Download & Print
February 8, 2021
Today in Texas history
Violence Presages End of Fort Worth’s Notorious “Hell’s Half Acre”
By Bandera Spirits of Texas
On Feb. 8, 1887, Longhair Jim Courtright, former town marshal of Fort Worth, was killed in a gunfight with Luke Short. This was one of the most famous gunfights in western history-and, contrary to the movie legends, one of the few face-to-face shootouts.
The duel was the first of two events that drew increased hostile attention to the hive of brothels and bars known as Hell's Half Acre. The second was the discovery of a murdered prostitute named Sally, two weeks later. Before these violent occurrences, even legitimate businesses had resisted reform of the Acre because of the money it brought in. But the deaths of Courtright and Sally brought renewed and ultimately successful cleanup efforts.
The duel was the first of two events that drew increased hostile attention to the hive of brothels and bars known as Hell's Half Acre. The second was the discovery of a murdered prostitute named Sally, two weeks later. Before these violent occurrences, even legitimate businesses had resisted reform of the Acre because of the money it brought in. But the deaths of Courtright and Sally brought renewed and ultimately successful cleanup efforts.