National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame’s Alice Walton Cowgirl Park
New Addition to the Museum’s Property
FORT WORTH, TEXAS (Dec. 5, 2019) – The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the completion of its newest project, the Alice Walton Cowgirl Park, named in honor of Alice Walton.
This project was borne of necessity and passion. The need was to create a beautiful space that would be enjoyed by visitors to the area and the new Dickies Arena; the passion was a group of friends who came together to fund the project and name it in honor of a special woman who has been so generous to numerous projects and the city of Fort Worth: Alice Walton. Walton has been a supporter of the Museum and is the Museum’s 2007 Fern Sawyer Award recipient.
The park is now home to the Museum’s Sergeant Reckless statue, a memorial to a decorated war horse. The bronze, which sits atop the monument sign, is a magnificent sculpture and tribute to an amazing animal and true war hero. In connection with the statue, the 2019 Inaugural Sergeant Reckless Award introduced and honored Robin Hutton who was instrumental in gaining national attention for Sergeant Reckless and spearheading the development and dedication of three national monuments to the war horse, including the statue in the Alice Walton Cowgirl Park.
Additionally, the park is host to a mural created by Evergreen and the artisans of the Mellini family in Italy. This artwork of a tooled western saddle is constructed with tens of thousands of small pieces of glass, painstakingly hand-placed together to create this bespoke mosaic. This mosaic is not only a beautiful backdrop for the park but is also a picture-worthy location.
The park was dedicated on Nov. 13, when five Cowgirl Inductees and the Sergeant Reckless award winner were celebrated at the 44th Annual National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon and Ceremony at Dickies Arena. The Museum welcomed the largest audience they have had thus far for Induction. This is the first year the Induction Ceremony was televised, hosted on The Cowboy Channel on Dec. 1 and 3.
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame invites everyone to visit the new Alice Walton Cowgirl Park and they look forward to many events, exhibits and activities they have planned for this new space.
About the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors and celebrates women, past and present, whose lives exemplify the courage, resilience and independence that helped shape the American West, and fosters an appreciation of the ideals and spirit of self-reliance they inspire. Established in 1975, the Museum is considered an invaluable national educational resource for its exhibits, research library, rare photograph collection and award-winning distance-learning programs for grades K-12 and adults. The Hall of Fame’s purpose is to preserve history foster an appreciation for their ideals and spirit of self-reliance. In 2019, the Museum opened the Kit Moncrief Galleries and It’s Never Just a Horse exhibition. For more news and information visit www.cowgirl.net and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. Located at 1720 Gendy Street Fort Worth, Texas 76107. Hours of operation are Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults (ages 13+); $9 for seniors (60+), military, first responders and children (ages 3 to 12) and children 3 and under get in free with paid adult. For more information, please visit www.cowgirl.net or call 817-336-4475.
About Sergeant Reckless
Named for the most decorated war horse in modern history, this award recognizes animals, individuals or groups who risk their lives for the betterment of others and who stand courageously in protection of others. Sergeant Reckless, a mare, held official rank in the United States military and served in many combat positions during the Korean War, including one in which she completed 51 solo trips, covering 35 miles in a single day transporting over 9,000 pounds of recoilless rounds – and saving lives in the process.
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MEDIA CONTACT – Public Engagement Manager
Madison Ward
817.509.8969
mward@cowgirl.net
www.cowgirl.net