Welcome to Arlington! Orientation and History Arlington, Texas • A city with varied history from a Texas Ranger station to railroad town, cotton farming to GM assembly plant • Current entertainment attractions • Home to three colleges including University of Texas at Arlington, 37,000 students Frontier History • Early Caddo settlement • Bird’s Fort • Johnson Station of Texas Rangers • Led by Mexican War veteran Middleton Tate Johnson in 1846 Middleton Tate Johnson How Arlington Got Its Name • In 1870, Texas and Pacific Railway connects Fort Worth and Dallas • Route surveyed by Presbyterian pastor Andrew Shannon Hayter • Instead of Hayterville, Hayter suggests Robert E. Lee’s home in Virginia Arlington by 1930 • Population 3,700 • Regional agricultural center Gambling and Horse Racing • In 1930, gambling legalized • Oilman W.T. Waggoner builds Arlington Downs • Horse racing ends by 1937, building razed in 1950s Top O’Hill Terrace • In 1920, Top O’Hill Terrace built with casino • Now part of Arlington Baptist College Mayor Vandergriff Era • Tom Vandergriff, longest serving Mayor, then Tarrant County Judge • Brings GM assembly plant to Arlington in 1953 DFW Turnpike • First Texas toll road • Connects Dallas to Fort Worth • Paid off in 1977, now Interstate 30 Turnpike Brings Six Flags • Built in 1961 • First of many theme parks • Part of entertainment district MLB Comes to Arlington • Washington Senators move to Texas • Stadium just off turnpike • Named Texas Rangers—now you know why Ballpark at Arlington • Built in 1989 • Supported by voter approved sales tax- backed bonds • Bonds paid off early Cowboys Move to Arlington • Stadium supported by sales tax bonds • Built near Ballpark • $1 billion stadium Glad to Be in Arlington • 365,000 population • 100 square miles.