Fort Worth Fun

Friday Blake didn't have school because it was a bad weather make up day and since we didn't have any days to make up because we had no snow days, he had the day off. 

We went and got donuts in the morning. While we were eating Grandpa started to tell a story, then Blake chimes in and says, "Oh boy, here he go again." (For those who don't know Grandpa likes to tell stories...sometimes a couple of times) We all laughed.

Then we drove to Fort Worth in the pouring rain to go to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. You can't take cameras or cell phones in there, so this is the only picture I have...of the outside. They screen you in one building, then you take a tram ride over to their facility. It is 750,000 square feet...I believe that's what they said. There is a video you can watch, a self-guided audio tour where you walk above the workers on the floor below so you can see what's going on and how they are making the money...and they had museum to read more about money and the history, etc. It was so cool and very interesting. It was well worth the trip. The boys were fascinated, but they were hungry. 

Some things I remember

-They print a little more than half of the money that is printed annually at this plant. The other money is printed in D.C.

-All the money printed in Fort Worth has a FW printed on the bill.

-The machines they use are huge! 

-They produce $29.2 million in currency per hour.

-It is a special kind of paper that they use for money. I think it was 75% cotton and 25% linen...or the other way around. 

-There is a special department that takes destroyed money...like money that was in fire or buried, etc and as long as they can make out 50% of the bill, then they will give you that full money back (in non-destroyed bills). This is a free service that is offered. Many folks who have died had stashed money throughout their house because they had been through the Depression and didn't trust the banks. Well, they wouldn't store them properly so the money lacked the oxygen that it needed and wasn't usable, but is able to use forensic science and figure it out.

-Takes 4 weeks from start to finish for a bill to be produce. It has to go through a couple of stages of drying.

The rained stopped by the time we were done, so we decided to go to the Stockyards.

We drove back home, picked up Aaron and went to dinner at Hutchins. The guys all wore their handsome shirts.

Blake had a soccer practice that night, so Grandpa and Aaron went with him.