Fort Worth is located just west of
Dallas and is the county seat of
Tarrant County. It grew out of a military camp established at the close of the
Mexican American War by
Winfield Scott. Fort Worth was named after General William Jenkins Worth. A stage line was established in 1850, linking Fort Worth with
Yuma, Arizona. After the
Civil War, Fort Worth grew into a major shipping and supply depot for cattlemen.
Today Fort Worth, population approximately 500,000, is home to Lockheed Martin, American Airlines, Bell Helicopter Textron, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Pier 1 Imports and RadioShack, among others. The city calls itself the "Museum Capital of the Southwest," with an impressive array of museums and art galleries, many of them in the Fort Worth Cultural District. Visitors also can see the world's only daily cattle drive in the Fort Worth Stockyards. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike the nearby Lake Mineral Wells Trailway.
