As Arlington commemorates its 150th anniversary, the City of Arlington Office of Communication has launched “Arlington Archives,” a historical podcast series hosted by Arlington author and historian O.K. Carter. The series brings listeners into pivotal moments of local history through conversations with historians, city leaders and longtime residents.
“The podcast dives deep into the stories that shaped The American Dream City,” Carter said. “We’re bringing you the voices and legacies that make this city a cornerstone of Texas and a proud part of America’s story.”
Episode 1: “Arlington Eras: Arlington Brands”
In the premiere episode, Carter teams up with former Arlington mayor Richard Greene to trace the city’s roots back to the mid 19th century. The conversation covers the frontier days when surveyor Rev. Andrew S. Hayter plotted land for present day Arlington, the arrival of the Texas & Pacific Railroad and the early engines of commerce that followed. Listeners learn about the famed mineral well, Prohibition era speakeasies and the underground gambling operations that later defined Top O’ Hill Terrace.
Greene mentioned his excitement for residents to learn more about Arlington’s past.
“Except for the people listening or watching this podcast, they’re among the tiny percentage of the population of our city today that ever heard about that,” he said.
Episode 2: “Racing Through Time: Arlington’s Open Wheel Legacy”
The series shifts gears with an exploration of Arlington’s nearly forgotten racing era, timed with the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington. Carter is joined by Erica Rousseau, Processing Archivist with the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives, to uncover a local chapter of motorsports history hiding in plain sight.
“I kept hearing how this big race coming to town was being called historic,” Rousseau said. “That made me wonder, has Arlington really never seen open wheel racing before?”
To answer that, Rousseau curated “Uncovered Speed: The Legacy of Open Wheeled Racing in Arlington,” a mini exhibit that firmly places Arlington on the map of American racing history, which ran through March 30.
Episode 3: “Crossroads of Change: How Major Thoroughfares Shaped Arlington”
From dusty roadbeds to roaring interstates, Episode 3, titled “Crossroads of Change: How Major Thoroughfares Shaped Arlington,” examines how transportation corridors steered the city’s growth and identity. Carter speaks with two North Texas transportation leaders, Michael Morris, Director of Transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, and Victor Vandergriff, Executive Director of the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition.
Together, they discuss how Interstate 30, Interstate 20 and the influential Bankhead Highway redirected Arlington’s development over decades. The conversation spans regional mobility planning, the evolution of recognizable corridors, and the transformation of Arlington from a small community into a major urban center.
Episode 4: “Vegas Before Vegas: Arlington’s Secret Casino”
The newest episode takes listeners inside the layered history of Top O’ Hill Terrace through an in depth conversation between Carter and local historian Vickie Bryant. Known for extensive research on the landmark, Bryant shares how the site evolved from a bustling gambling destination into the campus of Arlington Baptist University, complete with hidden tunnels, high profile guests and federal raids.
Her research found a turning point with a 1934 Fundamentalist newspaper started by Dr. J. Frank Norris.
“There is a big giant on there that says Top O’ Hill Terrace on there,” Bryant said. “I went to my husband’s office, who was president of then Arlington Baptist College at the time, I put that on his desk, and I said, ‘I want to work on this.’ I figured he was going to tell me no. He said, ‘Go ahead.’ It was a scary thing, being closed-mouth about it all for 50 years, and all of a sudden, I’m going to step out and start to bring it into the light.”
New episodes will further explore milestones and anniversaries in Arlington’s storied past, inviting residents to discover and rediscover the history just beneath their feet.
All episodes are available on major podcast platforms and the City’s social media channels, including Facebook and YouTube.
