Fort Worth - The Sleeping Panther

The Sleeping Panther
in 1873, economic overexplansion sparked a nationwide depression lasting
more than five years. banks, railroad, and other companies went bankrupt.
labor and investment capital streamed out of fort worth. the young city
scaled down its operations. many believed fort worth to be doomed.
robert e. cowart, a former resident of fort worth who practiced law in
dallas, wrote the dallas herald that he "had been to a meeting in fort worth
the other day and things were so quiet he had seen a panther asleep on
main street, undisturbed by the rush of men or the hum of trade."
b.b. paddick, editor of the fort worth democrat, took these comments as a
challenge and had a new masthead engraved with a panther lying in front
of the bluff and the motto: "where the panther laid down." the nickname
"panther city" stuck. there were panther stores, meat markets and saloons.
a pair of live panthers were mascots for fort worth's fire department.
the panther has been used as a mascot (fort worth cats baseball team
and r.l. paschal high school panthers). for entertainment venues (panther hall).
as building decoration (the flatiron building and the blackstone hotel),
and as a design element (fort worth police badges), the intended insult has
become an enduring symbol of the city's strenght.

made possible through the generous support of
the dorothea leonhardt fund – communities foundation of texas.
paschal high school class of 1955. sundance square
deran wright sculptor. hoka hey foundry
fort worth chamber foundation
FORT WORTH HERITAGE TRAILS – 2002

Statues - Hither & Thither

The Sleeping Panther

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Sculptor

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Locatie (N 32°45'24" - W 97°19'57") (Satellite view: Google Maps)