As we go through life, some cities are remembered for a single image.

New York is known for the Statue of Liberty, Paris for the Eiffel Tower, and Las Vegas for its dazzling neon signs. So what about Fort Worth, Texas? Without a doubt, it's the 'cowboy.' The wide-brimmed cowboy hat, leather boots, and the silhouette of a pioneer standing against an endless horizon. But have you ever considered that this powerful image was not just created by clever tourism marketing or history textbooks, but rather a cultural product delivered consistently to living rooms around the world by the medium of television over decades?

The legendary drama Walker, Texas Ranger, starring the late action movie icon Chuck Norris, was the starting point of that massive image building.

First aired on CBS in 1993 and running for an impressive eight seasons until 2001, this series was the top contributor to putting Fort Worth on the global map. Every week, Chuck Norris's character, Cordell Walker, would not stand for injustice, delivering swift kicks and punches, with the Tarrant County Courthouse, a symbol of Fort Worth, majestically filling the screen.

The 'White Elephant Saloon,' where the main characters gathered to unwind, was also a real place located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, not just a set.

This show was not just a B-grade action drama. The character Cordell Walker, embodied by Chuck Norris, represented the so-called 'Code of the West,' the very essence of cowboy ethics. A strong sense of personal responsibility, protection of the vulnerable, and a sense of justice shown through substantial actions rather than flashy words. This rugged yet noble value system meshed seamlessly with the real landscape of Fort Worth, deeply embedding itself in American households each week.

In fact, a representative from the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame recalled, "This drama was the gateway through which people around the world first encountered and admired the Texas Rangers organization." The deep mourning expressed by Fort Worth citizens upon Chuck Norris's passing was because he was a figure who embodied the spirit of the city.

The significant legacy he left behind continued decades later through another masterpiece.

The prequel series to the drama that shook the nation, Yellowstone, and a mega hit on Paramount+, 1883, is the main character in this story.

This series, which follows the Dutton family's arduous journey across barren Texas to the promised land of the West, made the Fort Worth Stockyards its primary filming location.

It is no coincidence that this historical site was the center of Texas cattle trade and cattle driving in 1883, where raw stories from the 19th-century westward expansion were filmed. The genius creator of this series, Taylor Sheridan, is none other than someone who grew up in Fort Worth. The air of Texas, the smell of dust, and the rough sensations he remembered from childhood were all vividly transferred to the screen.

Now, Fort Worth's cowboy image is not just a relic of the past but has become the strongest core asset of the city's branding. Today, the Fort Worth Stockyards hosts regular parades twice a day where cowboys drive actual cattle through the streets.

Tourists from around the world cheer at this spectacle, and the city proudly refers to itself as 'Cowtown,' meaning 'City of Cattle.' The fictional image created by the media has perfectly merged with the historical identity of the actual city, completing a massive 'feedback loop' that reinforces each other.

Because it was chosen as a filming location for movies and dramas, it was not an artificially constructed image; rather, it was the real stories the city held that created a virtuous cycle of being selected by top creators across generations.

Having lived in the U.S. or abroad for a long time, one might find that some cities only exist glamorously on screen, while in reality, they can be bleak or disappointing. This is due to the gap between the fantasy created by media and reality. However, Fort Worth is quite the opposite.

When you visit here on a weekend, you can actually walk the historic streets in front of the courthouse where Chuck Norris once ran for justice decades ago, and the rough alleys where pioneers drove their wagons, kicking up red dust, still breathe alongside modern shops, just as they did in the drama 1883.