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. In an attempt to establish control over North Texas, the Republic of Texas attempted to set up a line of "ranger" (militia) forts on the frontier. When ranger stations proved inadequate, the U.S. Army stepped in and took over the job of watching the frontier. It adopted a "picket line" strategy of establishing forts every 100 miles or so, stretching from the Rio Grande in the south to the Red River in the north. More than 150 years of history have shaped Cowtown. Ranked the nation's fastest growing city with more than 500,000 population -- the 18th largest city in the country -- and one of America's Most Livable Communities of the decade, Fort Worth has endured economic changes and retained its Western heritage as it continues to prosper.