You Can Go Home Again - Part II

(September 23 - 26, 2016) Fort Worth – Dallas, Texas  

Running behind schedule, Harry and I stopped for a quick lunch at Fort Worth’s Barbecue Temple, Angelo’s on White Settlement Road. Surprisingly there was not much of a crowd. Perhaps it was a football Saturday. We ate lite, one brisket sandwich each and a shared half pound of ribs. The brisket was spot on for Angelo’s and as for the ribs, while tasty were unusually fatty. We also divided an apple fried pie. Harry had never experienced one. The pie was standard fare but tasted better in my memories.  

Museum Dos was my inaugural viewing of the Sid Richardson Museum adjacent to Sundance Square in Downtown Fort Worth. The Museum space is just north of the Knights of Pythias building that housed Bob Wallace’s Stamp and Coin Shop when I was growing up. The Pythias building is now the home of long time Fort Worth Jeweler, Haltom’s, now owned by Susan’s mishpacha.

The Richardson Museum is more Gallery than Museum. It consists of three public rooms, the Museum Store, and two Galleries, dubbed the Blue Gallery and the Brown Gallery. Displayed were about 50 works of art primarily Russells and Remingtons. The clear majority were oil paintings, pen and pencil drawings, or watercolors, in addition to a few sculptures. Several of the works displayed were on loan from private collections. All the pieces are first class and exemplify the best in Western Art. Besides Remington and Russell, there were pieces by William Robinson Leigh, Charles Schreyvogel, Frank Tenney Johnson, and others. Missing though were the Big Spectacular World Class works like those residing at the Carter.

The Sid Richardson was built as a home for Richardson’s collection. Its location complements the Bass Brother’s Sundance Square development in gentrified downtown Fort Worth.  The Bass Brothers as they are known, are Richardson’s three nephews, who inherited much or Richardson’s Texas size Estate. Richardson left his art to the Sid Richardson Foundation. Richardson had planned to leave most of his estate to his Foundation, but his lawyer, before he was Texas Governor, John Connally (BTW Richardson was his sole client) convinced Richardson to alter his plan and leave much of his estate to the nephews. The Nephews invested wisely. They turned the reported $50 million they received into over $5 billion.

Entering museum, we were greeted warmly by the Museum staff and given a guidebook. Admission is free.  We arrived just prior to 2:00pm for the docent lead tour of the galleries. Harry and I were joined by one other person and essentially had a private one-hour tour.  Our docent, Ginger Carlson, was informative and very welcoming. She easily answered all my lame questions with a smile; She was never bothered.  The exhibited Russells and Remingtons were early Russells and late Remingtons. I am unsure why that was.  

Ms. Carlson said Remington often traveled with the Military for protection. She added in contrast Russell lived in the West (Montana) and was more empathetic to the Cowboy. Unbelievably Remington created nearly 3000 paintings in 25 years.

As noted in Part I, Richardson made his art purchases in bulk. Much of his sizeable collection was amassed from 1942 to 1947. Richardson wrote the checks, but was aided in selection by Bertram Newhouse of the famed Newhouse Galleries in New York. Newhouse was also the sole purveyor of art to Kay Kimball, a very noted Fort Worth collector. Mr. Newhouse’s New York Times obituary discloses “Newhouse was instrumental in the development of Kimball’s collection now housed in The Kimball Museum in Fort Worth.”

Perhaps I was Art Exhausted after being drowned in culture at the Carter, and don’t get me wrong the Richardson masterworks are wonderful but it was the staff that made the visit memorable. Richardson’s acquisition protocol was consistent with his Wildcatter business philosophy. When Sid Richardson made a decision, he was all in. Typical of his Texas roots Sid Richardson is quoted as saying, “I’d rather be lucky than smart, ‘cause a lot of smart people ain’t eatin’ regular.”

There is a portrait in the Museum’s gift shop of Mr. Richardson. The portrait done by Southwestern artist, Peter Hurd showed Richardson on his private island, San Jose Island, in the Gulf of Mexico.

Two of the paintings I particularly liked were Remington’s “Self Portrait on a Horse” and Russell’s “Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Meeting with the Indians of the Northwest.”

As we were leaving the Richardson Gallery, I went to purchase a post card as a souvenir and the clerk told me I did not have to pay (50 cents) if I would sign the guest register including my email address.

Richardson’s museum contrasted Carter’s in ways reflective of each of the benefactor’s personalities. Carter businesslike, professional, meeting the highest curatorial standards with high well defined objectives. Richardson’s was more Fort Worth like, friendlier. Just come in, be welcome, and enjoy the pictures.

For an interesting read on Richardson’s influence check out this story on Oil and Politics in LaJolla.

Our last museum stop for the day was at the Fort Worth Aviation Museum. This thematic museum is on a fenced acreage on the South end of the landing strip at Fort Worth’s Meacham Field, west of North Main Avenue.

The museum is a locally initiated and operated effort non-profit by what appeared to be Air Force veterans in Fort Worth. The museum is consisted of what might have been a fixed based operator’s business office of 1940s or 1950s vintage, a large hangar on the property for aircraft restoration, and a petting zoo of aircraft on display. Admission is $5.00.

Displayed in the converted office are many informative exhibits on aviation in Fort Worth and objects relative to the U S Armed Forces. The displays were obviously assembled by volunteers and not of professional museum standards. Yet they were interesting and include important memorabilia. This unique museum and the subject are worthy of their efforts. Their lack of resources is the difference between a B- and a B+.

Of interest to me were Fort Worth and its historic ties to the national defense, the importance of defense contracting to the local economy, and specifically Amon Carter’s influence in making Fort Worth an aviation center.

Twenty-five aircraft were on display in the zoo including Bell and Sikorsky helicopters, a F-14 Tomcat, a F-18 Hornet, F-111 Aardvark, and a McDonald Douglas F-18A Blue Angel Aircraft.

More Amon – There was a small plaque detailing Amon Carter’s early interest in the prospects of the aviation industry. The plaque stated: “Amon Carter was the driving force behind all of Fort Worth’s aviation endeavors including the first flight demonstration in 1911, the three World War I airfields, bringing American Airlines operation here in 1933, the Fort Worth seaplane base on Lake Worth in 1940, the Consolidated Aircraft assembly plant in 1941, and Bell Helicopter in 1951.”

I particularly like the story that in 1940 Carter was in Washington, D.C.  visiting his friend Franklin D. Roosevelt and learned the War Department was planning to soon make the final selection of the site for the large bomber assembly plant. Twelve cities had been selected as semi-finalists including Tulsa and Dallas in the Southwest. Fort Worth had not even lobbied for consideration. On hearing this Carter went to work and the following week it was announced the plant would be in Fort Worth. Nice story.

If you are interested in Fort Worth history or military aviation this is a worthwhile stop.

We then met cousin Debby for drinks and dinner. We had drinks at The Woodshed near where the Forrest Park Stables used to be and nearby the Colonial Country Club’s golf course. The. Woodshed is a failed combination of Margaritaville meets Texas Roadhouse. It was very loud, crowded, touristy, and overpriced. Dinner was at Uncle Julio’s, a family favorite. On this Saturday night after an otherwise great day, our Uncle let us down big time. In Fort Worth, he is living on his laurels, it was a restaurant choice mistake and doesn’t rate even one star. Mental note: You can’t bring back the good old days but Pabst brought back the beer!

On Sunday after breakfast with an old friend, Harry and I headed back to downtown Dallas, to an encore tour at the Texas School Book Depository for the 6^th Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. Admission is $16.00, $14.00 for seniors.

As we entered the museum, there was a quote on the wall that touched me:

                 “History after all is the memory of a nation.”

                                           John F. Kennedy

Harry ever the conspiracy theorist on the JFK assassination and Warren Commission cover up, no single bullet theory for my boy, so while there wasn’t much new to see, it spurred a lot of questions. Beyond arguing ballistics, timing, and line of sight, Harry was very patient though helping me with my senior citizen issues with the self-guided tour tech. The museum where allegedly Oswald was perched when he shot the President was very crowded and very loud. Like us there were many out-of-towners who were in the Metroplex for the Dallas Cowboy vs. Chicago Bear Sunday night football game who decided to check out the museum.

The museum caused a vivid remembrance of that bright Texas fall day that became so dark. Since my last 6^th Floor visit, I have read several Kennedy Books (“The Patriarch” bio of Joseph P Kennedy and (a reread) “The Making of the President 1960”) that nuanced by my view of JFK. After viewing and the exhibit again, I now see Kennedy more as a “Change” President. More than the media glamorization of the young President saying the “torch was being passed to a new generation” of calling for “The New Frontier” but a President wanting to structure new post war alliances and implementing post segregation civil rights policies.

Sunday evening, we were off to Cowboy (officially AT&T Stadium) Stadium with cousins, Andrew and Grant to see the Cowboys and the Bears. Terrible game. The Cowboys won easily (31-17) and Cowboys were mediocre at best. The Bears were Terrible with a capital T.  

Jerry’s World (as referred to by the locals) is spectacular, the best football stadium in the land. I don’t like Jerry Jones (he fired Tom Landry on Jones’ first day on the job as owner) but his World is beautiful, extremely well planned in all aspects. Jones is a marketing genius. He sells you $15 burgers (7oz patty, blue cheese, lettuce tomato, onion rings on top on an artisan bun), $8 beers, $12 margaritas, and makes you feel good about it. Concession lines are fast, no longer than a five-minute wait. There are plenty of restrooms for the 88,000 fans in attendance. Even with a mediocre team, no wonder all home Cowboy games are sold out.

On Monday before our late afternoon flights, we headed back to Fort Worth for one more museum, lunch, and a quick stop for more genealogical research.

We began the morning at the Fort Worth Stockyards Museum located in the historic and beautiful Fort Worth Livestock Exchange Building. Admission is $2.00. The museum is operated by the North Fort Worth Historical Society. Quaint is perhaps the best way to describe the museum. The museum appeared to be operated by volunteers. If they were paid it was apparent they still loved the Yards and were committed to their work.  I asked one of the persons on duty, given parts of the historic stockyards were being redeveloped, what was going to happen to the Exchange Building? He told me there were no plans to demolish it, but if they tried to he would chain himself to the building. I took this as no idle threat from a very feisty seventy-five-year-old cowboy.

The museum occupied what had previously been two offices on the first floor of the building. One side was all displays and the other divided into gift shop and very makeshift “theatre.”

The museum that resembled many County Historical museums that can be found in rural South Dakota was a series of displays of photographs, newspaper articles, and collections from businesses or individuals that had been associated with the Stockyards over the years. There were extensive photographs of many aspects of the Swift & Armour packing plants. Ditto for memorabilia from many commission companies that operated at the yards.

There was nothing extraordinary to see. The displays only reinforced my understanding and experience of the Stockyards. My family had a strong connection to the Fort Worth Stockyards. My Great Grandfather had been a livestock buyer there for a few years prior to 1910. My Grandfather was a drover there for his father from 1908 until 1910 and then bought cattle and sheep at the Yards from 1910 until 1961. My Father drove a rendering truck and picked up dead animals at the Stockyards in the mid-1930s. The Stockyards at their zenith, had 10 million bricks for paving and covered more than 100 acres.

In the theatre area that included six folding chairs, the film the Historical Society produced , “Wall Street of the West”, is played throughout the day. The film is an excellent history of the Stockyards and its importance. The primary thing the Stockyards Museum had going for it is its location.  The Fort Worth Stockyards is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Consequently, it is a major tourist attraction, attracting 500,000 visitors each year.

Lunch was at Railhead Smokehouse. Repeating our Angelo’s order from Saturday, two sliced brisket sandwiches and ribs. A Plus. The brisket certainly equals Angelo’s and the ribs are better. For some time, I have preferred Railhead to the aging Angelo’s. This trip the difference was well defined.

After lunch, we headed to Hebrew Rest cemetery on South Main for me to check out a grave site while Harry double parked at John Peter Smith Hospital. Then it was off to DFW for the trip home. It was another great trip with my boy.