San Antonio is the county seat of Bexar County and the most populous city in South Texas, with roughly 1.5 million residents — the seventh-largest city in the United States and the anchor of a metropolitan area of about 2.7 million people. The city's identity is inseparable from its history: founded around Spanish colonial missions, San Antonio grew from a frontier settlement into a major Texas center whose downtown is organized around the San Antonio River and the River Walk, a network of pedestrian paths and dining terraces that ranks among the most visited attractions in Texas. The economy rests on several broad pillars. The South Texas Medical Center, in the northwest part of the city, is a major hospital, research, and employment district, while the city's military installations contribute a substantial defense-sector presence. Tourism, anchored by the Alamo and the River Walk, and a growing healthcare and technology sector round out the employment base. San Antonio's neighborhoods span a wide historical and architectural range. Just north of downtown, Monte Vista is among the largest historic districts in the country, developed beginning in the late 19th century and filled with grand early-20th-century homes. South of the center, King William preserves Victorian and Mediterranean Revival residences along tree-lined streets. Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills function as established enclave communities, while Stone Oak and other northern areas offer newer, family-oriented construction. Culturally, San Antonio is one of only two U.S. cities designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, and its food scene ranges from classic Tex-Mex along the River Walk to the restaurants and markets of the Pearl and Southtown districts. Fiesta San Antonio, the city's signature spring celebration, draws visitors each year, and the San Antonio Spurs anchor the city's professional sports identity. Public education is served by more than a dozen school districts, and VIA Metropolitan Transit plus a network of loops and interstates move residents around the region.