Fort Worth Recreation Building
historic place
The Fort Worth Recreation Building, a historic place in Tarrant County, Texas, was erected in 1927. Designed by E.W. Van Slyke and Company, the City of Fort Worth commissioned its construction. This building served as a gymnasium and auditorium for athletics, public meetings, and theatrical events. Its creation addressed the city's growing population and the early 20th-century Recreation Movement. For over fifty years, it was a community hub, hosting boxing matches, circuses, and art shows. During the Great Depression, it offered WPA-supported classes in dance and dramatics. Famous visitors included Joe Louis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Parker. The city sold the building in 1983, and it became a factory and warehouse. It was designated "Highly Significant Endangered" in 1999 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. This building is historically important for its role in Fort Worth's recreational and cultural development.