle Hill/Wharton-Scott House, 1950
#148 Aerial View of the Fort Worth Stockyards, 1960
#149 Aerial View of the Fort Worth Stockyards, 1960
#150 The opening of the 1960 Fort Worth Auction Market at the stockyards.
#151 “Louisiana Limited” leaving Fort Worth, 1950.
#152 “The Texas Eagle” leaving Fort Worth, 1960s
#153 “Texas Zephyr” in Fort Worth, 1960s.
#154 Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike, 1960s. Aerial view of Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike looking northwest.
#155 Aerial View of Downtown Fort Worth in 1960s
#156 Open House at Fort Worth, 1963
This is an aerial view of three airplanes on a ramp at the Greater Southwest Airport, also referred to as the Amon Carter Field. This airport is located slightly south of the current location of the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport (DFW). The photograph was taken at the Greater Southwest Airport's grand opening.
My mom hung out at Leonard’s all the time as a teenager. It was her home away from home. Then she would take the bus back home to Rock Island.
My dad during this time was working as a watch maker’s apprentice downtown.
They wouldn’t actually meet until 71.