Age: 70 | 1831 - 1901          Induction Year: 2007

Located at:
Exchange Ave E. Near train tracks

John Peter Smith, lawyer, teacher and philanthropist, owned 1,000 acres of land in Tarrant County in 1865 and quickly rose to prominence in Fort Worth society. Smith donated much of his time and land to the development and expansion of Fort Worth. He successfully battled to have the county seat moved to his city from Birdville. He was a partner in the Fort Worth Street Railway Company, thus establishing the first public inner city transportation system. Additionally he helped promote the first railroad into Fort Worth-the Texas and Pacific-and donated thousands of dollars to railroad expansion. He was a key figure in the building of the first stockyard in the Fort Worth. Nearly all of the larger cattle companies of northwest Texas were obliged to Smith for the organization, and many young cattlemen were personally indebted to him for his assistance.

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