Almost
a decade ago, a group of Hispanic leaders from the Northside of
Fort Worth gathered together and agreed on an idea for a commemorative
statute of a Mexican cowboy, or Vaquero. At this time, the Northside
was in its nascent stages of re-urbanization and redevelopment.
To the outside world, Fort Worth, Texas was Cowtown with the Stockyards
and its Cultural District in the West.
The
Vaquero was the precursor to the American cowboy on the range. From
Sacramento to Texarkana and the mountains of Colorado to the deserts
of Arizona, the Vaquero, developing over three centuries, provided
an economic backbone for farmers and ranchers. Much of modern-day
ranching techniques can be traced to the Mexican Vaquero. Closer
to home, the Vaquero guided cattle and other livestock through the
Chisholm Trail whose vestiges are seen in our very own Stockyards.
In a sense, the Vaquero is part of the historical context of the
Remingtons and Russells displayed at the Amon Carter Museum and
the cowboys still seen in the Stockyards.
In 2004 Jim Lane, then City Councilman for the Northside District
of Fort Worth commissioned Judge Manuel T. Valdez to assemble a
Core Committee to oversee the Vaquero Statue Project.
Juan
DeLeon, Abel Sanchez and Manuel Lopez, because of their interest
and knowledge of Texas ranching and horsemanship, were exclusively
selected to complete the Core Committee. The committee researched,
historically designed and made a decision on a location for a sculpture
that would recognize the contributions made by the Mexican Vaquero.
They were also assigned to select Artisans to complete the project.
David
Newton and Tómas Bustos were selected to create The Vaquero
de Fort Worth bronze sculpture which will capture the spirit of
the Vaquero and honors the tradition of those who paved the way
for the American cowboy. Upon completion, the Vaquero de Fort Worth
will be placed at the Vaquero Plaza located at the intersection
of North Main Street, Central Avenue, and Ellis Avenue as
a gateway to the Mercado District and the Stockyards.
The
Artes de la Rosa of Fort Worth is the umbrella organization of the
Vaquero Sculpture Project. Artes de la Rosa is the non-profit organization
that manages the historical Rose Marine Theatre, and Fort Worth’s
only Hispanic theater company – Teatro de la Rosa. The Artes
de la Rosa received its 501c (3) non-profit status in November of
1999. The Artes de la Rosa is dedicated to preserving, promoting,
and interpreting the art, culture, lives, and history of the Latin
community.
The Vaquero Sculpture Project is unique in that it will be the first
important statute commemorating Hispanic heritage in Fort Worth.
It will narrate the rich tradition and define the diverse cultural
history of our city. The Vaquero sculpture will serve as a legacy
to all of Fort Worth and to the Hispanic community. As Fort Worth
continues its renaissance through downtown, the Cultural District,
and along the North Main Corridor, the Vaquero de Fort Worth will
be a wonderful cultural addition to our city as both residents and
tourists will be able to see that the cowboy tradition is shared
by both Hispanic and Anglo cultures.
Once completed, the Vaquero de Fort Worth will be a member of the
Fort Worth Public Art Collection. FWPA provides ongoing maintenance
and conservation for this artwork and others in the Public Art Collection
assuring that it will be appreciated by generations to come.
Long
before the pilgrims set foot on this continent, Spain had colonies
established in Mexico in an area known as the State of Couahuila,
later to become the great State of Texas. Some of the Ranches known
as Haciendas were larger than the New England States. The patrones
or hacendados, as these land owners were called, employed people
of Spanish and Indian ancestry, known as Mestizos. These people
became experts at handling large herds of cattle using their horsemanship
and roping skills. They developed methods, tools, and language,
remaining in use today as part of the present cattle industry; words
such as Chaps, Lariat, Rodeo, Dally and Mustang.
These horsemen became known as vaqueros, a word which literally
translated means ‘cowman’ and which we now know as cowboy.
As a culturally diverse city, state and country, we honor these
men for their contribution to history as well as their contribution
to the cattle industry. We honor them for the skills they passed
on to the people who settled Texas. We honor them with a statue
that depicts them strong and proud for all the people of the great
city to enjoy. We leave this symbol for a group of men who left
their mark and made a difference. We honor them for leaving behind
a legacy which lives on today in Fort Worth, Texas.
