FORT WORTH: Much more than Big D’s neighbor

Located about 35 miles west of Dallas in Tarrant County many visitors and those new to the area see Fort Worth as simply a smaller version of Dallas – but nothing could be further from the truth. The city has a personality all its own – a mix of cowboys big business and community pride.

The 17th largest city in the U.S. and the fifth largest in Texas Fort Worth has been honored by Partners for Livable Communities as one of America’s Most Livable Communities. The city is also a multiple recipient of the All-America City Award given annually by the National Civic League to ten winners for excellence in “community-based problem solving grassroots civic engagement and joint efforts on the part of the public private and nonprofit sectors.”

Rustic Roots

Like Dallas Forth Worth has rustic roots as the city “Where the West Begins.” Originally established as an army outpost in 1849 it eventually served as the last major stop on the legendary Chisholm Trail – the road where wranglers drove millions of herds of Longhorn cattle north to market in Kansas.

The city earned the nickname “Hell’s Half Acre” after the red light district teeming with gambling parlors saloons and dance halls sprang up to entertain the wild cowboys who frequently visited as they passed through town. Today residents still call it “Cowtown” because of its proximity to the drovers’ trail and its rowdy cowboy roots.

All Business

Cosmopolitan and chic in its own right Fort Worth‘s long and storied history still reigns – but so does its designation as a national business educational and cultural destination. Big D’s thriving smaller neighbor is equally rich in commerce as the headquarters of Fortune 500 companies such as American Airlines Radio Shack BNSF Railway and XTO Energy – as well as many other smaller companies.

It’s also an attractive destination for moving families according to CNBC who has ranked it among the “best cities to relocate to in America” thanks to its affordable housing low unemployment rate and thriving arts and culture scene – which includes one of the best zoos in the country. Today more than 777992 residents are proud to call “Cowtown” home.

Multiple Attractions

Today the city holds true to its early beginnings with a thriving nightlife and the Fort Worth Stockyards – a premier livestock center and still the city’s centerpiece. But it’s also become known for internationally famous art museums ballet opera symphony renowned concert venues and high culture – and has now garnered a more apropos nickname “The City of Cowboys and Culture.”