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Archeological excavations along the course of this Trinity River tributary have unearthed evidence of several prehistoric villages. Artifacts from the area date back almost 9,000 years and represent a culture of food-gatherers and hunters. In the 1830s the Creek served as a sanctuary for several Indian tribes who made frequent raids on frontier settlements. The conflict grew worse in 1841 when major attacks were reported in Fannin and Red River Counties. Brigadier General Edward H. Tarrant (1796-1858) of the Republic of Texas Militia led a company of volunteers in a punitive expedition against Indian villages in this area. On May 24, 1841, following brief skirmishes at several encampments, two scouting patrols were attacked near the mouth of the Creek and retreated to the main camp. Reportedly twelve Indians and one soldier, Captain John B. Denton, were killed. As a result of the Battle of Village Creek, many tribes began moving west. Others were later removed under terms of the 1843 Treaty signed at Bird's Fort (10 mi. NE) which opened the area to colonization. Much of the battle site is now located beneath the waters of Lake Arlington.

This cemetery was first used in the 1870s by the Wilkinsons, a pioneer family whose graves are marked by clusters of rock. Members of the Angel family are also buried here. The oldest dated gravestone is that of Virginia native Soloman Tomlin (b. 1825), a horseman and farmer who migrated with his family to Texas in the 1860s. He died on July 9, 1884. His son James Tives "Buck" Tomlin (1852-1934), a noted breeder of fine racing horses, bought the cemetery property in 1888. It has since been designated to serve the descendants of the Tomlin Family.

The Father of Tarrant County. A member of the Congress of the Republic. Born in South Carolina, 1810. Died at Austin, Texas, May 15, 1866. Johnson County was named in his honor.

An Indian habitat in the 1700s or earlier, Marrow Bone Spring in 1843 was visited by President Sam Houston's envoys seeking peace. A trading post licensed by the Texas Republic opened in 1845 near the Spring. Hiram Blackwell of the Peters Colony pioneered here before 1848. Soldier-statesman Middleton Tate Johnson (1810-1866) posted troops nearby in the late 1840s. The first Post Office in Tarrant County opened on Oct. 31, 1851, at Johnson's Station. In 1852 Blackwell sold Johnson his rights to land surrounding the spring. The Village of Johnson's Station flourished for many years. (1979)

Local landowner and community leader James Park Fielder (d. 1948) and his wife Mattie (Barnes) (d. 1950) erected this house in 1914, using steel lathing and other innovative techniques. The brick Prairie style structure had a large basement to provide storage space for the fruits and vegetables grown on surrounding acreage. Known as "The Home on the Hill," the Fielder residence was a popular gathering place and a landmark for citizens of Arlington. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1979

Encompassing more than ten acres of land, Arlington Cemetery includes within its borders several small historic graveyards, including the original old cemetery of Arlington, the W. W. McNatt Cemetery addition, the Masonic Cemetery, and the Old City Cemetery. William W. McNatt, who brought his family here from Arkansas in 1872, was a retail merchant and large scale farmer in this area. He sold the cemetery property to the Arlington Cemetery Society in 1899. Another group, the Arlington Cemetery Association, was chartered in 1923 and maintained the graveyard for many years until the City of Arlington assumed ownership and maintenance. The oldest documented burial here is that of one-year-old Mattie Luna Cooper (1874-75), daughter of pioneer Arlington settlers J. D. and Luna A. Cooper. Numerous other early settlers also are buried here, as are veterans of conflicts from the Civil War to World War II. Local officials interred in the graveyard include at least seven former postmasters and the following former mayors: M. J. Brinson, George M. Finger, Emmett E. Rankin, Williams C. Weeks, Thomas B. Collins, T. G. Bailey, W. H. Davis, Preston F. McKee, William H. Rose, Will G. Hiett and Harold E. Patterson.

The Rehoboth Cemetery began in 1871 with the burial of infant Mary Miller. The cemetery served the community of Sublett, named after John Sublett. The town consisted of a school, post office and church. The one-room schoolhouse, also used by the Rehoboth Baptist Church, once stood next to the cemetery. The 2.5 acre site contains more than 500 graves, although many of the headstones are illegible. Among those buried here are pioneer settlers and their descendants. Formed in 1970, the Rehoboth Cemetery Association maintains the site, which continues to serve the area. (1997)

Named for Harvey Hawkins (1804-1869), a pioneer settler who came to Texas from Tennessee and first settled in Rusk County, the Hawkins Cemetery is the final resting place for families of the Tate Springs community. In 1848, Hawkins married Mary Ann Elizabeth (Elliott) Hitt Turner (1817-1868) and they later traveled by wagon to what would become Tarrant County. A preemptive land grand was issued to Hawkins for 160 acres in Tarrant County by Sam Houston, governor of the State of Texas, in January 1860. The cemetery began as a family plot located in the center of the property where the Hawkins couple and their children are buried. According to legend, a slave named Poly Penn was the first burial. No gravestone has been found but the location was marked on an early map. The earliest marked gravesite is that of Mary Hawkins in 1868. Rebekah Hawkins, Mary's daughter, married Jason Bryant Little before moving with her family to Tarrant County and settled near the Hawkins family. After Jason returned from fighting in the Civil War, they opened an elementary school. Their home was used as a stage coach stop on the Star Mail Route from Johnson Station, Texas to Fort Worth. A large arched monument stands at the north end of the cemetery, marking the gravesites of Rebekah, Jason and their families. In 1890, property owner George W. Kee sold the cemetery grounds to the community for use as a public burial ground. The Kee family is buried on the norther section of the cemetery. Additional acreage was acquired in 1919 from the Edwards and Tunnell families. Members of the community established a Cemetery Association in 1949 to maintain the cemetery and its records. Hawkins Cemetery chronicles the pioneer families that settled the area in the mid-1800s. Historic Texas Cemetery - 2015

Prior to the formation of area churches, worship services were conducted at camp meetings on Village Creek. On Feb. 5, 1882, ten local residents met to organize the Tate Springs Baptist Church. Presiding over the meeting were elders M.T. Walker and D.B. Brown. The Joplin Schoolhouse (1 mi. E), located on land donated by E.C. Tate, served as the first chapel. The church moved to this site in 1895 and became the center of the rural settlement. A leader in community activities, Tate Springs Baptist Church experienced rapid growth in the 1970s as a result of nearby urban development.

Evan Calloway Tate (1832-1885) brought his family to this area from Georgia in 1870, establishing the Tate Springs community. Land for this cemetery was deeded to the community by Tate heirs in 1894. At that time there were four marked burials, those of E. C. Tate and three of his children. Other members of the Tate family and the Tate Springs community were later interred here. Many of the graves are unmarked. Care of the cemetery was entrusted in later years to family members of those buried here. A fence and entry arch were erected in 1965. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986

Now part of Arlington, this area was established in the 1840s as a ranger station and trading post known as Johnson Station. This cemetery serves as a reminder of that early settlement. The oldest marked grave in the cemetery is that of Elizabeth Robinson, who died November 15, 1863. A number of unmarked graves may date from an earlier time period. A variety of gravestone styles may be found here, marking the burial sites of pioneer settlers, veterans of the Civil War, and charter members of an early Masonic Lodge. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.

�On April 28, 1901, a group of worshippers gathered together in a brush arbor to organize a church congregation. Led by the Rev. Washington Lafayette Wood, a missionary who had arrived in Tarrant County from Alabama in 1891, the members immediately began the task of building a sanctuary on land donated by Sam McMurray. A small white frame structure was dedicated at this site in November 1901 and the church was named for the Rev. Mr. Wood. Worship services were conducted on both Saturdays and Sundays until 1910. Baptismal services were held in the nearby Rush and Village Creeks until 1912, when the congregation began to use a stock tank on the property of church member Will Moore. In 1928 the congregation called its first full-time Pastor, the Rev. C.W. Walton. Additional property was purchased in 1937, and an educational building was erected. The Rev. Mr. Walton continued to lead the congregation through the difficult years of the Depression, serving as Pastor until his death in 1941. The church continued to grow over the years. A new sanctuary, built in 1948, is still in use as a chapel for special services.�

This burial ground originally served the pioneer settlers of the Handley Community, which developed here soon after the Texas and Pacific Railroad built a line to the area in 1876. The earliest marked grave is that of Jane E. Thomas (1832-1878). A church building, constructed on adjacent land in 1882, was located here for 48 years. Several early residents buried at this site, including Civil War veteran Maj. James M. Handley (d. 1906), for whom the town was named, were later reinterred in the nearby Rose Hill Cemetery. The last burial here was in 1967. (1981)

This congregation traces its origin to a small group of Christians gathered together by the Rev. William H. Wright in the young town of Arlington in 1882. In its first century it has involved into one of Arlington's leading religious institutions whose Bible lectures, educational services, and social and musical ministries reach into the local community and beyond. The Rev. Mr. Wright formally organized First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 1890. The congregation erected its first sanctuary in 1895-96 on two lots at the corner of Mesquite and South Streets purchased by church trustees in 1892. Three church members who helped found Arlington College (The University of Texas at Arlington) in 1895 began a close association with the University which continues today. First Christian built a new church building at the corner of Abram and Mesquite in 1919 and called their first full-time pastor in 1948. The congregation moved to a new brick sanctuary here in 1957. First Christian helped establish Rush Creek Christian Church in 1977 and Saint Andrew Christian Church in 1988. The congregation continues to serve the community with a variety of social programs, including Mother's Day Out, pastoral counseling, and televised ministries. (1993)

In this vicinity May 24, 1841 General Edward H. Tarrant with 70 men attacked several indian villages situated along a creek (now called Village Creek) and recovered many horses and much stolen plunder. 12 Indians were killed and many wounded. Of the Texans Captain John B. Denton was killed. Captains Henry Stout and Griffin were wounded.

The Berachah Rescue Society was organized at Waco in 1894 by the Rev. J. T. Upchurch (b. 1870) for the protection of homeless girls and unwed mothers. Nine years later he opened the Berachah Industrial Home at this site. Ten buildings were located here, including a print shop for publication of the "Purity Journal". The cemetery, which contains more than eighty graves, was first used in 1904 for the burial of Eunice Williams, one of the residents. The home closed in 1935, but the site was used until 1942 as an orphanage run by Upchurch's daughter Allie Mae and her husband Frank Wiese. (1981)

Tracing its history to a series of private schools and military academies, The University of Texas at Arlington has grown with the community to become one of the area's most important public institutions. Arlington College, a private school for students in grades 1-10, opened here in 1895 in a two-story frame building. It was succeeded in 1902 by Carlisle Military Academy, operated by former State Superintendent of Public Instruction James M. Carlisle. Financial difficulties forced the Academy into receivership, and in 1913 H.K. Taylor opened Arlington Training School in its place. It in turn was replaced in 1916 by Arlington Military Academy, which closed after only one year. The school became a state-supported institution in 1917. Known as Grubbs Vocational College for local supporter Vincent W. Grubbs, it was affiliated with Texas A&M (then called The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas) through two more name changes--North Texas Agricultural College (1923-49) and Arlington State College (1949-65). Transferred to the University of Texas System in 1965, it was renamed the University of Texas at Arlington in 1967 and has become the second largest University in the System, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995

In 1923, Marion and Willie Maybelle Friday purchased 112.5 acres including this site on which to build a home and pursue their love of farming. Mr. Friday was a civil engineer who built waterways and sewer systems in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington and other small Texas cities. The Fridays sold the house in 1937 to the Cox family, who sold it in 1946 to the Young family. The Youngs owned the property for fifty years. An excellent example of a brick foursquare plan, the structure is a hybrid of strong prairie school and classical influences. Prairie school characteristics include the hipped roof, wraparound porch, overhanding eaves and porte cochere with balustrade above. Classical features include the porch columns and broken pediment front entryway. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1999

In the 1870s this church was organized at Johnson Station, an early Tarrant County settlement and stagecoach stop. In 1876 the Texas and Pacific Railroad built a line through the area and founded Arlington. The church and other institutions moved to the new town. Worship services were held at several meeting sites before the congregation built a sanctuary at Pecan and Abram Streets in 1917. That Church building burned in 1944, and an auditorium was constructed on South Center Street in 1947. A new sanctuary at this location was added in 1959. (1982)

Built 1878 by J.D. Cooper, early landowner. Colonial design with square nails, wide board floors. Moved here by City. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1965.

Founders Plaza, NE corner of W. Abram and S. Center Street
Marker Text: Reverend Andrew Shannon Hayter (1818-1900) was one of the earliest settlers in this area, and is considered by many to be the "Father of Arlington." A native of Tennessee, Hayter left Alabama with his family in late 1850 and arrived in Texas shortly after, settling first in Nacogdoches. Over the next forty-nine years Hayter would establish or serve sixteen Cumberland Presbyterian churches. As with many pioneer preachers, Hayter worked in another procession, as a surveyor, to augment his income. The Hayters moved to Tarrant County in 1869, where Andrew quickly made a name for himself as a preacher, civic leader and surveyor. During the early 1870s a tiny settlement developed on the edge of Hayter's property, and he petitioned for a post office in 1875. The post office was called Haytersville. Hayter had already founded two churches, a school, and a Masonic Lodge in the area when he was asked in 1876 to locate the railroad through eastern Tarrant County and lay out a tiny, half-mile-square settlement between Dallas and Fort Worth. The railroad designers needed in-depth knowledge of the area and its terrain, as well as a plentiful source of timber to construct the road bed. Andrew Hayter could supply the necessary surveying knowledge, and also owned property filled with large timbers that could be furnished to the railroad. When the railroad offered to name their new town Hayter, the reverend declined the offer and instead gave the town the name Arlington, after Robert E. Lee's Virginia estate. The birth of Arlington caused the demise of tiny Hayterville. The post office was soon moved to the new town and Hayterville was abandoned. (2009)

The City of Arlington developed along the juncture of two distinct ecological regions, the Blackland Prairie and the Eastern Cross Timbers. The West Fork of the Trinity River and its area tributaries flow through the city, and one such stream, Village (Caddo) Creek, was the site of a series of Native American communities. The 1841 Battle of Village Creek and the 1843 Bird's Fort Treaty between the Republic of Texas and the Delaware, Chickasaw, Waco, Tawakoni, Keechi, Caddo, Nadako, Ionie, Biloxi and Cherokee tribes opened the region to pioneer settlement, led by Col. Middleton Tate Johnson and Patrick Watson. In 1876, the Rev. A. S. Hayter helped survey the area for a new townsite and rail stop for the Texas and Pacific Railroad. Named Arlington for the Virginia home of Gen. Robert E. Lee, the town became a regional cotton distribution center. Incorporation occurred in 1884, the year after its first newspaper, The World, was first published. At the turn of the 20th century, the city's more than 1,000 residents supported several churches and schools, including Arlington College, an institution that became the University of Texas at Arlington in 1967. Arlington residents adopted a city manager form of government in 1949. The municipality, situated between Fort Worth and Dallas, served as an interurban rail hub and as a stop along the Bankhead Highway. It became a statewide destination for amusements beginning in the 1920s with gambling at Top O' Hill Terrace and horseracing at W.T. Waggoner's Arlington Downs. Later attractions included Six Flags Over Texas amusement park, established in 1961, and the Texas Rangers baseball team. Today, Arlington remains a viable part of one of the nation's largest metropolitan areas. (2006)

Neel E. Kearby was born in Wichita Falls on June 5, 1911 to Dr. John Gallatin Kearby, Jr. and Bessie Lee (Stone) Kearby. He spent much of his childhood in Mineral Wells, but later moved to Arlington, graduating from Arlington High School in 1928 and beginning college at North Texas Agricultural College (now the University of Texas at Arlington). In 1937, Kearby received a business degree at the University of Texas at Austin and joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. He began flight training at Randolph Field in San Antonio, where he met his future wife, Virginia King Cochran. Once commissioned, Kearby completed a series of assignments and in 1942 was selected to command the 348th Fighter Group, which trained in New England prior to combat assignment in the Pacific Theater. During that time, Kearby trained his unit to effectively deploy the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter plane. Although the Thunderbolt was known to be bulky and cumbersome, Kearby developed aggressive tactics that his pilots used with great success against the enemy. During a six-month period in 1943 and 1944, Kearby bravely led missions in his P-47 (named the Fiery Ginger, after his wife), accumulating 22 aerial victories, including the destruction of a then-record six enemy aircraft in a single mission on October 11, 1943. The events of that day earned Kearby the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor. His final mission occurred on March 5, 1944, when he was killed in action near Wewak, New Guinea, after downing an enemy bomber. During his military career, Kearby also earned two Silver Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals and the Purple Heart. His body was recovered after the war and buried at Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas on July 23, 1949.

Top O' Hill Terrace Beulah Adams Marshall bought land here along the Bankhead Highway in the early 1920s and opened a tea room, hosting teas and serving dinners to Dallas and Fort Worth patrons. In 1926, Fred and Mary Browning purchased the property and shortly began converting the facilities into a casino, adding an escape tunnel and secret room for hiding the gambling paraphernalia during raids. Known as Top O' Hill Terrace, the popular spot attracted gamblers as well as visitors who were often unaware of the gaming activities. The restaurant, along with the tea garden that exists today, was a legitimate business, operating alongside a brothel as well as the casino, which benefited from the nearby Arlington Downs racetrack. Top O' Hill Terrace facilities included a horse barn and a private stable for Browning's prized stud, Royal Ford, purchased from oilman and Arlington Downs owner W.T. Waggoner. Contemporary to the Top O' Hill heyday was the outspoken Dr. J. Frank Norris (d. 1952), longtime pastor of First Baptist Church of Fort Worth. The conservative Norris, co-founder of fundamental Baptist Bible Institute, later known as Bible Baptist Seminary and later as Arlington Baptist College, was an ardent proponent of Prohibition and gambling reform. One of his targets was Top O' Hill Terrace, which he reportedly vowed one day to own. In 1947, Texas Ranger Captain M.T. "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas led a raid on Top O' Hill, catching the gambling operation in full swing. In late 1956, under the leadership of Earl K. Oldham, the Bible Baptist Seminary bought the property and relocated here, fulfilling Norris' promise, although neither he nor Browning (d. 1953) had lived to see it. Today, the Arlington Baptist College continues to use the site, which retains many of its original structures and features a statue of Norris by noted sculptor Pompeo Coppini. (2003)

The Arlington Post Office was built in 1939 within the original town site. The building served as the city�s first permanent post office. It was designed by Louis A. Simon, Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury Department, and built by the Federal Works Agency. The structure�s architecture is representative of the Classic Revival style that was typical of many post offices constructed during the Depression. The building lobby is noteworthy for its Otis Dozier Mural �Gathering Pecans,� which depicts a family gathering and sacking Pecans. Owing to the extensive pecan orchards established by O.S. Gray in West Arlington, this was a major industry in the city at the time. This building served as the city�s main post office until 1964. In 1965, the Arlington Independent School District took ownership and used it for many years. This structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. In 2001, Worthington National Bank purchased and restored the building.

After his wife Margaret Ann (Armstrong) died, Patrick Alfred Watson (1810-1894) built this dwelling in 1855 near present Arlington for their six children. In 1858 he married Margaret's niece Mary Jane Donaldson and they had six children. A surveyor, educator, and religious leader, Watson gave land for the P.A. Watson Community Cemetery and for the original site of a church and school building. The congregation is now West Fork United Presbyterian Church in Grand Prairie. The house was enlarged and Watson family descendants occupied it until 1961. It was moved here in 1976.

After Arlington's North Side School at 433 North Center burned in 1909, this board and batten structure was built on the school grounds. Two grades met here for one term until a new brick building was erected. Contractor Joseph Crawley, who built this structure bought it and moved it to 304 South Pecan. It served as his office until 1924 when it became a storage shed. In 1977 Arlington's oldest existing schoolhouse was relocated here.

George Washington Jopling (1833-1903) erected this log cabin in 1863 in the Johnson Station Community for his wife Catherine (Thomas) (1837-1882) and their large family. A farmer, cattleman, and cotton gin owner, Jopling also served as a community leader, helping organizing the Johnson Station Masonic Lodge. After Catherine died he remarried and deeded the cabin, which had been enlarged, to his daughter Jane Catherine (1854-1940) and her husband Z.T. Melear 1850-1931). Melear, a farmer and blacksmith, owned a livery stable and cotton gin. In 1970 the cabin was moved to this site. (1980)

The Bankhead Highway, often referred to locally as the �Dallas Pike� East of Center Street and the �Fort Worth Pike� West of that road, played an important role in Arlington�s future by connecting it to Dallas, Fort Worth, and the rest of the U.S. The Pike, formerly known as the Old Dallas-Fort Worth Road, was actually in use as a wagon road long before Arlington was platted. The road, now Abram Street, being the busiest stretch of highway in Texas, was designated as State Highway 1 by the Texas Highway Department, which was formed in 1917 to create a state highway system. In 1920, as part of the �Good Roads� Project, the Bankhead Highway System, named for John Willis Bankhead, was designated as a portion of the new National Auto Trail System, running from Washington D.C. to San Diego. The road mostly followed State Highway 1 and would be built along Division Street in Arlington. The chosen safer route was entirely new construction, 25 feet wide and eight inches thick, covering 5.84 miles from the Dallas County line to the west side of Arlington. By design, rail crossings were eliminated including �Death Crossing� west of town. The highway was declared open to traffic in November 1922. Over time, the highway has expanded and some of its early features no longer exist including Johnson Creek Bridge�s decorative handrail and a pedestrian underpass at the Masonic Home. In 1926, Highway 1 was redesignated as U.S. HWY 80 and again as State Highway 180 in 1991. The Bankhead Highway opened up business opportunities to many smaller towns along its route, increased commerce between East and West Texas, stimulated Automobile Transportation, and increased tourism. Overall, the highway was a major factor in transforming Arlington from a small town to a thriving community.

This congregation was established soon after the Texas and Pacific Railroad line was laid through Arlington. In 1877 the Rev. J.T. L. Annis was appointed pastor of the Arlington circuit, which served several area communities, including Arlington. Some of the fellowship's early worship services were held at Schultz's Lumber Yard on Front Street. By 1900, however, a small frame church building had been erected at this site, and Sunday schools, mission activities, and a women's division had been organized. Church membership continued to grow over the years, and facilities were added and expanded to meet the need. Known as Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church, South, until 1948, the congregation then was called First Methodist Church of Arlington until 1968, when the current name was adopted. First United Methodist Church of Arlington historically has been a strong supporter of youth programs, the business and professional communities, the elderly, and education. Numerous Arlington schools have been named for members of this congregation who have provided significant service to community education. (1984)

Built about 1896, this residence reflects influences of the Queen Anne style, including gingerbread trim. It is located on land owned in the 1890s by I.L. Hutcheson, a pioneer merchant of the Arlington area, and his son William Thomas Hutcheson, who later became an oilman in Archer City. In 1919 the house was purchased by S.T. Smith, a former educator and farmer. Owned by his family until the late 1970s, it serves as a reminder of Arlington's early development. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark-1982.

Built in 1907 by local contractor Joe O. Crawley, this was the home of city marshall (later chief of police) Wilson M. ("Bud") Douglass and his wife Clara (Ramsey). The cottage was constructed on land formerly owned by Clara's father, Arlington pioneer Seth Ramsey, and his family. W. A. and Clara Potts purchased it in 1919 and it remained in their family until 1987. A classic example of vernacular architecture, the house features a steeply pitched roof over a central hall with intersecting gables and side bay. The home is typical of the period, with restrained wood trim. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1999

Born on May 18, 1843 in Tennessee, C.D. �Uncle Dutch� King was an early leader in Arlington. He moved to Texas in 1873 and became Arlington�s first mayor shortly after the town was established in 1876; He again served as Mayor from 1899-1900. King also worked as a notary, owned a grocery store and icehouse, and served 13 terms as Justice of the Peace. He was devoted to the community, serving on city boards and organizations when not in office. King had two children with his first wife, Reola Eunice (Buford). After her death, he married Ione Fort. C.D. King died in 1930 and was interred in Parkdale Cemetery. Today he is remembered as one of Arlington�s earliest and most dedicated leaders.

Serving the African American students of Arlington, Booker T. Washington School was a vital institution in the city. It had it�s roots in Arlington�s first black school, which was in place by the 1890s. The school served the growing African American community known as The Hill, located northwest of the original town�s boundaries. The Church of God in Christ furnished additional class space as needed. In 1902, the school became part of the newly formed Arlington Independent School District. George Stevens and Gloria Echols were appointed as teachers, with Stevens also serving as principal; both lived in the neighborhood and are noted for their impact in the lives of their young students. The original school building was replaced after a severe 1903 storm. Students attended the school until eighth grade, at which they went to I.M. Terrell High School in Fort Worth. A new facility opened at 500 Houston Street in 1954, officially named for educator Booker T. Washington. The building had eight classrooms, an administrative office, and a cafeteria; a gymnasium was added later. George Stevens continued to serve as principal of the institution. In 1965, Arlington Public Schools began full desegregation. Booker T. Washington School closed and became Veda Knox School, a facility for students with special education needs. It was later renamed the Metro Math and Science Academy. Today, Booker T. Washington School is remembered as an iconic institution in The Hill, providing students with skills and education that would help them achieve success in their personal and professional lives.

In the heart of Arlington's historic African American community, "The Hill," local residents came together as early as 1895 to form a community church at this site. Known at different times as the Church of God in Christ, Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, Holiness, and Arlington Church of God in Christ, the congregation grew in The Hill's commercial district alongside neighborhood grocery stores, restaurants and night clubs, as well as schools, residences and other churches. Elders Garrett and E.W. Battle served as early church leaders of the congregation, which held regular camp meetings for area worshipers. The Holiness philosophy of the church includes an emphasis on Bible-based education, as well as the roles of two spiritual leaders: the pastor and the church mother, who serves as guide and teacher of children and new members. Although oral tradition locates the congregation at this site at the turn of the 20th century, it did not formally own the property until 1937, when trustees purchased the land. Within two years, Jesse Pointer and other members constructed this sanctuary, which remains in use. At the time of the building's construction, the Rev. David Augusta Kelly served as pastor. Since its beginnings, Arlington's Church of God in Christ has served local residents as a place of worship and community. It has been an important part of the physical and spiritual landscape of the historic neighborhood for generations, and it continues to uphold the traditions established by its founding members more than a century ago. (2005)

A roughly five-block area of Arlington known as "The Hill" was the only addition specifically set aside for the city's African American residents. In the 1890s, the community began developing on land that once belonged to Martin V. and Rebecca A. Thomas. Also during this time, several churches organized in the emerging community. The Church of God in Christ, Mt. Olive Baptist Church and the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, now known as Armstrong Chapel AME, became leading institutions in the neighborhood. Mt. Olive, in particular, became a center for spiritual life while also hosting many community and social events. In 1907, Arlington resident Edward F. Wilkerson subdivided land known as the Wilkerson Addition that became the core of The Hill. Growth occurred in the following years as a vibrant community emerged including grocery stores, clubs and restaurants opening by the 1920s. Other important institutions included a school, which the county first established for Arlington's African American children in the 1890s. The last segregated school in The Hill, named for Booker T. Washington, was built in 1953 and closed as integration took place in the 1960s. Another vital part of the neighborhood was this park, which the city opened in the mid-1950s and named for George Stevens, principal of Booker T. Washington School. Although The Hill was originally a rural community, it became more densely populated and urban as the city grew out to meet it by the 1930s. From the mid-1940s through the 1960s, The Hill began to decline as job opportunities and social changes led residents to other areas. Today, The Hill has become an ethnically diverse community. (2006)

Arlington's North Side School opened in 1907 at the corner of Sanford and Center streets. Grades one through seven attended the new school. The building was destroyed by fire in 1909, and students met temporarily in a building on the property and in a cottage before the school was rebuilt. In 1938, school officials sought Works Progress Administration (WPA) funding in building a new school, which opened in 1939. The old building was torn down and material salvaged for other structures. Housing grades one through eight, the school was renamed in honor of educator John A. Kooken (December 17, 1863 - May 14, 1943), who came to Arlington from Ferris (Ellis Co.) in 1908 and became the high school principal. He was elected superintendent of public schools in 1913 and served in that capacity until 1937. Kooken was known for his understanding and patience with students. In 1941, he published a memoir about his years as an educator. In the early 1950s, additional wings were added to the facility. In 1976, the school closed and was used as a diagnostic and materials center before reopening in 1988 as the only preschool campus in the district. Known today as Kooken Education Center, the facility has been honored for work in integrating preschoolers with disabilities with the general student population. Today, over 100 years after North Side School was established, the institution's legacy lies in the generations of students who learned at the school and in being renamed after one of the most important educators in Arlington's history. (2010)

A small group of African American Tarrant County residents, led by the Rev. Mr. Squires, organized Mount Olive Baptist Church in the summer of 1897. Originally located on Indiana Street, the church moved to a new white brick sanctuary at 415 N. West Street in 1966, when the city of Arlington experienced a period of growth. The church had sixteen members in 1966, but soon the membership rolls began to increase. By 1976, when the church was formally incorporated, it had more than 400 members. Groundbreaking for a new church building took place on October 31, 1976, and by June 1978 the members were worshiping in a new facility. A steady increase in membership led to the building of additional facilities to house the extended ministries and programs of the church. By 1986, membership totaled 3,500. The church moved to new facilities on Sanford Street in 1989, and membership grew to 10,000 by 1997. In addition to its long history of providing worship and educational programs for its members, Mount Olive Baptist Church has maintained an innovative and active outreach program in the community. Celebrating a century of service in 1997, the church continues to uphold the values and traditions of its founders. (1997)

Wealthy rancher and oilman W. T. Waggoner (1852-1934) developed a stable of fine Thoroughbreds and quarter horses at his ranch here in the 1920s. At this site he built Arlington Downs, a one-and-one quarter mile race track with a 6,000-seat grandstand. Racing days drew thousands of spectators including numerous celebrities. Waggoner and his sons Guy (1883-1950) and Paul (1889-1967) campaigned for pari-mutuel betting, which was legalized in Texas from 1934 to 1937. The Racetrack was used for rodeos and other events before the buildings were razed in 1958. (1978)

Flags of six different countries have been raised over Texas. In 1519 the land was claimed for Spain, whose explorers came later in search of silver and gold, but found buffalo, Indians and mirages. They planted the red and gold banner of Spain, with its lions and castles, beside the cross of the missionary�s intent on converting the Red Men. The gold and white standard of France arrived in 1685 with the expedition of La Salle, the first resident Governor of Texas. Around a fort built near the Lavaca River, La Salle tried to establish a permanent colony for his King. He failed and in 1687 was killed by his own men. French activity in Texas caused Spain to renew her interest. Finding the fort of La Salle in ruins, the Spaniards in 1689 began to build missions and presidios, and grant land for ranches and colonies. Smoldering rebellion in 1821 brought an end to Spanish rule. Afterward the green, white and red flag of Mexico--with its eagle, serpent and cactus--flew in Texas for 15 years. The settlers joined together in building towns, farming, fighting Indians. Then the policies of dictator Santa Anna provoked revolution. On March 2, 1836, the Texas Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed at Washington-on-the-Brazos. The Republic of Texas was born in the dark era of the fall of the Alamo, Goliad Massacre and "Runaway Scrape" of settlers fleeing before the coming of Santa Anna and his army. The glorious victory of the Texans at San Jacinto on April 2, 1836 established the sovereignty of the Lone Star Flag. As a nation, Texas built towns and mills; developed strong commerce; fought against the Indians and foreign raiders; established patterns of justice, with Homestead Acts and other laws; and won the respect of all the world. However, after nine yeas as a Republic, the people voted in favor of annexation to the United States. On February 16, 1846, the Lone Star banner became a state flag and Texas took her position as the 28th star in the United States flag. Until 1861 no other state adopted a flag, but the Lone Star has been the pride of Texas through all the years since 1836. For 4 years, 1861-1865, the stars and bars of the Confederate States of America flew over Texas. 90,000 Texans served the South. The state supplied large amounts of cotton, food and other goods. At the end of the Civil War, Old Glory with its stars and stripes again was raised. Some other flags have flown somewhat briefly over parts of Texas, but the six national banners shown here are those of enduring history. The exhibits associated with the Six Flags over Texas make vivid the colorful history of the Lone Star State.

Economical to build, operate and maintain, many narrow-gauge railroads were running in Texas between 1853 and 1900. Some were "Taps" (for towns off the main line); some logging roads, going deep into woods and swamps. Hauled passengers, thousands of cattle, tons of sugar cane or other crops, and were used for general traffic. One line--Great Sweetgum, Yubadam & Hoo Hoo--operated at first as the T.M. & C. (Two Mules and a Car). The two engines at Six Flags over Texas were built in 1887 and 1903; and rebuilt according to original specifications.

Made popular in Texas by traveling shows and carnivals. Arrival of a horse-drawn carousel in a town was a great event. Rides to tunes of the calliope helped to celebrate townsite openings, completions of railroads, promotions in boom towns. (1966)

Drilled the early deep oil wells in Texas. Derrick here is exact replica and has same rigging and tools used in 1920 to drill the Crowley No. 1, a 250-barrel producer at 3500 feet--one of deepest wells up to the time. It was near Breckenridge, in one of great fields in oil empire of Texas. (1966)

Mrs. Micajah Goodwin was buried here in 1846, soon after her family came to this area. They constructed a coffin from their wagon bed and burned brush atop the grave to hide it from Indians. When Patrick Alfred Watson (1810-1894) of North Carolina bought the land in 1853, he set aside a one-acre cemetery. In 1870 Watson gave land and a structure was built for Watson Community's first school and church, later West Fork Presbyterian Church. In 1956 Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike was routed around the cemetery and the church was relocated.

James Gibbins (1817-70) migrated to Texas from Arkansas in 1857. He bought land near present-day Arlington in 1863. Gibbins deeded part of this land to his son Thomas Jefferson Gibbins (1841-91), who enlarged the homestead. This family Cemetery was first used for the burial of Thomas' first wife, Amanda C. Gibbins (1846-77). His second wife, Martha H. Gibbins (1856-1924), maintained the land for three decades after the death of her husband. The Gibbins family has contributed much to this area including the donation of land for a public school and the Rose-Brown-May Park. (1982)

In the spring of 1838, Captains Robert Sloan and Nathaniel T. Journey led a group of about 90 northeast Texas frontiersmen on a punitive expedition against the Indians who had raided their homes in present-day Fannin County. The trail led them to the vicinity of present-day Euless and Arlington, where they attacked a small Indian village, killed several Indians, and recovered a few horses. The Sloan-Journey expedition is among the first known Anglo-American activities in what is now Tarrant County that helped to open north Texas to white settlement. Supplemental: This marker was relocated to River Legacy Parks in 2003.

(One mile east) In an effort to attract settlers to the region and to provide protection from Indian raids, Gen. Edward H. Tarrant of the Republic of Texas Militia authorized Jonathan Bird to establish a settlement and military post in the area. Bird's Fort, built near a crescent-shaped lake one mile east in 1841, was the first attempt at Anglo-American colonization in present Tarrant County. The settlers, from the Red River area, suffered from hunger and Indian problems and soon returned home or joined other settlements. In August 1843, troops of the Jacob Snively expedition disbanded at the abandoned fort, which consisted of a few log structures. Organized to capture Mexican gold wagons on the Santa Fe Trail in retaliation for raids of San Antonio, the outfit had been disarmed by United States forces. About the same time, negotiations began at the fort between Republic of Texas officials Gen. Tarrant and Gen. George W. Terrell and the leaders of nine Indian tribes. The meetings ended on September 29, 1843, with the signing of the Bird's Fort Treaty. Terms of the agreement called for an end to existing conflicts and the establishment of a line separating Indian lands from territory open for colonization. (1980) Supplemental: This marker was relocated to River Legacy Parks in 2003. The Bird's Fort site is about 1-1/4 miles north-northeast of this location.