Alice Walton Cowgirl Park Opens at National Cowgirl Museum

The Alice Walton Cowgirl Park, a grand new addition to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, opened on November 13. The park is named in honor of Alice Walton, a longtime supporter of the Museum and of Fort Worth.

Walton was the Fern Sawyer Award recipient in 2007. The Fern Sawyer Award, named for the 1976 honoree and champion cowgirl, is given to an individual or organization that has contributed to the advancement of the museum.

Sergeant Reckless Statue

Photo: National Cowgirl Museum

The Sergeant Reckless Statue, a bronze memorial to a decorated warhorse, is now placed prominently in the park on top of the monument sign. The sculpture pays tribute to a true war hero who served during the Korean war, carrying wounded soldiers from the battlefield and delivering ammunition and supplies to hard-to-reach military outposts. On one mission, the mare made 51 trips, covering 35 miles in a single day. Sergeant Reckless also took over 9,000 pounds of recoilless rounds, saving many lives in the process.

The Museum’s 2019 inaugural Sergeant Reckless Award honored Robin Hutton, whose efforts resulted in three national monuments to the heroic warhorse, including the one in Alice Walton Cowgirl Park.

A beautiful mural of a tooled western saddle is also a highlight of the park. Evergreen and the Mellini family artisans in Italy created the mosaic, using thousands of small glass pieces. The mosaic serves as a spectacular backdrop for the park, and is a popular spot for photos.

Photo: National Cowgirl Museum

The park’s dedication ceremonies were held at the 44th annual National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon at Fort Worth’s new Dickie’s Arena. Five Cowgirl Inductees and the Sergeant Reckless award winner were honored at the event, which was televised on The Cowboy Channel on December 1 and 3.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame honors women, past and present, whose lives “exemplify the courage, resilience and independence that helped shape the American West.” The Museum opened in 1975 as an invaluable national educational resource. They are renowned for the unique exhibits, research library, rare photograph collection, and award-winning programs for grades K-12 and adults.

The museum is located at 1720 Gendy Street in Fort Worth, open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission $12 for 13+, $9 for seniors, military, first responders, and children 3-12. Visit cowgirl.net for information.