Fort Worth -- the most typically Texan of all Texas cities -- began as a tiny outpost on a lonely frontier. Today, this metropolitan area of more than 600,000 people blends its cattle and oil heritage seamlessly with an ever-growing, diverse array of new businesses and industries. Fort Worth was established through the efforts, the courage and the sacrifices of countless men and women; and the story, even in barest outline, is an American saga.

When Maj. Ripley Arnold established a fort in 1849, named for Gen. William Jenkins Worth, to protect settlers from attacks by native inhabitants on the scenic bluffs of the Trinity River, he likely had no idea he was planting the seeds for what, in 2006, would be the nation's fastest growing large city - 18th in the country.

Though much has changed since the frontier days, Fort Worth still retains a unique flavor that can be described only as "Cowtown."

The modern city has brought with it a renowned Cultural District, but no visit to Fort Worth is complete without a trip to the National Historic Stockyards, once considered the "Wall Street of the West," or to the hideout for Western legends Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in Sundance Square - a vibrant urban center built on the last vestiges of the infamous "Hell's Half Acre."

Whether Cowtown means culture or the Chisholm Trail to you, there's something for everyone in Fort Worth.