Historic Fort Worth Membership Tour

2026 Membership Tour Behind the Scenes at Will Rogers Coliseum

MAY IS NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH

A Behind the Scenes Look at a Colisuem in Transition

The Will Rogers Coliseum has been a Fort Worth fixture since 1936, when it was built to mark the Texas Centennial. Architect Wyatt C. Hedrick gave it an Art Deco look with Western touches woven in — a fitting combination for a city with Fort Worth’s roots. From the start, it anchored what became the Will Rogers Memorial Center, a campus that has long reflected the area’s ties to agriculture, ranching, and the livestock trade.
 
Over the years, the Coliseum has hosted just about everything — horse and cattle shows, rodeos, concerts, sporting events, motocross, civic gatherings. Some events draw national attention; others are the kind of local traditions people have been showing up to for generations. Either way, the building has stayed busy, and it shows.
 
Right now, the Coliseum is in the middle of a significant renovation — new amenities, better accessibility, updated infrastructure. The tricky part is doing all of that without losing what makes the building worth preserving in the first place: the Art Deco details, the original materials, the sense of place. So far, the work is rising to that challenge. 
 
As a Historic Fort Worth member, you’re invited to come see it for yourself. We’re offering a behind-the-scenes tour of the renovation while it’s still underway — a chance to walk the space, talk to the people doing the work, and see firsthand how a building like this gets brought into the next century without losing its soul.
 
Join us May 21, as part of National Preservation Month, for this special tour.

Join Historic Fort Worth, Inc. and
Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo

For a behind the scenes tour of

The Will Rogers Coliseum on

May 21, 2026

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. 

Members are FREE, but reservations are required.

Beverages will be served.

3301 W. Lancaster Ave., Fort Worth, Texas 76107

Parking is available for $15.
Please use Gate 42 at 3298 Trail Dr., Fort Worth, Texas 76107.

Non-Members Purchase Tour Tickets Here

 

Download map with parking instructions. 

What to Expect:

  • Guided tour of the Coliseum, including access to select non-public areas
  • Historical background on the transition and how preservationists plan to adapt the original architectural details for modern-day use.
  • Refreshments will be served

Whether you’re passionate about preservation, architecture, or Fort Worth’s ever-evolving skyline, this tour offers a unique chance to experience the city’s heritage from the inside.

This event is free for HFW members and open to the public with advance registration. Don’t miss this rare chance to explore a private, rarely accessible building and experience how meaningful preservation continues to shape the future of Fort Worth.

RSVP now to reserve your spot—space is limited!

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED

Members may attend Tour for FREE 

Members will receive a postcard with a special link.
or call 817-336-2344 ext. 107

Membership Tours are made possible by Business Connection Members like these. 

First Bank of the Southwest
Higginbotham Insurance
Martin Land & Investment

We Can't Save Them Without You!

Please consider donating to
Historic Fort Worth, Inc.

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