Grand Prairie has a long history with the defense and aviation industry. During World War II, the North American Aviation Plant B produced the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the P-51C and K Mustang variants. After the war, Vought Aircraft took over the plant. This later became Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), then eventually returned to the Vought moniker. The plant was the production site for the F-8 Crusader and the A-7 Corsair II aircraft of the 1950–1989 time period. The LTV Missile and Space division produced missiles such as the Scout and MLRS. This division was eventually sold to Lockheed Martin, which continues to operate in Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie was also the North American headquarters for Aérospatiale Helicopter, which eventually became Airbus Helicopters, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters. Today, Airbus Helicopters, Inc. has its headquarters in Grand Prairie, making it a significant player in the aviation industry.

Selena Gomez Was Born Here RoadyGoat

Before the platinum records, the streaming numbers, and the global fame, there was a baby born in Grand Prairie on July 22, 1992. Selena Marie Gomez came into the world here to teenage parents, Ricardo Gomez and Mandy Teefey, who named her after the Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla, then near the height of her own fame. Gomez has spoken about a modest, tight-knit childhood, raised largely by her mother and grandparents after her parents divorced, and she got her first big break a short drive away on the Houston-shot kids' series Barney & Friends before Disney made her a household name. From there came a music and acting career that turned a girl from a Dallas suburb into one of the most-followed people on the planet. It's a useful reminder as you pass through: the working-class prairie towns of North Texas have a long habit of quietly producing people who go on to fill arenas. (Source: Wikipedia, Selena Gomez.)

RoadyGoat →

Grand Prairie, TX RoadyGoat

Grand Prairie's history is deeply intertwined with the defense and aviation industry. The city was first established as Dechman in 1863 by Alexander McRae Dechman, who named it after Big Prairie, Ohio. The town's pivotal moment came during World War II when the North American Aviation Plant B produced the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the P-51C and K Mustang variants. After the war, Vought Aircraft took over the plant, which later became Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV), and eventually returned to the Vought moniker. The plant was the production site for the F-8 Crusader and the A-7 Corsair II aircraft from 1950 to 1989. The LTV Missile and Space division produced missiles such as the Scout and MLRS, which was eventually sold to Lockheed Martin, continuing its operations in Grand Prairie. This long history with the defense and aviation industry has significantly shaped the city's identity and economy.

The Six Flags over Texas

1519

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 missionaries 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.

Historical Marker → · 4.2 mi away

Avion Village

1941

As early as the mid-1940s, housing was scarce in Dallas as well as in other centers of defense production and military activity throughout the nation. The private housing industry was unable to keep up with the demand for shelter in these areas. Some federal officials saw the situation as an opportunity for experimentation in architecture and planning, as well as establishment of a pilot program aimed at lowering the cost of quality housing through the use of prefabrication and mass production building techniques. Defense housing officials also wanted to introduce industrial workers to mutual home ownership as an alternative to traditional suburban home ownership. Avion Village was one of several early developments intended to be permanent additions to community housing stock. The facility's layout promoted both privacy and resident interaction. Built under the auspices of the Federal Works Agency and its assistant administrator, Texas native Lawrence Westbrook, the facilities were designed by Roscoe DeWitt and David R. Williams in cooperation with Richard J. Neutra. Avion Village was launched amid high media attention in May 1941 as two teams of workers raced to complete the first house in the planned 300-unit development. The first unit was built in less than one hour. The entire development was finished in 100 days with the help of an on-site makeshift prefabrication plant. Civilian employees of the North American Aviation Company were the first to live in the complex. The Avion Village Mutual Housing Corporation purchased the development from the federal government in 1948. Avion Village continues to be mutually owned by residents. (1999)

Historical Marker →

Grand Prairie Airfield

1940

(U. S. Navy Flight Training Facility) The Curtiss Flying Service Corporation of New York purchased 275 acres of land one mile west of the Grand Prairie city limits in 1929. The Curtiss Wright Airport of Fort Worth-Dallas was opened on this site in 1930. Though the airport and flying school were a sensation, they closed late in 1930 due to the Depression and the field became the Grand Prairie Municipal Airport. In 1940 Lou Foote purchased the property to establish his own flying school. The U. S. Navy chose the airfield as a primary training facility and purchased the land from Foote in June 1942 for $120,336. The naval development cost was approximately $823,000 which included two 1,500-foot hexagon landing mats, two personnel barracks, a hangar, new maintenance and operations buildings, roadways, sidewalks and utilities. About 1,000 men trained on this site during World War II, some flying at night without permanent landing lights. The field was regarded as an excellent training ground for its capabilities. At the close of World War II, the Navy discontinued its training operations at the Grand Prairie site, using it instead as an emergency landing field. In 1953 the Navy authorized the Department of the Army to use the installation for the air section (later the 149th Aviation Battalion) of the 49th Armored Division of the Texas National Guard. In 1962 the Army authorized the City of Grand Prairie to use 195 acres as a public airport. The city sold 127 acres in 1964 and built a larger airport south of this site. The 19th Aviation Battalion remained until 1976, when the airfield was closed. (1998)

Historical Marker →

Great Southwest Industrial District

1956

The Great Southwest Industrial District (GSWID) is a more than 8,000-acre industrial park in Arlington and Grand Prairie, Texas. Real estate mogul Angus G. Wynne, Jr. , established the GSWID in 1956, and it continues to be one of the largest master-planned industrial parks in Texas in the twenty-first century. Wynne, a World War II U. S. Navy veteran, returned home from duty and sought business and employment opportunities. With his business partners, in December 1945 Wynne purchased the American Home Realty Company. The business's Wynnewood housing development was a success, which inspired Wynne to explore more real estate and investment opportunities in the Arlington and Grand Prairie area. In 1955 the Texas Highway Department and the Texas Turnpike Authority began construction on the six-lane Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike that would improve connectivity between the two cities and open the Arlington and Grand Prairie area to increased commercial and residential development. The turnpike (present-day IH-30) provided the perfect opportunity for development in the area, and in late 1955 Wynne envisioned constructing a large-scale industrial park. In 1956, along with New York real estate tycoon William Z. Zeckendorf, they purchased Paul Waggoner's 2,387-acre 3D Ranch estate, formerly the site of Arlington Downs racetrack . Wynne purchased additional land in the surrounding area and eventually amassed more than 5,000 acres, and formed the Great Southwest Corporation to oversee the large-scale project, which he dubbed the Great Southwest Industrial District. Wynne appointed himself president of the Great Southwest Corporation and hired experts in architecture , engineering, warehousing, and other fields to implement a series of design standards and architectural controls. At its outset, Wynne envisioned the GSWID to be the largest master-planned business park in the nation, with stringent deed restrictions and design specifications, and it set the standard for industrial and business development in the post-World War II era. The Great Southwest Corporation secured world-renowned architect I.M. Pei as consulting architect on the development, however, his position was primarily for marketing purposes, and it does not appear that he provided any direct contributions to the design or implementation of the project. Most of the initial work was completed by the firm Associated Architects and Land Planners, which consisted of architects Richard Colley , O'Neil Ford , A.B. Swank, Jr. and planner S.B. Zisman. O'Neil Ford was already a celebrated modern architect in Texas and had gained a reputation for his innovative design and engineering techniques, specifically his use of concrete. Ford, along with Richard Colley and engineer and architect Félix Candela of Mexico City, devised a new architectural feature of thin shell concrete, called hyperbolic paraboloids. Some of the earliest known examples of hyperbolic paraboloids were constructed on buildings within the GSWID. Plans for the GSWID included three separate "communities," north of the turnpike, south of the turnpike, and west of present-day SH 360. Each community was slated to be self-sustaining, with individual community cores consisting of hotels, restaurants, and other amenities. The Great Southwest Corporation created a stringent set of standards that regulated deed restrictions, signage, and building design to create a one-of-a-kind aesthetic. Construction on the first warehouse commenced in 1956, and by 1957 there were five buildings under construction that would include 300,000 square feet of floor area in the club restaurant area, as well as three multi-purpose industrial buildings of thin-shell concrete, including some featuring hyperbolic paraboloids. At that time, 750 acres of the GSWID were already under construction. The Great Southwest Corporation also succeeded in starting its own rail lane, the Great Southwest Railroad, which connected the industrial park to the Texas and

Tsha Handbook → · 4.3 mi away

Joe Pool Lake

1985

Joe Pool Lake, also known as Joe Poole Lake, Joe Pool Reservoir, and Lakeview, is on Mountain Creek in southwestern Dallas and southeastern Tarrant counties (at 32°38' N, 97°00' W). The northeastern corner of the lake is in the city limits of Dallas, and most of the remainder is in the city limits of Grand Prairie. The lake was named after Joe Pool, a congressman from Oak Cliff, and is operated by the Trinity River Authority for conservation, flood control, recreation, and municipal water supply. The dam, a rolled earthfill structure with a spillway elevation of 536 feet, was completed in December 1985, and impoundment of water began in January 1986. The lake was filled by June 1989. It covers 7,470 surface acres, has a conservation storage capacity of 176,900 acre-feet, and drains an area of 232 square miles. Recreation facilities at Joe Pool Lake include a number of parks, paved boat ramps and parking lots, public swimming areas, and a public marina. Loyd Park and Lynn Creek Park are on the lake's northern edge, Estes Park is between the two arms of the lake, and Pleasant Valley Park and Cedar Hill State Park are on its southern side. The lake is stocked with bass and catfish.

Tsha Handbook → · 4.3 mi away

Things to Do in Grand Prairie

historical 11.2 mi away

The Sixth Floor Museum

Where Lee Harvey Oswald fired from. The JFK assassination site at Dealey Plaza.

historical 11.2 mi away

Dealey Plaza

On November 22 1963 President John F Kennedy rode through Dealey Plaza in an open Lincoln convertible and was shot from the sixth floor window of the Texas…

quirky 14.0 mi away

Big Tex at the State Fair

A fifty-five-foot cowboy named Big Tex has welcomed visitors to the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park Dallas every fall since 1952. He booms howdy folks over a…

food 19.7 mi away

Joe T. Garcia's

Joe T opened his little family restaurant behind the packing plant in the Fort Worth Stockyards in 1935. There was no menu. His wife Jessie served whatever she…

historical 20.4 mi away

Fort Worth Stockyards

Daily cattle drives down the street. Honky-tonks and rodeos in the old West.

historical 20.5 mi away

Billy Bob's Texas

Billy Bob's opened in 1981 in an old cattle barn in the Fort Worth Stockyards and at one hundred twenty-seven thousand square feet it is the largest honky-tonk…

food 12.6 mi away

Pecan Lodge

Dallas' best BBQ. The beef rib alone is worth the drive.

spooky 16.7 mi away

Lady of White Rock Lake

Since the 1930s drivers along White Rock Lake report picking up a soaking-wet woman in a white dress. She asks for a ride home then vanishes leaving the seat…

day trip

Day Trip to Grand Prairie: 🐎 BBQ, Horse Racing, Indoor Rock Climbing (FULL EPISODE)

Featured on The Daytripper — a full-episode local travel guide.

Sports in Grand Prairie

⭐ HOMETOWN LEGENDS Class 6A · Football

South Grand Prairie The Warriors — South Grand Prairie — a college & pro athletic pipeline

5 alumni who reached major-college or pro sports

South Grand Prairie High School, a Class 6A institution, has a proud history of athletes moving on to major college and professional sports. The dedication fostered in Grand Prairie has propelled many Warriors to higher levels of competition. This tradition includes athletes like Remi Ayodele, a professional football player, and Jennifer McFalls, an Olympic softball gold medalist. Their journeys highlight the athletic development nurtured within the South Grand Prairie community.

The school's alumni also feature Josh Stephan, a professional baseball player, and Jonathan Villanueva, a professional soccer player. Craig Woodson, a professional football player, further adds to the list of Warriors who have achieved professional careers. These individuals represent the diverse athletic talents that have emerged from South Grand Prairie High School, showcasing a range of sports at the professional and Olympic levels.

Pro/D1 alumni

Class

Founded

1969

Key Players

Remi Ayodele — , professional football player
Jennifer McFalls — , Olympic softball gold medalist in 2000
Josh Stephan — , professional baseball player
Jonathan Villanueva — , professional soccer player
Craig Woodson — , professional football player

The moment

Jennifer McFalls was an Olympic softball gold medalist.

Sources: Wikipedia · SI High School (ScoreBook Live)

Everything Near Grand Prairie

1997 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the nearest 200 are listed here — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

Grand Prairie, TX
Grand Prairie has a long history with the defense and aviation industry. During World War II, the North American Aviation Plant B produced the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the P-51C and K Mustang variants. After the…
Selena Gomez Was Born Here
Before the platinum records, the streaming numbers, and the global fame, there was a baby born in Grand Prairie on July 22, 1992. Selena Marie Gomez came into the world here to teenage parents, Ricardo Gomez and Mandy…
When 18,000 People Built Warplanes on the Prairie
In 1940 the federal government picked the flat ground beside Hensley Field for a wartime aircraft plant, and within months Grand Prairie was transformed. North American Aviation transferred trainer production here from…
The Town a Broken Wagon Built
The city you're rolling into started with a breakdown. In 1863 a traveler named Alexander McRae Dechman was hauling supplies toward Fort Belknap when his wagon broke down out on the open prairie between Dallas and Fort…
Texas's Biggest Weekend Flea Market
Pull off at 2602 Mayfield Road on a weekend and you'll find one of the strangest, most sprawling institutions in North Texas: Traders Village. Opened in 1973, it grew into what's billed as the largest weekend flea…
A Vietnamese Town Square in a Former Walmart
At 2625 West Pioneer Parkway sits Asia Times Square, one of the largest Asian marketplaces in Texas and the cultural heart of Grand Prairie's substantial Vietnamese community. Many Vietnamese families settled in this…
The Lake Named for a Congressman
The big blue reservoir on the southwest edge of town is Joe Pool Lake, and it's younger than a lot of the people fishing it. Engineers dammed Mountain Creek with a rolled earthfill structure that was finished in…
The 1950 Picture Palace on Main Street · 0.3 mi
On Main Street, at 120 East Main, the Uptown Theatre still marks the heart of old downtown Grand Prairie. It opened to fanfare on March 17, 1950, back when this stretch of road was the main artery between Fort Worth and…
Copeland, H. V. · 0.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the former home of Dr. H. V. Copeland, a physician who served Grand Prairie for over fifty years. He moved here in 1908, when the town was just a small railroad stop of 500 people. Dr. Copeland,…
Avion Village · 0.8 mi · Historical Marker
As early as the mid-1940s, housing was scarce in Dallas as well as in other centers of defense production and military activity throughout the nation. The private housing industry was unable to keep up with the demand…
Southland Cemetery, Old · 1.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Old Southland Cemetery in Grand Prairie. This burial ground was founded in 1910 by Thomas H. Hall, who needed a closer place for the community to lay their loved ones to rest. He even used bois d'arc…
Grand Prairie Airfield · 1.3 mi · Historical Marker
(U. S. Navy Flight Training Facility) The Curtiss Flying Service Corporation of New York purchased 275 acres of land one mile west of the Grand Prairie city limits in 1929. The Curtiss Wright Airport of Fort…

Show all 200 nearby places

Where the Breeders' Cup Came to the Prairie · 1.4 mi
Just north of Interstate 30 off Belt Line Road, at 1000 Lone Star Parkway, the thunder of thoroughbreds returned to North Texas when Lone Star Park opened for live racing in 1997. Pari-mutuel horse racing had been…
The Plant That Built a City · 1.5 mi
The Grand Prairie you're in today was fundamentally built by an airplane factory. In 1940, this was a farm town of about 1,500 people. That same year, ground was broken beside Hensley Field on North American Aviation's…
The Mile-Long Assembly Line · 1.5 mi
Imagine a factory floor so big it takes you 20 minutes to walk across. That was the engineering marvel inside Grand Prairie's North American Aviation plant during World War II. It was the first windowless, fully…
And They're Off! At Lone Star Park · 1.5 mi
One of Grand Prairie's most famous landmarks isn't a factory or a historic building—it's a racetrack. Lone Star Park, which opened in 1997, brought Class 1 horse racing back to North Texas after a nearly 60-year…
Grand Prairie, TX · 1.5 mi
The T&P Railroad played a crucial role in Grand Prairie's development when Alexander McRae Dechman traded half of his 'prairie' property to the railroad in 1876 to ensure it came through the town. The depot was named…
The Uptown's Second Act · 1.5 mi
If you find yourself on Main Street in downtown Grand Prairie, look for the glowing marquee of the Uptown Theater. It opened March seventeenth, 1950 — eleven hundred seats, a sloped floor so everybody could see,…
The Weekend City of Treasures · 1.5 mi
On the western edge of Grand Prairie sits a local landmark that’s part shopping mall, part county fair, and part treasure hunt. It’s Traders Village, a massive outdoor flea market that has been a DFW institution since…
The Town That Refused to Disappear · 1.5 mi
By the 1970s, Grays Prairie was fading. The post office was gone, and the count of people out here had dropped to around fifty. It was just another dot on an old map named for the Gray family, who came to this stretch…
Fuget Cemetery · 1.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Fuget Cemetery, a quiet resting place with roots stretching back to the earliest days of Dallas County. This land was first patented in 1843 to Peters colonists Rowland and Anna Huitt. Rowland…
Livestone Lodge No. 152, F. & A. M. · 1.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Livestone Lodge, a historic gathering place for the African American community in Grand Prairie. Chartered in 1903 by the Prince Hall Masons, this lodge started east of town in a…
Jordan - Bowles House · 2.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Jordan-Bowles House, built around 1860 from hand-hewn logs along the Trinity River. David Jordan, who arrived from Tennessee about 1859, ran a farm, a store, and a stage stand right here on the…
Antioch Life Park Cemetery · 2.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Antioch Life Park Cemetery. Early African American pioneer Mose Jordan Sr. came to the Grand Prairie area as an enslaved person of David Jordan in 1852. As early as the late 1850s, this part of David…
Hensley Field · 2.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Hensley Field, a place that played a huge role in American aviation history, especially during World War II. It started back in 1928 when Dallas bought this land for a training airfield because the…
Jordan - Hight Family Cemetery · 2.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Jordan-Hight Family Cemetery, which began as a family burial ground in 1866. David Jordan provided land to bury his son-in-law, Robert Hight. The graveyard later became public, with members of…
Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie) · 3.5 mi
South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Daylon Brooks (0.417 avg, 3 HR); Julian Guerrero (0.411 avg, 1 HR).
The Biggest Indoor Waterpark in Texas · 3.6 mi
At 2970 Epic Place, in the heart of the city's EpicCentral entertainment district, sits Epic Waters, billed as the largest indoor waterpark in Texas. It opened on January 12, 2018, an 80,000-square-foot building wrapped…
West Fork United Presbyterian Church · 3.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the West Fork United Presbyterian Church in Grand Prairie. It all started back in 1870 when Reverend Andrew Shannon Hayter organized a Sabbath school for the local settlers. That first…
The Highway Law That Requires a Fedora · 3.9 mi
Interstate Thirty between Dallas and Fort Worth is the Tom Landry Highway, and the law that named it spells out the artwork. The two thousand one statute requires a depiction of a fedora on each marker. That was…
P.A. Watson Cemetery · 3.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the P.A. Watson Cemetery, a final resting place with a frontier story. The first burial here was Mrs. Micajah Goodwin in 1846. Her family, new to the area, built her coffin from their wagon bed and…
Dallas Baptist University (Decatur Baptist College) · 3.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site where a major Texas educational institution got its start. Look to your right, and you'll see Dallas Baptist University, but it began right here, back in 1898, as Decatur Baptist College. It…
Ford Cemetery · 3.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Grand Prairie, past a small patch of history. This is the Ford Cemetery, a remnant of the old Watson Community. Pinkney Harold Ford and his family arrived here from Kentucky in 1855, settling in…
Shady Grove Cemetery · 4.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Shady Grove Cemetery, a place that started as a community hub over a century ago. In 1877, Louis Caster donated land for a graveyard, church, and school. His son-in-law added more land later. For…
The Six Flags over Texas · 4.2 mi · Historical Marker
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…
The Prairie Navy at Hensley Field · 4.2 mi
Out at 9200 Jefferson Boulevard sits Hensley Field, and its story is stranger than most airfields can claim. The City of Dallas opened it in 1929 as a training field for reserve Army Air Corps pilots and named it for…
From Mustangs to Crusaders: The Jet Years · 4.2 mi
When the World War II contracts dried up, the giant aircraft plant on Grand Prairie's edge didn't sit empty for long. Around 1948 Chance Vought moved its operations into the former North American Aviation works and…
Arlington Downs Racetrack · 4.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the former site of Arlington Downs, a legendary racetrack built by oilman W.T. Waggoner in the 1920s. Imagine this: a mile-and-a-quarter track, a massive grandstand packed with 6,000 cheering fans,…
The Very First Six Flags · 4.3 mi
Every Six Flags amusement park on earth traces back to one 212-acre lot in Arlington. The original park opened here in 1961, dreamed up by a developer who had visited Disneyland and wanted something like it for Texas.…
Great Southwest Industrial District · 4.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
The Great Southwest Industrial District (GSWID) is a more than 8,000-acre industrial park in Arlington and Grand Prairie, Texas. Real estate mogul Angus G. Wynne, Jr. , established the GSWID in 1956, and it continues to…
Cable Tool Rig · 4.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past a piece of Texas oil history! This derrick is an exact replica of the rigging used back in 1920. That year, this type of cable tool rig drilled the Crowley No. 1 well, one of the deepest in Texas at…
Grand Prairie, TX · 4.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Grand Prairie, a city born from a broken wagon. Back in 1863, a man named A.M. Dechman was traveling from Jacksonville to Fort Belknap with army supplies when his wagon gave out. He traded the…
Carousel · 4.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past a spot where, not too long ago, the arrival of a carousel was a HUGE deal in Texas towns. These horse-drawn wonders, powered by the cheerful tunes of a calliope, weren't just for fun. They were…
Narrow Gauge Railway · 4.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, and you might not realize it, but this area was once home to some of the most economical railroads in Texas. Between <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1853</say-as> and <say-as…
Joe Pool Lake · 4.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
Joe Pool Lake, also known as Joe Poole Lake, Joe Pool Reservoir, and Lakeview, is on Mountain Creek in southwestern Dallas and southeastern Tarrant counties (at 32°38' N, 97°00' W). The northeastern corner of the lake…
Collins, Thomas Garland, Sr. · 4.3 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Dallas/Fort Worth area, near Grand Prairie. You might be passing the hometown of Thomas Garland Collins, Sr., a state legislator who served two terms in the Texas House. He was a merchant and…
South MacArthur Church of Christ · 4.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Irving, and right here is the story of the South MacArthur Church of Christ. Worship services started in this area way back in 1890. A proper sanctuary went up in 1903, on land given by the town…
Ruth Paine Home · 4.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over a minute, because this unassuming house in Irving is tied to one of the most tragic events in American history: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Lee Harvey Oswald's wife, Marina, lived here with…
Cross Timbers · 4.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through the Cross Timbers, a vital strip of land that's been a crossroads for centuries. For Native Americans, this sandy timberland was a paradise, offering mild weather, good soil, and plenty of buffalo…
A Road Named for a Cemetery Not Yet Open · 4.8 mi
Spur Four Oh Eight in Dallas County, from Interstate Twenty up to Loop Twelve, is the Patriot Parkway. The Texas Legislature named it in May of nineteen ninety seven, to commemorate the achievements of veterans buried…
A Three-Million-Dollar Racetrack That Lasted Eight Years · 4.9 mi
In 1929 the oil-and-cattle baron W.T. Waggoner opened a lavish horse-racing palace in Arlington: a mile-and-a-quarter track with a grandstand seating six thousand, built on his ranch land between Dallas and Fort Worth.…
Friday House · 4.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising through Arlington, and right here is the Friday House. In 1923, Marion and Willie Maybelle Friday bought this land to farm and build their dream home. Marion was a civil engineer, helping build sewer…
Bear Creek Community · 5.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Irving, near where the Bear Creek community took root in the 1850s. After the Civil War, freedmen moved here, reuniting families torn apart by slavery. In 1878, Jim Green became the first African…
Horton Cemetery · 5.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Horton Cemetery, the final resting place for many of Dallas's earliest settlers. Enoch and Martha Horton arrived here with their ten children back in 1844, part of the ambitious Peters Colony.…
St. Luke Catholic Church · 5.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Irving, and just off to the side here, you can see the history of St. Luke Catholic Church. Services for Catholics started way back in the 1860s, with mass held in private homes. Then, in 1902,…
Schulze House · 5.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising through Irving, and just ahead is a perfectly preserved piece of its early history. This is the Schulze House, built back in 1912 for Charles P. Schulze, a key figure in the local lumber business and…
City of Irving · 5.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising through Irving, Texas, a city that owes its start to a railroad survey and a barbecue. Back in 1903, railroad surveyor J.O. Schulze and his colleague Otis Brown bought some land from a farmer. They…
Joffre-Gilbert House · 5.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Joffre-Gilbert House in Irving. Built in 1919 by A. Fred Joffre, this airplane bungalow was a hub for pioneer doctor Franklin Monroe Gilbert and his wife Dorothy, a nurse. For almost thirty…
The Plant That Built a City · 5.4 mi
When General Motors opened an assembly plant in Arlington in 1954, it was the first automobile factory in Texas, and the first car to roll off the line was a Pontiac Chieftain. The plant transformed the town:…
First Baptist Church of Irving · 5.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Irving's first Baptist church. When this town was founded back in 1903, developers actually set aside land for three different denominations. The Baptist congregation organized in January…
Irving, TX · 5.5 mi
Irving's history is marked by slow but steady growth, with pivotal moments that shaped the city. Founded in 1903 by J.O. 'Otto' Schulze and Otis Brown, the city was named after the literary author Washington Irving, a…
Everard Sharrock, Jr. Farmstead · 5.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Dallas, heading into the heart of the Peters Colony, the first big settlement push in North Texas. Look to your right - you're passing the Everard Sharrock, Jr. Farmstead. Sharrock built his home…
The Quarter-Mile Arches Over the Cowboys · 5.6 mi
The enormous Cowboys stadium in Arlington is held up by two of the largest arches ever built on any structure on Earth. Each is a giant box truss spanning about twelve hundred and twenty-five feet, roughly a quarter of…
Trinity Portland Cement Company Cemetery · 5.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a forgotten company town, a place called Eagle Ford, near Dallas. Back in 1909, the Southwestern States Portland Cement Company set up shop here. Many of its workers were Mexican…
The 1948 Soda Fountain That Refused to Quit, Twice · 5.6 mi
On the corner of Irving Boulevard and Main, at 100 East Irving Boulevard in the old Heritage District, generations of locals slid onto stools at the Big State soda fountain. It opened in 1948 as a drugstore with a…
J. D. Cooper House · 5.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the J.D. Cooper House, built way back in 1878. Cooper was an early landowner here, and this house is a great example of colonial design. Look for those wide floorboards, made with square nails – a…
Sowers Community · 5.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past where the Sowers community used to be, a place built by Edmund and Freelove Sowers and their neighbors starting around 1856. They farmed, hunted, and Ed ran a blacksmith shop and later a general…
Daniel Webster Gilbert, M. D. · 5.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the resting place of Dr. Daniel Webster Gilbert, a Mississippi native who arrived in Texas in 1874. After graduating from medical college, he practiced in Euless and Grapevine before moving to Sowers…
Dr. Franklin Monroe Gilbert · 5.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a remarkable Irving career! Dr. Franklin Monroe Gilbert wasn't just a doctor; he was a teacher and principal first, before heading to medical school. After interning in New York, where he…
Sowers Cemetery · 5.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Sowers Cemetery, a resting place that began with a mystery. In 1868, an unnamed woman and her daughter were buried here on land owned by Seveir Smalley. Later, Edmund Sowers donated an acre in 1874,…
Eagle Ford Community · 5.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Eagle Ford Community, a place that started as a simple farm settlement and grew into something much bigger. Back in 1844, Enoch Horton and his family arrived, establishing large farms…
Site of the Dr. D. W. Gilbert Homestead · 5.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Irving, where Dr. D.W. Gilbert built his life and a medical legacy. Born in Mississippi in 1854, he followed his brother to Texas and studied medicine. After graduating in 1881, he married and…
Shelton's Bear Creek Cemetery · 5.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Shelton's Bear Creek Cemetery, a final resting place with a story stretching back to the days of slavery. African Americans settled here after the Civil War, forming a community. In 1879, Minnie…
Haley Memorial Cemetery · 5.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving near the Haley Memorial Cemetery. It was established in 1875 when Lucinda Haley died and a one-acre site on the family farm was set aside. The cemetery was later enlarged, and it serves as a reminder of…
Kit Community · 6.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through the area that was once Kit, a settlement that grew from a farm belonging to John and Jestine Gorbit around 1850. It became a stop on a postal route and was renamed Kit in 1894 to avoid confusion…
Old Kit Cemetery · 6.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Old Kit Cemetery, a final resting place for many early settlers in this area. It began in 1896 when a family, passing through, buried their sick child here. Landowner David Chadwell Britain donated…
The High School That Sent Out a Slugger and a ZZ Top Drummer · 6.1 mi
Irving High School at 900 North O'Connor Road, the city's oldest high school, dating to 1929, has quietly turned out a couple of genuine standouts. Trevor Story was born in Irving in 1992 and starred here as a shortstop…
First Christian Church · 6.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Arlington's First Christian Church. This congregation started small in 1882, just a handful of believers meeting with Reverend William Wright. He formally organized the church in 1890,…
Site of Bird's Fort · 6.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Bird's Fort, established in 1840 by Jonathan Bird. This wasn't just any outpost; it sat on the Military Road connecting Red River to Austin. More importantly, this area was the site of a…
John Shelby Wisdom · 6.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the land where a man known as 'Daddy' Wisdom found his purpose later in life. John Shelby Wisdom moved to Texas as a teen, working ranches and cattle drives. In 1880, he married Hattie Wright, and…
Carver Dixon King · 6.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is the story of C.D. King, a man they called 'Uncle Dutch.' Born in Tennessee in 1843, King arrived in Texas in 1873 and quickly became a key figure. He served as…
Arlington Cemetery · 6.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Arlington Cemetery, a final resting place for many of this town's founders and leaders. It's more than ten acres, but it actually grew from several smaller graveyards. The oldest marked burial here…
John A. Kooken Elementary School · 6.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Arlington's first public school, originally called North Side School, which opened its doors way back in 1907. But this school had some drama early on – it burned to the ground just two…
First United Methodist Church of Arlington · 6.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is the site of the First United Methodist Church. This congregation got its start way back in 1877, when Reverend J.T.L. Annis was appointed pastor of the local circuit.…
Colonel Neel E. Kearby · 6.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the hometown of Colonel Neel E. Kearby, a World War II flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient. Born in Wichita Falls and raised partly here in Arlington, Kearby joined the Army Air Corps in 1937. He…
Andrew Hayter · 6.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Arlington, a town that owes its very existence to Reverend Andrew Hayter. This pioneer preacher and surveyor arrived in Texas in 1850 and settled in Tarrant County in 1869. He founded…
The Big City With No City Bus · 6.4 mi
Here is a strange distinction for a city of around four hundred thousand people: Arlington is the largest city in the entire United States without a traditional public transit system. No real network of city buses, no…
City of Arlington · 6.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, a city born at the crossroads of prairies and forests, right where the Trinity River's tributaries carve the land. This area was a historic Native American homeland, and after key…
Bankhead Highway Through Arlington · 6.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington on what was once the Bankhead Highway, also called the Dallas Pike. This wasn't just any road; it was a key part of a national auto trail, designed to connect cities and eliminate…
First Baptist Church of Arlington · 6.4 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is the site of the First Baptist Church. Organized way back in the 1870s at Johnson Station, this church saw the Texas and Pacific Railroad come through and found the…
The Island City · 6.5 mi
The most fascinating thing about Cockrell Hill isn't a building or a park—it's the city itself. Take a look at a map, and you'll see it's an 'enclave,' a political island of barely half a square mile, completely…
The Infrastructure Island · 6.5 mi
Being an independent city completely surrounded by Dallas creates a fascinating engineering and infrastructure puzzle. Think about it: every drop of fresh water that flows into Cockrell Hill's pipes, and every bit of…
Cockrell Hill, TX · 6.5 mi
Cockrell Hill's history began with pioneer Brentwood Allen Cockrell and his son Woodrow, who established the town as a business venture. It served as a stage line stop between Dallas and El Paso, and by the late 1800s,…
Hutcheson-Smith Home · 6.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're cruising past a beautiful example of Queen Anne architecture, built around 1896. Look for that gingerbread trim! This home sits on land once owned by I.L. Hutcheson, a pioneer merchant here in Arlington. His son,…
Jopling-Melear Log Cabin · 6.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a log cabin built way back in 1863 by George Washington Jopling. He built it for his wife Catherine and their big family in the Johnson Station Community. Jopling was a farmer, a…
Watson, P.A., Log House · 6.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the P.A. Watson Log House, a home built in 1855 near present-day Arlington. Patrick Alfred Watson constructed this dwelling after his first wife passed away, to care for their six children. He later…
Douglass-Potts House · 6.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Douglass-Potts House, a classic example of early 20th-century vernacular architecture right here in Arlington. Built in 1907 by contractor Joe O. Crawley, this home served as the residence for…
Hitch Cemetery · 6.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Hitch Cemetery, once part of a vast farm. William Henry Hitch brought his family here from Tennessee in 1855, settling this land. The oldest marked grave belongs to his young son, Haden, who died…
North Side School · 6.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Arlington's North Side School. After the original school burned down in 1909, this board and batten structure was built right here. It only served as a school for one term before being…
The Quiet House Where the Rifle Was Hidden · 6.6 mi
This modest ranch house at 2515 West Fifth Street looks like any other on the block, but it sits at the edge of one of the 20th century's darkest days. In 1963 Ruth Paine, a Quaker who was learning Russian, took in…
The Largest Equestrian Sculpture on Earth, Running Through a Plaza · 6.6 mi
Up ahead at Williams Square, 5221 North O'Connor Boulevard, nine bronze mustangs come thundering across a granite plaza as if the pavement were a riverbed. This is the Mustangs of Las Colinas, billed as the largest…
Jesse Chisholm · 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Jesse Chisholm. Founder of World-Famous Cattle Trail Jesse Chisholm (1805-1868) Represented the Republic of Texas and President Sam Houston in many negotiations with Indians. Half Scotsman, half…
The Driverless People Mover That Outlived Its Future · 6.6 mi
Glide through the Las Colinas Urban Center and you'll spot a slim elevated track threading between the office towers. That's the Las Colinas Area Personal Transit, or APT, one of the oldest automated people-mover…
The Town Two Railroad Surveyors Drew on a Map · 6.6 mi
You're rolling through a city that two young railroad men more or less conjured out of a survey line. In the fall of 1902, J.O. Schulze and Otis Brown came through this stretch of western Dallas County as part of a crew…
The Flood That Cut Irving Off From the World · 6.6 mi
It's easy to forget, crossing the calm Trinity bottoms today, that this river once ran wild enough to swallow whole towns. In late May 1908 a multi-day downpour dumped some 15 inches of rain on the upper Trinity basin,…
Bird's Fort · 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Bird's Fort, the very first attempt at Anglo-American settlement in what is now Tarrant County. Back in 1841, General Edward H. Tarrant authorized Jonathan Bird to build this military…
Sloan-Journey Expedition of 1838 · 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, but imagine this landscape over 180 years ago. In the spring of 1838, Captains Robert Sloan and Nathaniel Journey led about 90 frontiersmen north. Their mission: to strike back at…
The Founder's Brother Built This House for His Bride · 6.6 mi
At 303 South O'Connor Road stands the Irving Heritage House, the closest thing this railroad town has to a founding-era home you can walk through. C.P. Schulze built it in 1912 for his bride, Virginia Tucker of Dallas.…
Shady Grove Road Bridge · 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past a spot that was once a vital artery connecting two growing cities. The Trinity River here caused major floods, especially in 1908. That disaster spurred flood control planning, and by 1930, a massive…
Emmanuel Church of God in Christ · 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington's historic African American neighborhood, known as "The Hill." Back in 1895, residents gathered right here to form a community church. It went by several names over the years, including…
Mount Olive Baptist Church · 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is the story of Mount Olive Baptist Church. It started small, with just a handful of folks led by Rev. Mr. Squires back in the summer of 1897. They organized this church,…
The Hord Log Cabin · 6.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of Dallas's very first permanent structure on the west side of the Trinity River! Look for the hand-hewn logs of the Hord Log Cabin. Judge William H. Hord brought his family here by covered…
Texas Stadium Site - America's Team · 6.7 mi · Historical Marker
The hole in the roof of Texas Stadium became the most recognizable feature in American sports architecture, and the joke was that God needed it to watch His team play. The Dallas Cowboys moved into the Irving stadium in…
The Trinity River Massacre · 6.8 mi
On the night of February 15, 1971, five law-enforcement officers were ambushed and most of them killed in the Trinity River bottoms near the Westmoreland bridge in West Dallas, in what became known as the Trinity River…
The Mustangs of Las Colinas · 6.8 mi
If you head to Williams Square in Las Colinas, you’ll find one of the most dynamic sculptures in the world. It’s a group of nine bronze mustangs, larger than life, splashing across a granite stream. They are the…
A People Mover Ahead of Its Time · 6.8 mi
As you navigate the streets of Las Colinas, look up. You might see strange, elevated concrete tracks that seem to go nowhere. These are the remnants of a bold, futuristic transportation experiment: the Las Colinas Area…
The Clock That Stopped the World · 6.8 mi
In September 2015, a story that started at MacArthur High School right here in Irving went global. A 14-year-old student named Ahmed Mohamed, who enjoyed tinkering with electronics, built a digital clock from a pencil…
The University of Texas at Arlington · 6.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a university that's grown right alongside its community. It all started back in 1895 with Arlington College, a private school for kids in grades one through ten. That was followed by…
Calloway Cemetery · 6.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Calloway Cemetery in Euless. The earliest marked graves here belong to brothers Richard and Joseph Calloway, who owned this land in the 1860s. Richard's widow deeded land in 1886 for a public burial…
UIL 6A Football State Champions — 2 titles · 7.1 mi
Duncanville High School (Duncanville, TX): Most recent: 49-33 over Galena Park North Shore · 2023 6A Division 1 final.
Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Arlington (Arlington) · 7.1 mi
Arlington (Arlington, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Axel Alvarado (0.412 avg); Gannon Howard (0.408 avg).
Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Duncanville (Duncanville) · 7.1 mi
Duncanville (Duncanville, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Braylon Hubbard (6 HR); Raul Lomas (5 HR).
Site of Berachah Home and Cemetery · 7.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Berachah Home, a place that started in Waco back in 1894. Reverend J. T. Upchurch founded the Berachah Rescue Society to help homeless girls and unwed mothers. Nine years later, he…
Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Bowie (Arlington) · 7.2 mi
Bowie (Arlington, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Eydem Fiorentino (0.417 avg).
Middleton Tate Johnson · 7.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the birthplace of Middleton Tate Johnson, often called the Father of Tarrant County. Born in South Carolina in 1810, Johnson moved to Texas and became a member of the Congress of the Republic. He…
Five Mile Cemetery · 7.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Five Mile Cemetery, a burial ground that may have seen use as early as the 1840s. Abraham Bast, who donated land for a church and school here in 1859, is buried here, as is Arthur Ledbetter, who…
Marrow Bone Spring · 7.3 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Arlington, but this spot was a vital water source long before the city. Marrow Bone Spring was an Indian habitat for centuries, and in 1843, even Sam Houston's envoys stopped here, seeking peace.…
The Fire That Reset Main Street · 7.3 mi
Barely two years after Duncanville got its name, it nearly lost its downtown. In 1884 a fire tore through the young railroad town and destroyed most of its commercial buildings, the wooden storefronts that had grown up…
Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Lamar (Arlington) · 7.5 mi
Lamar (Arlington, TX) placed on the 6A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Colton Quesada (4 HR).
Gibbins Cemetery and Homestead Site · 7.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of the Gibbins family homestead, just outside modern-day Arlington. James Gibbins arrived in Texas back in 1857, and by 1863, he'd bought land right here. His son, Thomas Jefferson Gibbins,…
Euless School · 7.5 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Euless, and right here is the site of the original Euless School. Back in 1913, folks in the area decided to combine three small school districts into one: the Euless Common School District. They…
A 1950s Burger Joint That Survived · 7.6 mi
Amid all of Arlington's stadiums and theme parks, one of the most beloved spots in town is a humble burger joint that has outlasted nearly everything around it. Al's Hamburgers opened in 1957 as a drive-in, started by a…
Commercial Horticulture in Euless · 7.6 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Euless, a town whose economy has been deeply rooted in growing things since the 1800s. It's all thanks to the sandy soil, perfect for nurseries. Back in 1879, Ambrose Boyd started Tarrant County…
Tomlin Cemetery · 7.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Tomlin Cemetery, a final resting place for some of Arlington's earliest settlers. This ground was first used in the 1870s by the Wilkinson family, marked by simple rock clusters. Look for the…
Alexander Dobkins Family Cemetery · 7.7 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Euless, near where Alexander Dobkins settled in 1852. He was an ordained minister and served as postmaster for Estill's Station during the Civil War. His grave is the earliest marked here, on what…
The Concrete Crossroads That Built a City · 7.8 mi
As you navigate the ramps and flyovers around Duncanville, you're driving on the single most important structure in the city's modern history. Duncanville began as a railroad stop, Duncan Switch, named for a line…
Duncanville, TX · 7.8 mi
During World War II, the Army Air Corps established a landing field for flight training on property near the present-day intersection of Main St and Wheatland Road in Duncanville. This development marked a significant…
Pie by the Slice on Camp Wisdom Road · 7.8 mi
If you want the unglamorous, lived-in side of Duncanville, pull in at Judy's Cafe at 126 West Camp Wisdom Road. It opened in 1996 and has run as a plain home-cooking diner ever since, the kind of place where breakfast…
Fielder House · 7.8 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past what was once known as "The Home on the Hill" in Arlington. This distinctive Prairie-style house, built in 1914 by local leader James Park Fielder and his wife Mattie, was a true landmark. They used…
Irving, TX · 7.9 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Irving, Texas, a city that owes its existence to a couple of railway surveyors. Back in 1902, O. Schulze and Otis Brown were laying tracks for the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf Railway between…
Cistercian Fathers · 7.9 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Irving, near the University of Dallas and Las Colinas. Right here is the home of the Cistercians in Texas, a monastic community dedicated to God and service. These monks came from Hungary, fleeing…
University of Dallas · 7.9 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Irving, near Dallas, and right here is the University of Dallas. Its story starts way back in 1910, when Vincentian Fathers called their Holy Trinity College by this new name. That charter went…
Union Bower Community · 7.9 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through what used to be the Union Bower Community, just outside Irving. Settlers were drawn to this fertile land along the Elm Fork of the Trinity River back in the mid-1800s. The Smiths and the Voirin…
Las Colinas, TX · 7.9 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Las Colinas, a planned community that's become a hub for business and residents. It all started in 1973, when developers Ben Carpenter and Dan Williams announced their ambitious plan to transform…
AMBER Alert · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington right now, a place forever linked to a national tragedy that sparked a life-saving innovation. On January 13th, 1996, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted from a parking lot right…
Chawla, Kalpana · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Tarrant County, maybe even past Arlington, where Kalpana Chawla earned her Master's degree. She wasn't just any student; she was the first Indian-born woman to go to space. After studying here,…
Six Flags Over Texas · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving between Dallas and Fort Worth, and right here in Arlington is the original Six Flags Over Texas! Opened in 1961, it was one of the first theme parks in the country. The park's name celebrates the six…
Wynne, Angus Gilchrist, Jr. · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving near Arlington, Texas, the birthplace of a Texas icon: Six Flags Over Texas! Right here, Angus Gilchrist Wynne, Jr. conceived of a theme park unlike any other. After developing a massive industrial…
A Slice of Tonga in the Mid-Cities · 8.0 mi
Euless holds one of the most unexpected cultural concentrations in Texas: one of the largest Tongan communities anywhere outside the kingdom of Tonga itself, estimated at several thousand people. The story traces to the…
Abbott, Darrell Lance [Dimebag Darrell] · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, the hometown of Darrell Lance Abbott, better known to millions as Dimebag Darrell. Born right here in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1966</say-as>, Abbott, along with his…
Arlington Downs Racetrack · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving between Dallas and Fort Worth, and right here is the site of Arlington Downs, a racetrack that gambled on the future. It opened in 1929, a massive $3 million project by oilman William T. Waggoner. The…
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex right now, and you're flying over a massive testament to a decades-long city feud. The idea for this airport, DFW, was first proposed way back in 1927. Dallas and…
Johnnie High’s Country Music Revue · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is a place that launched careers of country music superstars. In 1974, Johnnie High opened his Country Music Revue in Grapevine, aiming to showcase local talent. It…
Pantera · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, where one of the most influential heavy metal bands of the 1990s got its start. Pantera formed right here in 1981, originally as a glam-rock cover band. But these guys evolved,…
Stone, James Lamar · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through North Texas, near Dallas. Right here, we remember James Lamar Stone. He wasn't born here, but he spent time in Dallas and later retired to Arlington. In <say-as interpret-as="date"…
Top O' Hill Terrace · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, and right here, you might be passing by the former site of Top O' Hill Terrace. What started as an elegant tearoom in 1921, serving chicken-fried steaks to ladies' luncheons, was…
General Motors Arlington Assembly · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, a city that quite literally exploded thanks to a handshake deal back in the 1950s. Right here is the General Motors Assembly Plant, which opened its doors in 1954. Local leaders,…
Provence, Sammie Lynn · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is a place that changed lives. In <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1958</say-as>, nine-year-old Sammie Lynn Provence contracted polio, leaving him quadriplegic and…
Vandergriff, William Thomas [Hooker] · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and right here, in Arlington, you're passing through a place shaped by William Thomas "Hooker" Vandergriff. He wasn't just a car dealer; he was a visionary who…
Vandergriff, Tom Joe [Tommy] · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, a city that boomed thanks to the vision of one man: Tom Vandergriff. He became mayor in 1951 at just twenty-five years old. His big idea? To make Arlington a self-contained…
Abbott, Vincent Paul [Vinnie Paul] · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
Vincent “Vinnie Paul” Abbott was an award-winning drummer and musician. He was born in Abilene, Texas, on March 11, 1964, to country-western songwriter and producer Jerry Bob Abbott and Norma Carolyn Adkisson. His…
Johnson, Middleton Tate · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
Middleton Tate Johnson, ranger and politician, was born in 1810 in the Spartanburg district of South Carolina and moved to Georgia at an early age. He won election in 1832 to the lower house of the Alabama legislature,…
Where the Bear Creeks Meet · 8.0 mi
Long before there was an airport runway or a freeway interchange, a pioneer named Isham Crowley led a small party to this land around 1845 and stopped where two streams came together, Big Bear Creek and Little Bear…
Euless, TX · 8.0 mi
Euless, Texas, has a rich history that began with Elisha Adam Euless, a Tennessee native who moved to Texas in 1867. He purchased 170 acres of land where he started a cotton gin and a community center, quickly becoming…
Arlington Stadium · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here stood Arlington Stadium, home to the Texas Rangers for 22 seasons. It started as Turnpike Stadium, built by the city to lure a major league team. And they did! In 1972,…
Berachah Home · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, where from 1903 to 1935 stood the Berachah Home for Erring Girls. Reverend J. T. Upchurch and his wife, Maggie, founded this place as a refuge for single, pregnant young women.…
Texas Rangers [Baseball Club] · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, the home of the Texas Rangers baseball club. Major League Baseball landed here in 1972, thanks to Mayor Tom Vandergriff convincing owner Robert Short to move his Washington…
Ballpark in Arlington · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is where a ballpark was built not just for baseball, but to keep the Texas Rangers right here in town. Back in 1989, George W. Bush and partners bought the team, and the…
Village Creek, Battle of · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through what is now Arlington and Fort Worth, but back on May 24, 1841, this was the site of the Battle of Village Creek. General Edward Tarrant led about seventy volunteers into this area, targeting…
Cravens, Carlisle Grove · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, a town that owes much of its growth to people like Carlisle Grove Cravens. Born here in 1908, Cravens came from a family deeply invested in education reform. His grandfather even…
Mineral Well (Arlington) · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here, in the heart of downtown, was once a place that brought the whole community together: the Mineral Well. Back in 1891, locals chipped in to drill this well, hoping for…
Seven Seas Marine Life Park · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, a town that once tried to build its own marine park! In the late 1960s, Mayor Tom Vandergriff wanted a marine animal theme park, but SeaWorld wasn't interested. So, he struck a deal…
Collins, Rice Woods · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, a city that owes much of its early success to Rice Woods Collins. He arrived here around 1876, a Confederate veteran and businessman from Alabama. Right here, Collins partnered with…
Arlington, TX · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, a city with a wild past. Back in the 1930s, this place was a magnet for gamblers, both legal and illegal. Right here, oil magnate W.T. Waggoner opened Arlington Downs in 1929, a fancy…
The Hill · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
The Hill is a historically segregated African American neighborhood consisting of roughly six blocks northwest of Arlington's original town center. It is bounded by Division Street to the south, Sanford Street to the…
Bowen, William Abraham · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, a town that owes a lot of its early boost to William Abraham Bowen. He wasn't just an editor; he was a true town booster. Arriving in Arlington in 1908, Bowen took over the local…
Finger, George W. · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Tarrant County, and right here in Arlington, you're passing through a town that owes its very first mayor to George W. Finger. Born in 1857, Finger studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1878.…
Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is the home of Texas gospel music history. In 1985, Calvin Wills started the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum, inspired by Nashville's own hall of fame, but…
Trimble, William Marshall · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Tarrant County, near Arlington, where a remarkable figure named William Marshall Trimble left his mark. Right here, back in 1895, Trimble, a teacher and physician, teamed up with Lee Hammond to…
University of Texas at Arlington · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here is the University of Texas at Arlington, a campus with roots stretching way back. It started not as a university, but as a private institution way back in 1895. Then, in…
Younkin, Ruth Ward · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, a city known for its modern attractions, but right here, a woman named Ruth Ward Younkin dedicated decades to preserving Native American culture. Arriving in Fort Worth in 1951,…
Roy, Robert E. L. · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Tarrant County, near Arlington, where Robert E. L. Roy spent most of his life. Roy wasn't just any lawyer; he was a legislator, a judge, and even played on the very first University of Texas…
Joyner, Howard Warren · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, a city that owes a lot of its cultural identity to Howard Warren Joyner. In 1937, he was wooed to North Texas Agricultural College, now UT Arlington, to build an art school before the…
Arlington Art Association · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, a city that owes much of its cultural landscape to a group of determined art lovers. Back in 1952, Howard and Arista Joyner, along with friends, founded the Arlington Art Association in…
International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, the current home of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. But this sport's history stretches back 5,000 years, and its hall of fame has had quite a journey. It started in…
Splawn, Walter Marshall William · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, Texas, the birthplace of Walter Marshall William Splawn. Born in 1883, Splawn was a true academic powerhouse, earning degrees from Baylor, Yale, and the University of Chicago. He taught…
Wallace, Finis Ray · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Tarrant County, near Arlington, where Finis Ray Wallace once served in the Texas Legislature. He was elected to the House in 1897, representing District 78. Wallace, a farmer by trade, focused on…
Arlington Citizen-Journal · 8.0 mi · Tsha Handbook
You're driving through Arlington, and right here, the story of the local newspaper unfolded for over a century. It started back in 1897 with the Arlington Journal, founded by George Byus using an old Washington hand…
Wilson Cemetery · 8.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the Wilson Cemetery, a small pioneer burial ground that dates back to 1872. It began when Charles N. Wilson buried his wife, Ophelia, and their infant daughter here, both lost to complications during…
First United Methodist Church of Euless · 8.0 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past First United Methodist Church of Euless. In the late 1860s, families began moving to this area from Bedford and Coffee Counties, Tennessee, areas steeped in Methodism. Local Methodists believed to…
The Stadium With a Hole So God Could Watch the Cowboys · 8.1 mi
Where Highway 114 meets Loop 12, at 2401 East Airport Freeway, stood one of pro football's most famous buildings. Texas Stadium opened on October 24, 1971, and for 38 seasons it was home to the Dallas Cowboys, holding…
Texas HS Baseball Leaders 2026: Pinkston (Dallas) · 8.1 mi
Pinkston (Dallas, TX) placed on the 4A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Valente Garcia (0.525 avg, 1 HR); Christopher Narvaez (0.509 avg).
The Baptist Standard · 8.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of a publication that's been a voice for Texas Baptists for over a century. It all started in 1888, when Lewis Holland and John H. Boyet launched "The Baptist News" in Fannin County. The…
John C. Pelt · 8.1 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Duncanville, heading past the site of John C. Pelt's family home, built in 1927. Pelt was a carpenter and builder who constructed many local buildings, including what's now Central Elementary…
Duncanville · 8.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving through Duncanville, a town that owes its very existence to the railroad. Back in the 1880s, this area was just farmland, but then the Chicago, Texas & Mexican Central Railroad decided to build a line…
La Reunion · 8.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past the site of La Reunion, a French colony that sprang up right here in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1854</say-as>. Imagine a bit of France transplanted to Texas soil, with European settlers…
Merrifield Cemetery · 8.2 mi · Historical Marker
You're driving past Merrifield Cemetery, a quiet resting place for some of Dallas's earliest settlers. John Merrifield, the patriarch of a Kentucky family, bought this farm in 1851. This land became a cemetery in the…
A Century on Penn Farm · 8.3 mi
On the cedar-covered hills above what is now Joe Pool Lake, a man named John Penn settled in 1854 and started a farm. What makes it remarkable is how long it lasted: the Penn family worked that same land for more than a…
The Night Duncanville's Radar Chased a UFO · 8.3 mi
On a rise on the west side of town once sat Duncanville Air Force Station, a Cold War radar post that watched the skies over North Texas from 1953 until 1964. Its strangest moment came before dawn on July 17, 1957. An…
The City of Champions and Its 134-Game Streak · 8.3 mi
Duncanville calls itself the City of Champions, and the claim is earned on a basketball court. The Pantherettes, the girls program at Duncanville High School, have piled up a dozen Texas state titles starting in 1976,…

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