Arlington, Texas

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Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas (USA) within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. According to a U.S Census Bureau release, as of July 1, 2006 Arlington has an estimated population of 367,197. Arlington is the 7th largest city in Texas and the 49th largest city in the United States.^[1]

Located approximately 12 miles (19 km) east of downtown Fort Worth and 20 miles (32 km) west of downtown Dallas, Arlington is home to the Texas Rangers' Ballpark in Arlington and the theme parks Six Flags Over Texas, which is the original Six Flags, and Hurricane Harbor. The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium will also be located in Arlington. The city borders Kennedale, Grand Prairie, Mansfield and Fort Worth, and surrounds the smaller communities of Dalworthington Gardens and Pantego.

[edit] History

White settlement in the Arlington area dates back at least to the 1840s. After the May 24, 1841 battle between General Edward H. Tarrant (Tarrant County is named for him) and Native Americans of the Village Creek settlement, a trading post was established at Marrow Bone Spring in present-day Arlington. The rich soil of the area attracted farmers, and several agriculture-related businesses were well established by the late nineteenth century.

Arlington was founded in 1876 along the Texas and Pacific Railroad.^[2] The city was named after General Robert E. Lee's Arlington House (in present-day Arlington County, Virginia). Arlington grew as a cotton-ginning and farming center, and incorporated in 1884. The city could boast of water, electricity, natural gas, and telephone services by 1910, along with a public school system. By 1925 the population was estimated at 3,031, and it grew to over four thousand before World War II.

Large-scale industrialization began in 1954 with the arrival of a General Motors assembly plant. Automotive and aerospace development gave the city one of the nation's greatest population growth rates between 1950 and 1990. Arlington became one of the "boomburbs," the extremely fast-growing suburbs of the post-World War II era. U.S. Census Bureau population figures for the city tell the story: 7,692 (1950), 90,229 (1970), 261,721 (1990), and 359,467 (2004 estimate). Tom Vandergriff served as mayor from 1951 to 1977 during this period of explosive development. Six Flags Over Texas opened in Arlington in 1961, and in 1972 the Washington Senators baseball team relocated to Arlington and began play as the Texas Rangers.

[edit] Geography

Arlington is located at 32°42′18″N, 97°7′22″W (32.705033, -97.122839)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 99.0 square miles (256.5 km²), of which, 95.8 square miles (248.2 km²) of it is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) of it (3.24%) is water.

Johnson Creek, a tributary of the Trinity River, flows through Arlington.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 332,969 people, 124,686 households, and 85,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,475.0 people per square mile (1,341.7/km²). There were 130,628 housing units at an average density of 1,363.3/sq mi (526.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.69% White, 13.73% Black or African American, 0.55% Native American, 6.01% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 8.94% from other races, and 2.94% from two or more races. 18.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 124,686 households out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,622, and the median income for a family was $56,080. Males had a median income of $38,612 versus $29,339 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,445. About 7.3% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. Average rents in Arlington in 2005 were $537 for a one bedroom apartment, and $701 for a two bedroom apartment.

[edit] Education

[edit] Colleges and universities

Arlington is home to The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), the Southeast Campus of Tarrant County College, and Arlington Baptist College.

The University of Texas at Arlington is the third largest institution of the University of Texas System. The university has a current enrollment of 25,352 students as of Fall 2005, and is a valuable asset to the city of Arlington and its economy. Buildings within the academic core of the UT Arlington campus are among the oldest structures in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, including Preston Hall, Ransom Hall, College Hall, Brazos House, and the original Arlington High School.

[edit] Primary and secondary schools

Arlington's residents live in the following three independent school districts (or ISDs), listed in descending order with respect to number of population served: Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD, and Kennedale ISD. Parts of Arlington located in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD's jurisdiction currently have no residents, but this is being developed into as many as 4,000 homes.^[3]

In Texas, school district boundaries do not always follow city and county boundaries because all aspects of school district government apparatus, including district boundaries, are separated from city and county governments. Not all city of Arlington residents are in the AISD, and not all AISD students are residents of Arlington.

[edit] Sports and entertainment

Arlington is the home of the Texas Rangers baseball team, and is the future home of the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys' new stadium will host Super Bowl XLV in 2011.

As in the rest of Texas, Friday night high school football is a widespread obsession with fans of all ages. Arlington High School owns the city's only state football championship, having won it in 1951 under head coach Mayfield Workman. Lamar High School nearly pulled off the same feat in 1990, but had to settle for a state runner-up title. In recent years, Bowie High School (Arlington,Texas),Martin High School and Mansfield Summit High School (a Mansfield ISD school located within Arlington) have enjoyed some success.

The University of Texas at Arlington used to field a football team, but the program was canceled in 1985 due to funding issues and waning attendance. The football vacancy at the campus stadium, Maverick Stadium, was quickly filled by Arlington High and subsequently Bowie High School. Cravens Field, on the campus of Lamar, and Wilemon Field, on the campus of Sam Houston, are home to the other four teams in the city. Both have enjoyed a history of close and dramatic games.

High school teams in various other sports have state championships to their credit, including:

• Arlington, volleyball (1970, 1976, 1982)
• Bowie, girls' basketball (2005)
• Martin, baseball (1993)
• Martin, boys' wrestling (2004)
• Martin, girls' soccer (1992, 1998)
• Martin, volleyball (1996, 2005)

Several individual state titles have also been won by Arlington students including the following:

• Arlington, boys' wrestling, 112 weight class (2007)
• Arlington, girls' wrestling, 215 weight class (2007)
• Arlington, boys' wrestling, 152 weight class & all around state champion (2005)
• Bowie, boys' wrestling, 152 weight class (2007)
• Bowie, boys' wrestling, 145 weight class (2006)
• Martin, boys' wrestling, 130 weight class (2006)

Arlington is the home of several notable athletes. Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells grew up in Arlington and attended Bowie High School, Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence attended Arlington High School and played collegiate baseball at UTA, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher John Lackey also played for UTA. Lamar High School alumnus Jeremy Wariner won two gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the 2005 world championship in the 400 meters in Rome. UTA also produced Doug Russell, who won two gold medals in swimming at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968 and for whom a park on campus is named. Champion bodybuilder (Mr. Olympia 1998-2005) and former Arlington police officer, Ronnie Coleman resides in Arlington.

[edit] Transportation

Arlington is the largest city in the United States not served by a comprehensive public transportation system.^[4] However, there are plans to begin limited bus service. ^[5] Handitran serves senior citizens and the disabled.

The city is served by two Interstate Highways, Image:I-20.svg I-20 and Image:I-30.svg I-30. Other limited-access freeways include Image:Texas 360.svg Texas State Highway 360, running along the eastern border, and Image:US 287.svg U.S. Route 287, which traverses the southwestern portion of the city.

The Union Pacific Railroad now owns and operates the Texas and Pacific (later Missouri Pacific) route though Arlington.^[6][7]

[edit] Sister cities

Arlington and Image:Flag of Germany.svg Bad Königshofen, Germany have been sister cities since 1952. Arlington operates the Bad Königshofen outdoor family aquatic center, named after its sister city. In return, Bad Königshofen has a recreational park named after Arlington. The relationship between the two cities dates to 1951, when the German town manager, Kurt Zuhlke, visited Arlington as part of a study tour in the U.S.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• City's Homepage
• Arlington's Visitor Website
• University of Texas at Arlington
• Arlington Independent School District
• Arlington Apartment Rental Statistics
• Online Handbook of Texas article on Arlington

• Arlington, Texas is at coordinates 32°42′18″N 97°07′22″W / 32.705033, -97.122839Coordinates: 32°42′18″N 97°07′22″W / 32.705033, -97.122839

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