By Susan Tallant/editor-in-chief
Recently, I asked a friend in Los Angeles to come to Fort Worth for a summer visit. “What’s in Fort Worth?” she asked. “I mean, like, there are no beaches or mountains, right?”
I laughed and said, “Nope, no beaches or mountains, but the Tallants live here.”
As I tried to describe why I love Fort Worth, I realized not all people in this world share the same fascination about Fort Worth or Texas as I do. I mean, how many people in California actually have a shape of their state hanging in every room of the house?
Texans are proud people. And Fort Worth Texans should be proud too. It is the 18th largest city in the U.S. and as diverse as the state it belongs to. A recent survey, conducted by the ETC Institute for the City of Fort Worth, revealed what I already know—Fort Worth is an excellent place to live, 83 percent of survey participants said so.
Seventy percent of Fort Worth participants indicated they are satisfied with the quality of life. The National average for cities with more than 200,000 residents is 68 percent. Houston participants rank residential satisfaction at 62 percent and Dallas at 57 percent.
What do we like about Fort Worth? The survey said Fort Worthians love the quality of their libraries, public safety services, parks and recreation programs, public health services and city customer service.
Fort Worth also rated in the top 25 percent for local tax value, quality fire protection, crime prevention, law enforcement, quality of animal control, city golf courses, parks and athletic programs.
Our city has a beautiful skyline with charming downtown shops and eateries, a thriving cultural area with great museums, a historic stockyard, a huge motor speedway, one of the top zoos in the nation and some of the best Mexican food and steaks in the South.
From Bass Hall to Billy Bob’s, Fort Worth is the perfect mix of cowboys and culture. Honestly, where else can a person view a Picasso after having Mediterranean frittata for brunch then watch a cattle drive in the middle of the city? Or, how about a carriage ride to the symphony after consuming that cowboy bone-in ribeye and chocolate bread pudding tamale?
Yes, L.A., you are exciting, but my heart belongs to Cowtown.
