John V. McMillan Plaza, scheduled to open next summer, will honor two important individuals that helped shape the city's history. A 12-foot statue of Fort Worth founder Major Ripley Arnold will decorate the plaza. Arnold established a post on the Trinity River in 1849 and constructed a fort named after Gen. William J. Worth.
"The Trinity River is why we are here," said J. D. Granger, executive director of the Trinity River Vision Authority, in a news release.
"Ironically, due to the inherent dangers associated with the river, we have never had the chance to build near it and appreciate it for what it is," he said. "It's important that we embrace Fort Worth's rich history and show our recognition with a memorial on the banks of the river."
The plaza will be located directly behind Tarrant County College's Trinity River Campus and will be constructed by the Tarrant Regional Water District with additional support from Downtown Fort Worth Initiatives Inc.
