Current Time in Fort Worth, United States

Fort Worth is a major city in the state of Texas, United States, located in Tarrant County in the northern part of the state, forming the western anchor of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. With a population exceeding 930,000, Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in Texas and the 13th-largest city in the nation. While Dallas, its eastern neighbor with which it shares a combined metro area, is known for corporate headquarters and modern urban sophistication, Fort Worth has cultivated a distinctly different identity rooted in Western heritage, cowboy culture, and world-class museums.

Fort Worth was established as a U.S. Army outpost in 1849, named after General William Jenkins Worth, a hero of the Mexican-American War. The fort was intended to protect settlers moving into the Texas frontier but was abandoned by federal troops within a few years. The town that grew up around it survived and prospered, particularly after the arrival of the railroads in 1876 and its development as a major cattle ranching and meatpacking center on the Chisholm Trail, the legendary cattle drive route that carried millions of longhorn cattle northward from Texas to the railheads in Kansas. Fort Worth earned its enduring nickname Cowtown during this period.

The Stockyards National Historic District in Fort Worth is a living monument to this cattle heritage. The historic Fort Worth Stockyards once processed more cattle than any other facility in the American Southwest, and today the Stockyards offer a vibrant entertainment and cultural district where Western history comes alive. Twice daily, longhorn cattle are herded through the streets of the Stockyards in a daily cattle drive that delights visitors. The Billy Bob's Texas honky-tonk, one of the world's largest country music venues, the Cowtown Coliseum (the world's first indoor rodeo arena), and numerous Western-themed shops and restaurants give the Stockyards an authentic frontier atmosphere.

Surprisingly for a city that proudly wears the Cowtown label, Fort Worth is also home to a museum district that rivals those of much larger American cities. The Cultural District contains three world-class art institutions within a short walk of each other. The Kimbell Art Museum, housed in Louis Kahn's masterpiece of modern architecture, is home to one of the finest permanent art collections in the United States, including works by Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Picasso. The Amon Carter Museum of American Art is one of the foremost collections of American painting and photography in the country. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, in Tadao Ando's striking building, houses an outstanding collection of post-World War II art.

Fort Worth is served by Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world, and by Dallas Love Field. The city has a strong and growing economy with significant sectors in aviation, defense, healthcare, and financial services, with major employers including American Airlines, Lockheed Martin, and BNSF Railway headquartered here.

The blend of authentic Western heritage, extraordinary art museums, diverse cuisine, and Texas-scale hospitality makes Fort Worth one of America's most genuinely distinctive and welcoming cities, a place that has successfully honored its past while building a dynamic and culturally rich present.