Showing posts with label Chuck Norris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chuck Norris. Show all posts

Sunday, March 5, 2023

First National Bank Building

The fourth episode of season 1 of Walker, Texas Ranger has the standard "bad guy who goes around town doing genuinely bad things" plot.  Shenanigans occur around the usual Dallas/Fort Worth areas in the beginning of the story.  Later in the episode there is some hubbub at an old school looking bank:


The building is located on the downtown square in McKinney, TX (north of Dallas).  It's a historic building that was a bank at one time but now it's an antique shop.


Here is the building's historical marker for your viewing pleasure:


The text reads:

    "Entrepreneur Francis Emerson (1815-1905) founded a McKinney banking firm in 1869, which developed into the First National Bank in 1882. First National bought this site in 1912 and built this classical revival style building. Glazed bricks and massive columns support classical details of cast stone and a gilded eagle. Collin County National Bank, founded in 1883, occupied the building from 1935 to 1958. First Savings and Loan Association officed here from 1958 to 1973."

 Of course Walker and his partner show up to put an end to the nonsense:


But unfortunately they didn't have time to visit downtown McKinney's many unique shops and restaurants (maybe they can plan a Saturday afternoon trip sometime):


A few roundhouse kicks later and McKinney was safe from Mr. Bad Guy...but for how long???


Sunday, January 5, 2020

Walker's Fort Worth HQ

All right Chuck Norris fans, it's time to delve into more Walker, Texas Ranger!  Even if you were just a casual viewer you probably noticed the HQ of Walker and his pals.  In real life it's the Tarrant County Courthouse:


You can find it in downtown Fort Worth and recognize it by its Texas pink granite...the same kind of stone you'll find making up the facade of the state Capitol Building in Austin.  For you history buffs, here's the building's Texas Historical Marker:


It reads:

     "Designed by firm of Gunn & Curtis and built by the Probst Construction Company of Chicago, 1893-1895. This red Texas granite building, in Renaissance Revival style, closely resembles the Texas State Capital with the exception of the clock tower. 
     The cost was $408,840 and citizens considered it such a public extravagance that a new County Commissioners' Court was elected in 1894. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1969"

In one of the earlier episodes the courthouse got some good exposure during an action scene.  The episode's bad guy, played by character actor Leon Rippy, kidnaps Alex in broad daylight while dressed as a cop with the help of some flash grenades and tear gas:


This all goes down in front of the courthouse:


Walker's partner Trivette does what he does best and opens fire into a crowded street:


Looks like he had made it across the street to the bank but the bad guy still gets away.


Don't worry though, they get him at his nondescript cabin in the woods whose location I am not about to try and track down.  And roll credits...