Fort Worth, Texas

The city of Fort Worth is situated in the northern part of Texas. It is the fifth largest city in the state and the seat of Tarrant County.

Fort Worth was established in 1849 as a military outpost on the Trinity River to protect settlers from Indian attacks. The outpost was named after General William Jenkins Worth, the commander of the Texas army.

Fort Worth's development started when it became the last major stop of Chisholm Trail, the dusty path where millions of cattle were driven North to market. The completion of the first railroad helped establish Fort Worth as a meatpacking and cattle-shipping point. Eventually, it also became a center for milling and shipping wheat. Fort Worth experienced a new economic boom when oil was discovered in the late 1910s.

Today, the city is the second largest economic center of the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area and is home to a number of companies and distribution centers. It also has a diverse industry--ranging from clothing and food products to jet fighters, helicopters, computers, pharmaceuticals and plastics.

Based on the 2007 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a population of 681,818. The population are of various races and ancestries. The most prevalent race is White, followed by African American.