Call Fort Worth a suburb of Dallas and, if looks could kill, you’d be dead in a Texas second. The only thing the two cities have in common is an airport that shares their names. People In Fort Worth tend to dress a lot more casual, the walk and talk with more purpose and they tend to view their rugged cowboy heritage as something to cherish rather than polish over. Think of it this way: Dallas is Fort Worth’s estranged older brother what only calls on the holidays or when it wants money from a Fortune 500 company.
Maybe it’s the down to earth friendly vibe, or just that the residents are so awesome and secure in their identity, but people who grow up here stay here to raise their families because everyone is the perfect blend of laid back, small town, and western. They don’t just tell people about the safe quiet neighborhoods, good schools and consummate opportunities for taking in wholesome entertainment—they live it in large family groups, with their extended families or a group of neighbors with kids eating out on the town together.
Kincaid’s is widely considered to be the best bite in Fort Worth and, dare we say it, possibly the entire Dallas Metroplex area. People in the Fort have enjoyed double cheeseburgers with everything and lemonades for generations. They are so serious about the long-standing institution that big box chains trying to encroach on Kincaid’s territory get taken to task. Ask a native for directions to the nearest McDonald’s and what you’ll get is a pat on the shoulder and a point in the right direction—to Kincaid’s. Or, you can just follow the hordes of hungry people around lunchtime, no doubt they are headed in for a Cowtown Burger and a side of fries.
Purple is “in” no matter the time of year around town, and while princesses the world over are looking for a frog to kiss and turn into a prince, in Fort Worth a woman is a real lady if she is a Horned Frog. In Fort Worth they know to Fear the Frog and the will convince the rest of the nation just how intimidating they are the only way they know how—by fighting until hell freezes over then fighting on the ice. And no crowd in the nation is louder than the Frogs after a big score. When they take one to the house and the The Frog Horn—which emits a 120-decibel roar—you better believe even the folks in Dallas know what just happened.
The Texas Motor Speedway is one of many badges of honor that Cowtowners take very seriously. These are a people who can, at any moment, tell you who’s leading the Winston Cup series and will actually bring it up in casual conversation and can go to a stock car race and not need a program. Racing pride is all over town. You can find local’s favorite driver on bumper stickers, in windows and liberally applied across all apparel. A race at the speedway is an opportunity for the nation and the world to get a taste of true Texas hospitality—Fort Worth style. So when television announcers say it’s in Dallas, you can only imagine the ire that it invokes.
Talking to folks around Fort Worth is like taking a step into a time machine and waking up in the good old days when being down to earth friendly was standard and politeness was a virtue. Time moves slower in Fort Worth which is why you will rarely see anyone in a hurry. And, they are quick to start conversations. When someone asks, “how ya doin?” it isn’t just some passing pleasantry—they are legitimately interested in how their neighbors are faring. So don’t be surprised if you wind up knowing more than you need to about a new friend you met on the next bench at Kincaid’s.
For all their laid-back qualities, Forters are as wild and untamed as the Western roots they hang their hats on. “Hey watch this” may as well be their motto because it gets dropped on the daily. Take for instance the recent stunt by Mat Olson, who traversed the arches of the Fort Worth Bridge on his BMX bike. Not for attention or notoriety, but for the same thing that drives residents of the Fort—a never ending drive for the next shot of adrenaline.
They don’t call Fort Worth “Cowtown” for nothing; the folks around here know how to handle their cattle. These are the epitome of Western Cowboys and they like to show it off. School is closed during the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, not to pay tribute to all the hard-working cattle wranglers, but because otherwise everyone, faculty included, would be absent anyway. The event is legendary and every year about the time that talk of the last ride starts dying off the countdown for next year begins.
Fort Worth boasts one of the world’s largest epicenters of the arts, and that is something that wouldn’t be possible without a huge community of avid art enthusiasts. Whether it’s frequenting the five iconic museums in the heart of the Cultural District or experiencing art first-hand at the Main Street Fort Worth Arts Fest, people in the Fort take supporting the arts to a whole new level. The culture of creativity in this city makes residents puff out their chests with pride. It’s something that Dallas can’t take from them… no matter how many of Fort Worth’s museums or festivals they may try claim as their own.
Fort Worth is full of friendly folks proud of hard work, eager to make a neighbor a friend and feverish when it comes to support of their driver, their team or their burger, so remember next time you slip up and lump Forth Worth with that mess to the East, you are cruising for a Cowtown beatdown. Did we miss anything? Tell us what you think about Fort Worth in the comments below!
