Arlington, Texas is the third city in the triumvirate known as the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area. Located 12 miles east of Fort Worth and 20 miles west of Dallas, it is home to around 400,000 people. The wider metro area is home to almost 7 million people.

Brief history of Arlington
Arlington was settled as a result of a battle between General Edward H. Tarrant and the Village Creek Native Americans in 1841. After the battle, a trading post was set up at Marrow Bone Spring. The post was soon joined by farmers as the soil in region was found to be particularly fertile.

The Texas and Pacific Railway arrived sometime between settlement and the city’s incorporation in 1876. It reinforced the agricultural strength of the town and added cotton and trading to the towns repertoire. The name Arlington apparently comes from General Lee’s Arlington House in Virginia.

The development of Arlington was swift and by 1910, the city had electricity, water, gas and the telephone. The arrival of General Motors in 1954 was a pivotal moment in the city’s history as it brought modern manufacturing to what was up to then a mainly agricultural area. Thanks to huge leaps in technology and our insatiable appetite for cars, the plant grew and expanded along with the population.

Arlington grew faster than almost anywhere else in the United States after the arrival of industrialization. From a modest 7,692 people in 1950, it leapt to over 365,000 in 2011.

Doing business in Arlington
Arlington owes its growth to manufacturing but has since diversified into healthcare, leisure and education. General Motors is still a major employer but has been joined by health, schools, the University of Texas at Arlington and other smaller employers.

Major employers in the city include; Texas Health Resources, Six Flags Over Texas, The Parks at Arlington, General Motors Arlington, JPMorgan Chase, Texas Rangers and GM Financial.

Highlights of Arlington
Arlington is a modest city in its own right and with Dallas in one direction and Fort Worth in the other, shares many of its resources with them. There are still lots of things to see and do in the city though.

Some highlights include; Johnnie High’s Country Music Revue, AT&T Stadium Tours, Arlington Museum of Art, River Legacy Living Science Center, Six Flags Over Texas, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Texas Rangers Baseball and Planetarium at University of Texas Arlington.

Arlington city character
Arlington shares many characteristics with Dallas. It is a city of the west but also modern and forward looking. It is relaxed and informal with denim definitely being the uniform of choice. Locals are hospitable and helpful and there aren’t many parts of town you shouldn’t go alone.

The presences of the University of Texas Arlington brings a cosmopolitan feel to the city and influences local culture as well as broadens the local population.

Arlington neighborhoods
Some of the neighborhoods that make up Arlington include; Aurora Highlands, Arlington Ridge, Broadmont, Ashton Heights, Bluemont, Ballston-Virginia Square, Cherrydale, Clarendon-Courthouse, Columbia Pike, Donaldson Run, East Falls Church, Leeway, Lyon Park, Lyon Village, Old Glebe and Rosslyn.