Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas, 18th-largest city in the United States[1], and voted one of "America’s Most Livable Communities."[2] Situated in North Texas, Fort Worth covers nearly 300 square miles in Tarrant and Denton counties, serving as the county seat for Tarrant County. As of the 2006 U.S. Census estimate, Fort Worth had a population of 653,320.[1] It has become one of the fastest growing cities in the country due to its warm climate, numerous business opportunities, low cost of living and wide array of attractions. The city is the second-largest cultural and economic center of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with a population of 6 million in 12 counties. Established originally in 1849 as a protective Army outpost at the foot of a bluff overlooking the Trinity River, the city of Fort Worth today still embraces and boasts of being more down-home, laid-back, and is proud of its traditionally old-fashioned ways when compared to its larger, more flashy eastern neighbor, Dallas. Fort Worth still celebrates its colorful Western heritage that is deeply rooted in strong Southern influences. Fort Worth's legendary "Western heritage" was made possible by settlers from the Old South looking for a new start. Fort Worth can be called a "gateway" to a cultural region, sometimes referred to as the "Western South."