History of Arlington
First European settlements in the area of present-day Arlington date back to the 1840s. In 1841 there was a battle between native tribes in the area and the Texas General Tarrant. After the battle, a trading post was established, which, coupled with fertile soil in the area, attracted many new settlers, especially farmers. The city was officially founded in 1876. It was planned for the city to grow along the Texas and Pacific Railway so it can benefit from the transportation opportunities. It was named after General Robert E. Lee’s home in Virginia, called the Arlington House. Arlington was incorporated in 1884 and its economy at the time was based on cotton ginning and farming. By 1910, it had all the modern amenities and a public school system.
The pivotal point in the industrialization of Arlington was in 1954, when General Motors opened an assembly plant. After the World War II, the city experienced great suburban growth as more and more jobs opened in automotive and aerospace industries.
Six Flags Over Texas, the first of the company’s theme parks, opened in Texas in 1961. In 1972, the city became home of the Texas Rangers and in 2009 Dallas Cowboys started playing at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.
Geography and Climate
Arlington is located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or metropolitan area. It lies 12 miles east of Fort Worth and 20 miles west of Dallas and has a total area of 99.7 square miles, of which 3,19% is water. The Trinity River and its tributary, the Johnson Creek, run through the city. Arlington lies at 607 feet above sea level.
Climate in Arlington is humid subtropical, which means that summers hot and humid and winters are mild to cool.
Population
According to the data collected by the American Community Survey, in the period between 2000 and 2008 the racial makeup in Arlington was 43.8% non-Hispanic White, 29.2% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 17.4% Black or African American, 6.4% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 10.1% some other race and 2.3% two or more races.
The median household income in the same period was $47,622 and the per capita income for the city was $22,445. About 9.9% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Economy of Arlington
Most common industries in Arlington are construction, services that include accommodation and food, administration, scientific and technical services, education, finance, insurance and transportation.
Since Arlington is part of the Metroplex, many of its residents work in other, largest cities in that metropolitan area, especially in Dallas, where most of the top employers are located.
Headquarters of the Nuclear regulatory Commission Region VI and of American Mensa are located in the city.
Sports
Arlington hosts the International Bowling Campus with the U.S. Bowling Congress, International Bowling Museum and the International Bowling Hall of Fame. Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor are the best theme parks in the area, if not in the entire Texas, and major attractions Arlington.
The city is home of the Major League Baseball team Texas Rangers, who moved to Washington, D.C. (where they were called the Washington Senators) and today play at Rangers Ballpark, and of the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys, who have been playing at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington since 2009. Arlington hosted the 2010 NBA All-Star Game and Super Bowl XLV in 2011.
Attractions and Culture
The largest and the most popular shopping center in Arlington is The Parks Mall. The Arlington Highlands is a newer mall which also serves as an entertainment hotspot, with cafes, restaurants, nightclubs and theatres.
Theatre Arlington is one of the largest community theatres in the United States, working year round and also offering theatre classes for all ages.
Approximately 50 free live concerts are held each year in the Levitt Pavilion opened in 2009.
The most popular annual event in Arlington is the 4th of July Parade, held in Downtown Arlington. Another notable event is the annual Ride For Dime event held in memory of the late Dimebag Darrell, guitarist for the famous band Pantera and an Arlington native.
Education
As for the education, Arlington is home to the University of Texas at Arlington, the second institution in the University of Texas system. Many of the buildings within the university complex are among the oldest and most appreciated structures in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Other institutions of higher education in Arlington include Arlington Baptist College, the Southeast Campus of Tarrant County College and satellite campuses of the University of Phoenix and Texas Tech University.
Transportation
Main highways in Arlington are I-20 (also known as Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway) and I-30 (Tom Landry Memorial Highway).
The city’s own airport, Arlington Municipal Airport, is a general aviation airport that mainly serves as a reliever for much bigger Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field.
Arlington is the largest American city without a public transit system, or, more precisely, without a comprehensive one.
