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Fort Worth, Texas

"Where the West Begins"
Once the last stop before the frontier, Fort Worth rode the Chisholm Trail from a dusty Army outpost to a cattle empire, then reinvented itself as a cultural powerhouse with world-class museums and aerospace.
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Founded 1849 | Population 918,915 | Peak 918,915 (2020) | County Tarrant County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Fort Worth, Texas

1
1876Chisholm Trail Cattle Drives: Fort Worth became the premier stop on the Chisholm Trail, with millions of longhorn cattle passing through its stockyards. The cattle industry defined Fort Worth's identity and economy for decades.
2
1942WWII Bomber Production: The massive Consolidated Aircraft plant produced over 3,000 B-24 Liberator bombers and employed 30,000 workers, transforming Fort Worth from a cattle town into an aerospace and defense hub.
3
1902Fort Worth Stockyards Open: The Fort Worth Stockyards opened as the largest livestock market south of Kansas City, processing millions of cattle and hogs and earning Fort Worth the nickname 'Cowtown.'.
4
1849Army Establishes Fort Worth: Major Ripley Arnold established a military outpost on the Trinity River bluffs as part of a chain of frontier forts protecting settlers. The post was named after General William Jenkins Worth.
5
1966General Dynamics F-111 Production: Fort Worth's General Dynamics plant began producing the F-111 fighter-bomber, continuing the city's role as a major defense manufacturing center that continues today with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
6
2001Modern Art Museum Opens: The Tadao Ando-designed Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth opened, completing a world-class cultural district that includes the Kimbell Art Museum and Amon Carter Museum of American Art.
7
1917Camp Bowie Military Training Center: Camp Bowie opened as a major WWI training facility, processing tens of thousands of soldiers and establishing Fort Worth's enduring military connection.
8
1890Spring Palace Fire: Fort Worth's spectacular Spring Palace exhibition hall burned to the ground shortly after opening, killing one firefighter. The disaster was a major setback for the city's ambitions.
9
1974DFW Airport Opens: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport opened midway between the two cities, giving Fort Worth direct access to a world-class aviation hub and spurring massive suburban growth.
10
2000Fort Worth Tornado: An F-3 tornado tore through downtown Fort Worth, damaging skyscrapers and killing five people. It was one of the few tornadoes in U.S. history to directly strike a major city center.
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Population Over Time

0 229,729 459,458 689,186 918,915 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Complete Historical Timeline

1849 Government
U.S. Army establishes Fort Worth on the Trinity River
1853 Government
Army abandons the fort; settlers remain
1873 Transport
Texas and Pacific Railway reaches Fort Worth
1876 Industry
Fort Worth becomes major Chisholm Trail stop
1890 Disaster
Spring Palace exhibition hall burns to the ground
1902 Industry
Fort Worth Stockyards open as major livestock market
1911 Science
First transcontinental flight stops in Fort Worth
1917 Government
Camp Bowie opens for WWI military training
1942 Industry
Consolidated Aircraft begins B-24 bomber production
1948 Government
Carswell Air Force Base becomes Strategic Air Command base
1966 Industry
General Dynamics begins F-111 production
1972 Culture
Kimbell Art Museum opens to international acclaim
1974 Transport
DFW Airport opens, connecting Fort Worth to the world
1993 Culture
Bass Performance Hall construction begins downtown
2000 Disaster
F-3 tornado strikes downtown Fort Worth
2001 Culture
Modern Art Museum completes the Cultural District
2015 Culture
Fort Worth Stockyards designated National Historic District
2020 Government
Fort Worth population approaches 1 million

Did You Know?

1
Fort Worth's Cultural District has three world-class art museums within walking distance — the Kimbell, the Modern, and the Amon Carter — rivaling cities ten times its size.
2
The Fort Worth Stockyards still host a daily cattle drive twice a day through the historic district, the only year-round cattle drive in the world.
3
Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth plant is where the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is built — the most expensive weapons program in human history at over $1.7 trillion.

Famous People from Fort Worth, Texas

SD
Shelley Duvall
Screenwriter, Actor · Born Jul 7, 1949 · Died Jul 11, 2024 (age 75)
BP
Bill Paxton
Screenwriter, Actor · Born May 17, 1955 · Died Feb 25, 2017 (age 61)
LH
Larry Hagman
Actor, Writer · Born Sep 21, 1931 · Died Nov 23, 2012 (age 81)
PH
Patricia Highsmith
Screenwriter, Writer · Born Jan 19, 1921 · Died Feb 4, 1995 (age 74)
MC
Mark David Chapman
Murderer, Inmate · Born May 10, 1955 · Age 70
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