Jonny Goodday

I recently had the chance to go on an exclusive Historic Fort Worth, Inc. tour inside the Will Rogers Memorial Center.

This was a closer look at how one of Fort Worth’s most important historic spaces is being preserved, updated, and kept active for future generations. It was interesting to see the balance between honoring the past and making sure the building still works for the people and events that use it today.

These are the kinds of experiences Historic Fort Worth members get access to through their events. It is not just about reading history from a distance. It is about stepping inside these places, hearing the stories, and seeing preservation happen in real life.

I only filmed the interior for context, but I wanted to share a quick look at what the tour was like.

I also plan on making a longer film focused on the Will Rogers Coliseum, because there is a much bigger story here worth telling.

This is one of the coolest creative projects I’ve had the chance to film.

Matt and Hannah Sams make custom replica birdhouses for a living, and for this project, they recreated the Marty Leonard Chapel in Fort Worth as a birdhouse.

What started as a thoughtful gift became a tiny handmade version of one of Fort Worth’s most beautiful chapels, complete with the lines, angles, and details that make the real building so recognizable.

In this film, I talk with Matt and Hannah about how their business started, how they turn real buildings into birdhouses, and what made this particular project so special. You’ll also see behind the scenes footage from the build, close up shots of the finished birdhouse, and the real chapel that inspired it.

This is a story about architecture, craftsmanship, creativity, and the kind of gift that can only come from someone paying very close attention.