THE LIFE OF FORT WORTH STOCKMAN & RODEO PIONEER
W.O. ROMINGER

1870

BORN

W.O. Rominger was born February 9th, 1870

1904

THE MOVE TO FORT WORTH, TX

W.O. Rominger and family moves to Fort Worth from Cleburne Texas. Starts W.O. Rominger & Co with brother C.O. Rominger. 

1906

HALL WILL BE BUILT

W.O. Rominger, by now of which was a prominent stockman in the Fort Worth Stockyards, joined forces with other businesses to support the building of what is now known as the Fort Worth Coliseum. It was decided to build a coliseum as a permanent home for the Stock Show. Its construction was financed in part by the Swift and Armour meat and other local companies, including W.O. Rominger and Co. Plans for the building called for it to be the “largest, most elegant, and perfectly appointed livestock auditorium in the South, and one without superior in the United States."

1907

BEST PAIR OF MULES

W.O. Rominger & Co.'s mules named Jude and Rhody compete in the Fort Worth Pet Stock Show on December 4th, 1907. 

1908

FORT WORTH COLISEUM IS COMPLETED

In March the Fort Worth Coliseum was completed. In a February article in the Fort Worth Star Telegram, the reporter mentions that local stockmen and community leaders helped the construction crew complete the building in time for the Fat Stock Show.

FT. WORTH'S GREATEST YEAR

On December 23rd, 1908 W.O. Rominger & Co was featured in the Fort Worth Telegram; FT. Worth's Greatest Year; Seventy-Five Stories of Success.

1909

W.O. ROMINGER'S HOME GETS ROBBED

1910

FORT WORTH IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 1

W.O. Rominger along with other prominent community leaders organized the Fort Worth Improvement District No. 1 as a way to fix the city's levee problem around the Trinity River. April 1910.

1911

BARNS DESTROYED

W.O. Rominger & Co.'s original barns were destroyed on March 14, 1911 in a fire that swept the Fort Worth Stockyards. Former president Theodore Roosevelt visited Fort Worth for only four hours, for a previously scheduled speaking engagement, that just happened to be the same day as the fire.  His speaking engagement was held at the Fort Worth coliseum. 

NEW YORK, CANADA, AND THE GREAT LAKES

In September of 1911, Mr and Mrs. W.O. Rominger visit New York City, Canada, and The Great Lakes Resorts.

1912

STOLEN DIAMONDS ON FISHING TRIP

1914

WWI

Demand for horses and mules skyrocketed during World War I. W.O. Rominger & Co. had already been shipping their livestock internationally for years so when other nations were on the hunt for horses, W.O. was the natural choice. This is also where the relationship with the Hart Brother's formed. They joined up with each other as a way to keep up with supply & demand. 

BELMONT COLLEGE

W.O. Rominger's daughters Leona and Hallie Rominger return home for Christmas from Belmont College, Nashville Tennessee

1915

5 PASSENGER FORD

W.O. Rominger buys a 5 passenger ford model T. 

W.O. ROMINGER STARTS COMMISSION COMPANY

1918

W.O. ROMINGER HELPS START FIRST INDOOR RODEO

W.O Rominger along with 6 other Fort Worth business men helped develop the first "Indoor" Rodeo, and formed the first Fort Worth Stock Show and Exhibition rodeo committee. W.O Rominger and Ray McKinley both presented the idea to the Fort Worth Stock Show Executive Committee. The newly formed Rodeo committee is also credited with coming up with the use of the word "RODEO" in association with a contest such as this.  

1919

W.O. ROMINGER INVESTS IN CITIZENS HOTEL COMPANY - WHERE THE WEST BEGINS

W.O Rominger, William Monnig, Amon G. Carter, W.K. Stripling, W.N. Moore & other prominent business men started the "Citizens Hotel Company". This company began with 27 local investors with the sole purporse of building the now nationally historic TEXAS HOTEL in downtown Fort Worth in 1921. The hotel was dubbed a citizen's project to help the local economy by appealing to the many area ranchers, now turned wealthy oil men by the oil boom era. W.O. Rominger assisted in securing the land lease in 1919 prior to the architectural plans being drawn up. In 1963, over 40 years after being constructed, the hotel became nationally famous because it was the last hotel where President John F. Kennedy stayed before being assassinated in Dallas, Tx where earlier that morning, he had just checked out of The Texas Hotel. 

1920

W.O. ROMINGER, AMON G. CARTER AND THE "CATS"

In 1920 the Fort Worth Cats baseball team won the Texas League Championship. It was the start of what would end up as a six year winning streak. "Loyal fans" W.O. Rominger and Amon G. Carter started a movement to honor the players of the team, by starting an "emblem fund" so that they could have pendants made for the players. They ended up raising the funds needed and commissioned the local jeweler G.W. Haltom's to create them. 

W.O. ROMINGER'S BROTHER C.O. ROMINGER KIDNAPPED AND ROBBED

1922

FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM CARTOON

1924

W.O. ROMINGER'S DAUGHTER HALLIE (HAL) ROMINGER GETS MARRIED

Newlyweds Hal Rominger and Jess Johnston get married and will tour canada.

1926

W.O. ROMINGER DIES ON HIS RANCH AT AGE 56

W.O. Rominger died on his ranch in 1924 in Bridgeport Texas while working cattle.  

today

W.O. ROMINGER & CO'S BARNS IN THE FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS

W.O. Rominger has left behind much more than his barns that are still standing today in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards. His love of Fort Worth and of his family and friends shines through in every story told. From the Fort Worth Coliseum to the Fort Worth Rodeo, there is no doubt that  W.O. Rominger helped build the heritage of Fort Worth.