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'''Fort Worth''' Texas bills itself as the "City where the West Begins". With a population of 653,000, it forms part of a single metropolitan area with the neighboring city of [[Dallas]].  The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area reached 6,145,000 population in 2007 and ranks #6 in size in the U.S.  [[File:Ft-Worth-Tx-1909.jpg|thumb|300px|The railroad station in 1909, with hprse-drawn hacks (taxicabs) lined up]]   

'''Fort Worth''' Texas bills itself as the "City where the West Begins". With a population of 653,000, it forms part of a single metropolitan area with the neighboring city of [[Dallas]].  The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area reached 6,145,000 population in 2007 and ranks #6 in size in the U.S.  [[File:Ft-Worth-Tx-1909.jpg|thumb|300px|The railroad station in 1909, with horse-drawn hacks (taxicabs) lined up]]   

==History==

==History==

The town was founded in 1849 in conjunction with an Army installation. It declined during the Civil War to just another small settlement clinging to the edges of the Texas frontier.  Local lore has constructed a legendary version of Fort Worth as an isolated frontier outpost complete with rugged dragoons, land barons, hostile Indians, and famous visitors. In reality, new civic-minded settlers and promotion people envisioned Fort Worth's potential and made a concerted effort to improve things. Finally in 1876 a railroad rescued the town from oblivion. By 1900 it was a flourishing West Texas marketing and trade center.  

The town was founded in 1849 in conjunction with an Army installation. It declined during the Civil War to just another small settlement clinging to the edges of the Texas frontier.  Local lore has constructed a legendary version of Fort Worth as an isolated frontier outpost complete with rugged dragoons, land barons, hostile Indians, and famous visitors. In reality, new civic-minded settlers and promotion people envisioned Fort Worth's potential and made a concerted effort to improve things. Finally in 1876 a railroad rescued the town from oblivion. By 1900 it was a flourishing West Texas marketing and trade center.  

[[SBC|Southern Baptists]] are strong in  Fort Worth, where the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is based. [[J. Frank Norris]], a Baptist, was a major leader of [[Fundamentalism]] from 1920 to 1950. He was pastor of First Baptist Church from 1909 to 1952.  Through his influential newspaper, the ''Baptist Standard,'' Norris attacked the evils of racetrack betting and succeeded in getting the practice outlawed in 1908. His greatest political triumph came in 1928 when he waged a vigorous partisan attack against the Catholic Democratic presidential candidate, [[Al Smith]], and helped in getting staunchly Democratic Texas to go for Republican [[Herbert Hoover]].  

[[SBC|Southern Baptists]] are strong in  Fort Worth, where the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is based. [[J. Frank Norris]], a Baptist, was a major leader of [[Fundamentalism]] from 1920 to 1950. He was pastor of First Baptist Church from 1909 to 1952.  Through his influential newspaper, the ''Baptist Standard,'' Norris attacked the evils of racetrack betting and succeeded in getting the practice outlawed in 1908. His greatest political triumph came in 1928 when he waged a vigorous partisan attack against the Catholic Democratic presidential candidate, [[Al Smith]], and helped in getting staunchly Democratic Texas to go for Republican [[Herbert Hoover]].  

==Politics==

==Politics==

The city and surrounding Tarrant County are both Republican.  Most of the city is in the 12 Congressional District, which has reelected moderate Republican Kay Granger since 1996; she was mayor, 1991-96.  The fast growing western and northern suburbs are in CD 16, represented since 2002 by Republican Michael Burgess. He replaced Republican Majority Leader [[Dick Armey]] (b. 1940), who held ths district from 1985-2002

The city and surrounding Tarrant County are both Republican.  Most of the city is in the 12 Congressional District, which has reelected moderate Republican Kay Granger since 1996; she was mayor, 1991-96.  The fast growing western and northern suburbs are in CD 16, represented since 2002 by Republican Michael Burgess. He replaced Republican Majority Leader [[Dick Armey]] (b. 1940), who held this district from 1985-2002

Democrat [[Jim Wright]] (b. 1922) represented the city from 1954-1989; he was the powerful House Majority Leader (1967-87) and Speaker of the House 1987-89 until he was forced to quit because of an ethics scandal.

Democrat [[Jim Wright]] (b. 1922) represented the city from 1954-1989; he was the powerful House Majority Leader (1967-87) and Speaker of the House 1987-89 until he was forced to quit because of an ethics scandal.