Fort Worth

Fort Worth
a city in N Texas. 385,141.

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City (pop., 2000: 534,694), northern Texas, U.S. It lies on the Trinity River and constitutes the western part of the Dallas–Fort Worth urban complex.

Founded in 1849 as a military outpost against Comanche raids, it was a stopover point for cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail. It became a cattle-shipping boomtown after the railroad arrived in 1876. Oil finds brought the petroleum-refining industry in 1920, and in 1949 aircraft manufacturing began there, expanded now to include aerospace and electronic equipment. It is the seat of Texas Christian University (1873) and Texas Wesleyan University (1890), and its attractions include the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art.

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 city, seat of Tarrant county, north-central Texas, U.S. It lies at the confluence of the Clear and West forks of the Trinity River and constitutes the western portion of the Dallas–Fort Worth urban area, known locally as the Metroplex. Dallas lies 30 miles (48 km) east; other cities of the metropolitan region include Arlington, Carrollton, Denton, Garland, Grand Prairie, Irving, Lewisville, Mesquite, North Richland Hills, Plano, and Richardson. Alongside its modern industries and contemporary skyscrapers, Fort Worth retains much of the flavour of its Old West heritage.

      Founded in 1849 by Major Ripley Allen Arnold as a military outpost against Comanche raids, it was named for Major General William Jenkins Worth, commander of U.S. troops in Texas at the time. After the army left in 1853, settlers around the fort moved into its buildings. The community began to expand in 1856 when, by popular vote, it displaced neighbouring Birdville (now a part of suburban Haltom City) as the county seat. The actual transfer of county offices to Fort Worth took place in 1860.

      A stopover point for longhorn cattle drives on the Chisholm Trail in the early 1870s, Fort Worth became a cattle-shipping boomtown (often called Cowtown) after the arrival in 1876 of the Texas and Pacific Railway (Texas and Pacific Railway Company). Fort Worth subsequently became the meat-packing centre of the American Southwest. Oil finds caused the development of the petroleum-refining industry in the 1920s, and during World War II aircraft manufacturing began there.

      The city's economy, integrated with that of Dallas, is broadly based. Its diversified industries include the manufacture of aircraft and aerospace equipment, electronics, vision care products, and automobiles. While still a cattle industry headquarters, Fort Worth relies on food-processing, telemarketing, business services, finance, and software production. The city is a transportation hub and the location of headquarters of major rail and airline corporations. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (1974) is one of the world's busiest. Alliance Airport (1988) was constructed specifically for industrial use. The former Carswell Air Force Base was re-established in 1994 as Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.

      Fort Worth's institutions of higher learning include Texas Christian University (1873), Texas Wesleyan University (1890), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (1908), and Tarrant County College (1967); the University of Texas (Texas, University of) at Arlington (1895) is just to the east. The Health Science Center of the University of North Texas (North Texas, University of) is also in the city.

      Fort Worth's Will Rogers Memorial Center comprises a coliseum and an auditorium. Nearby are the Amon Carter Museum (1961), designed by American architect Philip Johnson (Johnson, Philip C.) and housing a fine collection of paintings—notably paintings of the American West by artists such as Frederic Remington (Remington, Frederic) and Charles W. Russell; the Kimbell Art Museum, designed by Louis I. Kahn (Kahn, Louis I.); the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth (founded 1892 as the Fort Worth Public Library and Art Gallery), the state's oldest art museum, now housed in a building designed by the Japanese architect Tadao Ando; and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The Fort Worth Convention Center (1968), spanning 14 downtown city blocks, is a major landmark. The former stockyards are now a national historic district featuring rodeos, western-themed festivals, shops, and restaurants. The Southwestern Exposition Livestock Show and Rodeo is held annually in January. The Texas Motor Speedway (1997), to the north of the city, is one of the nation's largest sports facilities. The city's cultural institutions include ballet and opera companies, a symphony orchestra, and several theatres. Recreational facilities include the Fort Worth Zoo (Fort Worth Zoological Park), botanical gardens, and several lakes. The Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge encompasses 3,500 acres (1,400 hectares) around Lake Worth, on the city's northwest corner. Inc. 1873. Pop. (2000) city, 534,694; Fort Worth–Arlington MD, 1,710,318; Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington MSA, 5,161,544; (2007 est.) city, 681,818; Fort Worth–Arlington MD, 2,033,508; Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington MSA, 6,145,037.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Fort Worth — Fort Worth …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Fort Worth — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Fort Worth, Texas …   Wikipedia Español

  • Fort Worth — Spitzname: Cowtown, Panther City Skyline von Downtown Fort Worth …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Fort Worth —   [fɔːt wəːθ], Stadt in Texas, USA, westlich von Dallas, 447 600 Einwohner; katholischer Bischofssitz; Texas Christian University (gegründet 1873), Museen, botanische und zoologische Garten, Planetarium; Vieh , Getreide und Baumwollbörse;… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Fort Worth — Fort Worth, TX U.S. city in Texas Population (2000): 534694 Housing Units (2000): 211035 Land area (2000): 292.540602 sq. miles (757.676648 sq. km) Water area (2000): 6.353955 sq. miles (16.456667 sq. km) Total area (2000): 298.894557 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Fort Worth, TX — U.S. city in Texas Population (2000): 534694 Housing Units (2000): 211035 Land area (2000): 292.540602 sq. miles (757.676648 sq. km) Water area (2000): 6.353955 sq. miles (16.456667 sq. km) Total area (2000): 298.894557 sq. miles (774.133315 sq.… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Fort Worth — (spr. wörth), Stadt im nordamerik. Staate Texas, am Trinityfluß, (1900) 26.688 E …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Fort Worth — [after Wm. J. Worth (1794 1849)] city in N Tex.: pop. 535,000 …   English World dictionary

  • Fort Worth — Fort Worth, Hauptstadt der Grafschaft Tarrant im nordamerikan. Staate Texas, am Westarm des Trinityflusses, wichtiger Bahnknotenpunkt (von acht Linien) und Hauptquartier der Texas Pan Handle Viehzüchter, acht großen Viehhöfen, Getreideelevatoren …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Fort Worth — a city in the northeast of the US state of Texas, near Dallas. It is a centre for farming, the oil industry, and the aircraft building industry …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • Fort Worth — Fort Worth′ n. geg a city in N Texas. 479,716 …   From formal English to slang

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