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Years ago when living in Tarrant County, never much visited the stockyards. I understand the bar & restaurant scene has been revived for some years now.

Checking out the Rodeo web page, I see them saying they were "the original indoor rodeo".

Which brings to mind one that used to be in Mansfield, which billed itself as the first permanent indoor rodeo (every Fri or Sat. nite, can't remember which.)

I'm afraid I couldn't find the place if I drove out there, since Mansfield and Arlington now blend into one another...been gone 30+ years and can scarcely recognize the place.

Guess now I'm going to have to Google "Kowbell". It used to be what Mansfield was known for. Now, everybody seems to be driving everywhere...and there's a lake covering where we used to cruise around drinking beer, with houses allover the places where we used to drive along slowly, mooing at the cows (and if you did it good enough, they'd moo back, hehheh).

Oh, well. I guess it wasn't that prime of farm or cattle land, in the first place, since if one didn't always stay after the tree growth, small scrubby sorts would soon take over.

I remember way back, when 303 (Pioneer Parkway) dead-ended coming from the West, at Collins...and there were not anything but older farm houses South of there (think 45 years or so back).

What was once South Arlington, is now called "East" Arlington. And not to be racist, but where the town was in those days predominantly white, that Collins/303 area is now predominantly Mexican and Southeast Asian, with some native born and raised black "Americans". Just talking with folks, I get along much better with them, than I do the uppity & suspicious Asians, though most everybody is fairly rude when behind the wheel. Hijab covered female drivers not looking to left or right, Hay-zues in his lifted pick-up truck with the sagging bumpers closely tailgating...what a pain. They make California drivers look quite civil in comparison (though not quite as rude as Connecticut Yankees, thank god!).

"East" Arlington has lots of Vietnamese businesses, some of which cater so exclusively to Vietnamese, that upon walking in the joint(s) just to check 'em out, I get hostile "what do you want" sort of questions. One gal, at a Vietnamese pool hall came running for the door (to close it!) when she saw me standing in it. Another place I couldn't figure out at all --unless it was an unmarked Asian massage parlor of some sort (bearing an obviously left-over-from the previous business at that location's signage). Looking in the tinted windows (most of the area Asian, Indian & Pakistani type business, even legitimate appearing restaurants seem to be fond of tinting the windows so darkly one cannot see in) all that was visible were over-stuffed couches and other lounge seating, but no customers. I asked multiple times "what is this place?", "what business is conducted here?". The young gal told me "people come here to 'watch the game' ".

"Game", huh? It's probably some sort of illicit gambling den, with maybe some prostitution on the side? What happened to the town? Section 8 came long ago in a big way, or so I was told some 20 years ago. That was credited to helping to bring many of the black people. Well, ok. But now, it's Indian/Paki Muslim, Vietnamese, and lots of Mexicans.

Like I said...I don't recognize the town, not this part, and I was around when it was all built. I wonder what 'ol gravel-throat Tom Vandergriff would think about the changes. To the North, near the old turnpike is Cowboy Stadium of course. And some portion of a cent extra in local sales taxes to help pay for it, and wonders to beat all (local) wonders, the Rangers have even been in contention, have been a winning team.

Ok all you Ranger fans...swear an oath. If Jerry Jones EVER tries to get his micro-managing hands on the Rangers, it's pitch-fork and torches time! Is anybody with me?
... I can't hear you. Say it LOUDER.