This colorful 1891 illustration of Fort Worth, shown from the north, is an update to draftsman Harry Wellege’s detailed 1886 map. That an update was required so soon demonstrated the pace of the city’s growth. This map served as an excellent promotional tool in a time of great economic expansion, which earned Fort Worth the nickname the “Queen City of the Prairies.” Smokestacks dotting the landscape indicate Fort Worth’s emergence as an industrial center. The rail depot, the key to the city’s success, is featured prominently on this map.

In addition to the rail depot, several other notable landmarks are depicted. Texas Wesleyan University (later Fort Worth University), which had recently expanded its campus, occupies a large swath of open land at the south edge of town. The Spring Palace, created as a center for culture, education and entertainment, appears south of the rail depot despite having burned down in 1890. The Clear Fork of the Trinity River, traversable by three bridges in 1891, forms the western border of the city’s urban development.