TOWN SQUARE: LOCATED BETWEEN HISTORIC AND MODERN DISTRICTS
As with any boom town, Fordworth Valley's highest point in history was also its lowest. Just when the town was hitting its peak in wealth and population, it was also topping out in crime. Streets were often littered with dusty prospectors stumbling their way between various saloons and gambling joints, or leaving a house of ill-repute. As one can expect, the combination of sex, gambling and alcohol only lead to violence, and the town square become the hub of duels and brawling. Many lawbreakers even found themselves hung on hastily made gallows on the grounds, as the small, ramshackle jail didn't have the facilities for more civilized executions.
Not all was bad however, as the location was also home for Fordworth's annual Fourth of July festival that continues to this day. Fireworks, games, and pie tastings still fill the small patch of green grass, in the center of the desert town for that occasion just as they did 200 years ago. The square is also home to Fordworth Valley heritage day, a week long event for tourists and locals alike to celebrate the rich history of the mining town, complete with costumes and old timey music.
Today the pistol shootouts and hangings are gone. And where the old gallows once stood, a wooden gazebo was erected for the townsfolk to enjoy. Main street even became a place where women and children can enjoy, with small shops and historical sites.
Business: Brennan's Saloon
Formerly known as: The Rusty Spur
Owned by: The Brennan Family
Location: Historic District
Employees: Knox Brennan (owner), Barrett Bartlett, Ava James
Hours of operation: 11AM-12AM, Mon-Thurs (Happy Hour, 4-7) & 11AM-2AM, Fri-Sat
Bio: Knox Brennan, the current owner of the town's dive bar, inherited the place from his father, who got it from his father. In the old days, it was called the "Rusty Spur," but they changed it to "Brennan's" once Knox's grandfather bought it. His grandfather loved the look of the old saloon so much, he left it mostly untouched, and only changed the name on the front. It still has the same appearance today, but also has some other features most other Nevada bars have. There are two slot machines inside, a poker table, billiard tables, and dart boards. It also features a digital jukebox so patrons can pick any song they want to hear. It might smell like beer and smoke, but for many locals, it's the place to be after work and on the weekends.
Business: Bartlett Ranch
Formerly known as: Bartlett Ranch
Owned by: The Bartlett Family
Location: Historic District
Employees: Barrett Bartlett
Hours of operation: 10AM-6PM Monday-Friday
Bio: Built when Fordworth was at its peak by Lincoln Bartlett, the ranch was the first business without town limits to provide citizens with livestock. If your animals weren't reproducing, you'd lost or slaughtered some, or if you were simply a newbie wanting to try your hand at farming, Bartlett's was the place to go to build your herd. Whether you were looking for horses, cows, or sheep the Bartletts had it all. Nowadays, however, the family deals strictly with Equine sales, and due to the fact that they are a high value purchase, business has dropped greatly in recent years.
Business: Fordworth Pharmacy
Formerly known as: Bailess's Drugs
Owned by: A partnership of 2 local pharmacists (NPCs)
Location: Historic District
Employees: OPEN
Hours of operation: 6AM-10PM Daily. On call after hours and on holidays
Bio: When the Fordworth Pharmacy was first constructed in the 1800's the pharmaceutical business was nothing like it is today. You were more likely to find an array of glass jars filled with things like mercury or cocaine than a box of Children's chew-able Tylenol. But as the people of the day didn't know any better they would blindly collect their prescriptions and take whatever potion or tonic the pharmacist suggested for what ailed them. At the time, the pharmacy was built by the Kirby Bailess. It was a small, wooden structure in a corner lot, across from the old post office. The Fordworth Pharmacy still stands in the same location, but the original building was demolished and replaced with something brighter and cleaner to for a more 'hygienic' look.
Business: Grab and Go
Formerly known as: Fordworth Valley General Store
Owned by: The Grab and Go corporation
Location: Historic District
Employees: OPEN
Hours of operation: 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
Bio: Built on the site of the orginal Fordworth Valley general store, the Grab and Go convenience station bares little resemblance to its predecessor. Where in the 1800's, one could stop in for purchasing items vital for living on the frontier such as horse shoes and cloth, today it is aimed more towards the passing motorist. In fact, the only thing the two places really do still have in common is that it remains the only location in old Historic Fordworth where citizens can buy things like a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread, much like it had been in the old days.
Business: Bella's Books
Formerly: N/A, New Construction
Owned by: Bella Boone
Location: Modern District
Employees: OPEN
Hours of operation: Mon-Fri 10-6PM; Sat&Sun 12-4
Bio: Fordworth Valley is currently going under a face lift that a lot of locals aren't happy about. No place makes that clearer than in the newly formed Modern District. This is the location that was chosen by newcomer to town Isabella Boone when she was looking to build the city's first book store. She placed it in a retail space, leased under a loft apartment building that was being built for Fordworth's more wealthy, trendy citizens. While the décor is sleek and stylish, the store carries more than just the latest best sellers and new releases, stocking its vast shelves with the classics as well. It also offers tourists and the big city transplants moving in to the area from back East, a place more comfortable and fitting of their tastes to read, than just Fordworth's dusty and ancient old library.
Business: The Fordworth Valley Inn
Formerly known as: Miss Kitty's Boarding House and Bordello
Owned by: The Kitager Family
Location: Historic District
Employees: Rayne Kitager, and OPEN
Hours of operation: 24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
Bio: In the hay day of Fordworth Valley a brazen, red haired woman named Katherine Kitager opened what one could only call a high class brothel to service the many new men coming into town. Now, centuries later, the brothel is closed, but the building still stands. Miss Kitty's heirs continue to operate a business in this location, now known as the Fordworth Valley Inn. While the prostitutes are gone, the beauty and charm of this large Victorian home remain.
Business: Fordworth Christian Church
Formerly: Fordworth Valley Church
Owned by: OPEN
Location: Historic District
Employees: OPEN
Worship Schedule: Wednesday evening worship, 6PM; Sunday, 8AM & 10AM Service; Sunday night bible study, 5PM
Bio: The church in Fordsworth isn't too old. It was rebuilt some 30 years ago, which, considering how old the town is, makes it quite a new building. It's a place of worship for many of the town's residents, but also, it's a place where everyone knows each other. Much of the town congregates there every Sunday, and after services, mill around outside, talking and sharing stories. Some weeks, the pews are filled, others, not so much. But there is always a loyal congregation who attend services and while there, they spend time, not just with God, but with friends.
Business: Fordworth Public Library
Formerly known as: N/A (It was a house prior to being converted.)
Owned by: The City of Fordworth
Location: Historic District
Employees: Cassidy Brooks, and OPEN
Hours of operation: 9AM-8PM, Mon-Sat
Bio: The Fordsworth Library sits in the old part of town, and isn't your usual kind of library building. The library is small, situated in an old house. The building has been updated and renovated over the years, but has been the library for over 100 years. It's the stereotypical, quaint, small town library. The book selection is limited due to the size of the property, but the basement does house a great reference section, with lots of old newspapers, town censuses and so on. There are just a couple of computers, and a few tables to work at in a room that would usually have been a bedroom it was still used as a home. Schoolkids always flock there in small groups to work on projects, and locals pop in and out to borrow a book or two. There's always a homey feeling there.
Business: Fordworth Historical Museum
Formerly known as: Fordworth Country School
Owned by: City of Fordworth
Location: Historic District
Employees: Ms. Clemson (manager) and it is run by various volunteers in the community.
Hours of operation: 9a.m. -12p.m. & 1p.m. – 5p.m. (Monday-Saturday) Closed- Sunday
Bio: At one point in Fordworth’s history, the local country school was the literal hub of most things in the booming town. Monday through Friday it serviced the children of the area, teaching them the classics: Reading, writing, and arithmetic as well as a few fun things like music and history. Sunday mornings it was converted into the Fordworth Church. As the needs of the town grew, the building simply became too small and the school was closed down after the plans for a new one were funded and built. Now the old schoolhouse has been renamed The Fordworth Historical Museum. It was renovated and still contains memorabilia of the past. Volunteers who work for the museum dress in period appropriate clothing. It is also rumored that the old building is haunted. Stories of children’s footsteps, moaning and the faint smell of bleach are said to be heard and smelt in the hallway of the second story. People speculate that perhaps it’s the ghosts of the ten children who passed away from scarlet fever in the early days of the city, as this was the location where they held the sick at that time.
Business: Fordwoth Public School
Formerly known as: Same
Owned by: City of Fordworth
Location: Modern District
Employees: Mr. Higler (Principal) and various employees (OPEN)
Hours of operation: 8:00a.m.-3:35 p.m. (Monday-Friday) Closed (Saturday and Sunday)
Bio: This may not be the original building or location that replaced the Fordworth Country School, but this school is the newest school building in town. It is found in the modern district, and houses grades PK-12. The school teaches a vast array of subjects from the core subjects to the more specialized subjects such as art, music, band, choir, athletics, home ec, speech, debate, you name it. Mr. Higler has been the principal for more than fifteen years and he looks over each of the students as if they are his own children. He believes that excellence is to be sought after, nothing less than the best is what he expects.
Business: Solartronics Manufacturing Plant
Formerly known as: N/A, New Construction
Owned by: Solartronics Corp.
Location: 30 minutes outside of Fordworth
Employees: Marshall Baker, Head Plant Executive (succeeding his father), Bobby Knicks, and OPEN for all other positions.
Hours of operation: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd shifts available.
Bio: Solartronics is a manufacturing plant located about 20-30 minutes outside of town. It cropped up within the past decade, and is a branch of a large corporation that makes solar panels as an alternative form of energy. While it might seem like a wonderfully environmentally conscious idea, the corporation is like most of them, and is prone to politics, corruption, and driven by financial gain. Many of the towns people are employed there, and don't have much choice if they want to provide for their families. In fact, some of the upper level executives think Fordworth needs updating. But will they win against the locals and the families that have lived there forever? Right now, they are employing just about everyone in the town and hold a lot of financial power, but they are mainly focusing on company gains...for now.
Business: Wilde Flowers
Formerly known as: The Little Drip (a coffee shop)
Owned by: Beverly Wilde
Location: Modern District
Employees: Beverly Wilde (Owner/Operator) and OPEN
Hours of operation: 9a.m.-6 p.m. (Monday-Friday) 9a.m.-12p.m. (Saturday) Closed (Sunday)
Bio: Beverly Wilde happened upon the older building by accident after her arrival to Fordworth Valley. She wasn’t really scouting out places to put her flower shop, but yet somehow they found her. She stepped up on the curb and happened to fall face first into the tables of the tiny coffee shop. While she didn’t know much about coffee, she did happen to see the bright red and white For Sale sign that was hung in the window. The building had a rustic sort of charm, something that simply screamed out FLOWER SHOP! She quickly worked on procuring the funds to purchase the property. It didn’t take too long to convert the old coffee shop into a flower shop, and within four months Wilde Flowers opened. Beverly loves the little shop, and hopes someday to expand into the building next to her, perhaps opening a little coffee type shop on the side.