Taylor Sheridan’s TV series, Paramount+'s 1883, tells the Dutton family origin story and serves as a prequel to Yellowstone. The show features a star-studded cast, including Sam Elliott, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Isabel May, LaMonica Garrett, and Marc Rissmann. The production office was located in Fort Worth and the first two episodes of the series were filmed in the Fort Worth Stockyards and surrounding areas, with the help of the Fort Worth Film Commission.
The production completely transformed the West blocks of Exchange Ave to create Hells Half Acre, which included adding dirt roads covering multiple blocks, removal of street signs and the creation of custom facades to transport the buildings back to 1883. Learn more about the Fort Worth locations that were used in the series, and visit the Stockyards to walk Exchange Avenue for a self-guided location tour.
Tattoo Ranch – 301 W. Exchange
Tattoo Ranch was transformed into the exterior of the Livery and the Church of the Open Door. Located at 307 Exchange, this spot served as the livery paddock during filming. In the 1800s, visitors needing a place to board their horses would pay to use the livery stables. In some cases, pioneers could also purchase horses, wagons and more from the Livery to prepare for their travels. Fans can visit to see the transformation of this building, or take their devotion to the show to a new level with an 1883-themed tattoo! Tattoo Ranch is open 2 PM-midnight Monday through Thursday with extended hours on the weekends.
Pearl’s Dance Hall & Saloon – 302 W. Exchange
Pearl’s Dance Hall & Saloon has a long history dating back to the late 1800s when Buffalo Bill Cody opened the establishment as a brothel called Hotel Pearl’s. More recently, the venue has served as a bar with live music and dancing with décor inspired by Buffalo Bill. Unfortunately, Pearl’s is not currently open to the public, but fans of 1883 may still appreciate knowing which location doubled as the White Elephant Saloon, where Billy Bob Thornton recites an infamous line, “there’s only one killer in Fort Worth, and that’s me.”
This location has historical significance because the White Elephant Saloon was a real bar located in Hells Half Acre during the late 1800s. According to Wild West lore, this was the site of Fort Worth’s last gunfight between White Elephant owner Luke Short and Fort Worth Sheriff Longhair Jim Courtright, who is played by Billy Bob Thornton in 1883.
Today, the tradition of the White Elephant Saloon carries on at 106 E. Exchange Avenue. The legendary drinking establishment is currently owned by Chef Tim Love and features nightly live music, a dance floor, billiards & shuffleboard, and The Chili Parlor.
The Alps Building – 222 W. Exchange
This building currently hosts offices for several tenants and is not open to the public. However, it has an interesting role in the 1883 TV show as the location for Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency. Shea Brennan and Thomas, played by Sam Elliott and LaMonica Garrett, were both Pinkerton agents, which Garrett describes as “the original Secret Service.” Pinkerton’s was an independent police force, which made Shea and Thomas the perfect choice for guiding and protecting the pioneers on their journey west. Learn more about the history of the organization here.
Hooker’s Grill – 213 W. Exchange
Hooker’s Grill was turned into a gambling den for 1883, and may be the easiest filming location to recognize as it is the only building to preserve the façade constructed by the show’s production team. Stop by Thursdays – Sundays to try their signature item, the onion burger, and check out the building’s authentic 1800s exterior.
The Fort Worth Herd Cattle Pens – Behind 131 E. Exchange Ave
The Fort Worth Herd, a division of Visit Fort Worth, is the organization behind the twice-daily cattle drives along Exchange Ave. The mission of the Herd is to preserve Fort Worth’s history while educating visitors about the importance of the cattle drives that took place along the Chisolm Trail. Each team member, or drover, wears authentic period clothing. It was a natural fit for the production and Herd to work together!
The historic cattle pens formerly held hundreds of livestock, but sit mostly empty today. Visitors can find the cattle pens behind the Stockyards Exchange Building and take the stairs to the top deck which provides an excellent viewpoint of the Herd longhorns in an adjacent pen. There are several scenes in 1883 where characters walk through the cattle pens.
The Cody Building – 221 W. Exchange
The Cody Building doubled for Hotel Calhoun, where the Dutton’s spent their first night in Fort Worth. Private offices on the second story were used for Clare and Elsa’s hotel bedrooms, with the ground floor serving as the hotel lobby. The lower level is currently occupied by Rodeo Exchange, a cowboy-friendly nightclub offering free dance lessons and live entertainment on the weekends. Conclude your 1883 location walking tour with a cold beverage and some western tunes while imagining what life for these characters would have been like.
200 W. Exchange and surrounding buildings
The entire street was transformed for the series with facades built on other buildings like 212 W. Exchange and 204 W. Exchange, which served as saloons and dance halls for the series. The exterior of the Hotel Texas at 2415 Ellis St. doubled for an 1880’s hotel. The historic building at 200 W. Exchange presently has private offices with multiple tenants, but this building was used as Jim Courtright’s office for the TV series.
1883 is available for streaming exclusively on Paramount+ and set a record as the platform’s most-watched original premiere. Plan your trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards to see these locations in person. Get to know more about members of the 1883 cast and crew with our Film Commission Q&A series on Instagram, or hear from the show’s creative team about the set design process in this behind-the-scenes video.
