Founded Along the Rails: How July 1876 Changed Arlington Forever

By Jason S. Sullivan, Arlington Historical Society 

 As part of our Arlington 150 blog series in partnership with the Arlington Historical Society, we’re highlighting the places, people, and stories that have shaped our city over the past 150 years. This month, we're exploring the railroad’s arrival and impact on Arlington.  

Arlington’s story began with a train, but first, it began with the tracks. In 1876, the arrival of the Texas and Pacific Railway connected a small North Texas settlement to a growing network of communities, bringing new opportunities for commerce, travel, and growth. The community that formed around those rails would become the Arlington we know today.

Laying the Groundwork 

In 1871, Congress chartered the Texas and Pacific Railway Company (T & P Railroad) to build an east-west route connecting Marshall to El Paso. The line was expected to link Dallas and Fort Worth by 1874. Construction began in 1872, reaching Dallas by July 1873, but quickly halted due to economic factors. Progress stalled at Eagle Ford near Grand Prairie—less than 30 miles short of Fort Worth—where the tracks sat idle for three long years.  

Construction finally resumed in early 1876 under strict threats to revoke funding if the rails didn't reach Fort Worth by mid-year. Despite heavy spring rains, the community rallied, working alongside crews into the night by lantern light. Following two brief extensions, though cutting it close, the railroad was finally ready to connect the two major North Texas cities. 

Changing the Map 

Locally, the railroad was initially expected to pass through Johnson Station, a thriving stagecoach stop with an established general store and post office. However, a local landowner reportedly refused to sell, and the area was flood-prone, forcing surveyors to find another route westward. 

 The new site chosen sat three miles north of Johnson Station. When the railroad sought help platting this half-mile-square settlement, they turned to Reverend Andrew S. Hayter (1818–1900), a local Presbyterian preacher and surveyor who served as their consultant. The railroad offered to name the town "Hayterville" in hishonor, but "Arlington" was suggested instead to honor Robert E. Lee’s Virginia estate. Other nearby settlements quickly became obsolete as Arlington's early residents and businesses moved closer to the tracks.  

The Arrival 

People traveled for miles by wagon and horseback to witness the arrival. For many, it was their first time seeing a train. Folks dressed in their finest and brought baskets of food, clustering near the track in a grand, celebratory atmosphere. 

Painted black with gold striping, polished brass, and a red cattle guard, Engine #20 of the Texas & Pacific Railroad rumbled to a stop in what is now Arlington. After a brief visit, the train headed west toward Fort Worth to another enthusiastic welcome. 

July 19, 1876 — They said the train would come today. I had never seen one, only in pictures. A large group of us gathered near the tracks, trembling with anticipation. We waited so long. But finally, the whistle shrieked, the bell clanged, and we squinted our eyes into the distance. From out of the smoke, the train finally showed. I could see it! As it got nearer, Ma had to hold tight to my little brother to keep him from excitedly running right toward it. The ground shook as it rumbled to a stop—it made such a grand ruckus! I could scarcely breathe until it all settled, my heart was beating so fast. A man from the train then waved to us, and we were so relieved! Everyone cheered, waved back, and began to talk all at once. A few folks began to dance, tho there weren't any music, and some started unpacking their food baskets. I felt right then as though our lives had changed forever… 

—An imagined journal entry based on accounts of the day 

The Heart of the Town 

The depot rapidly became a vibrant social and commerce hub, serving as a crucial artery for people, freight, mail, and vital information. By the early 1900s, six daily trains stopped in a bustling Arlington of 1,000 residents and five cotton gins. Decades later, many young men left via these same tracks for World War II. In the early 1950s, the station served as a community rallying point to ship supplies, aid, and care packages to Bad Königshofen in Germany—Arlington’s Sister City to this day. 

Arlington had three train stations over the years all located on the north side of the tracks along Front Street. The original (1877–1902) was lost to fire. Its replacement (1904–1956) was an iconic brick structure featuring a prominent tower, serving Arlington the longest. The final depot (1956–1969) handled freight and passenger lines. After passenger service was discontinued in 1969, the building was demolished, though freight continued to be shipped, and a surviving section of the original wooden freight depot platform was honored with a Texas Historical Marker in 2023. 

A Lasting Legacy 

Railroads were vital to western expansion, though our reliance on them diminished by the 1950s with the rise of automobiles and aviation. Still, the early rails transformed the landscape and birthed a new era of American expansion and settlement.

Arlington is a true railroad town that owes its existence to the rails. Long known as just a stop between Dallas and Fort Worth, it carved out its own unique identity through destiny and determination. Today, Union Pacific freight trains still rumble through town on a daily; one of the largest users is the General Motors Assembly Plant. Even the oldest ride at Six Flags is the train—proving that a slow-moving locomotive is still revered as a nostalgic throwback to our roots.  

Texas Historical Marker for “Arlington Texas & Pacific Depot and Platform” 

Located along railroad tracks and near the original depot location. 

Without the railroad, Arlington may never have grown into a city of 400,000 peoplespanning nearly 100 square miles. Transportation in general, and the arrival of the iron horse in particular, changed the course of our history forever—a milestone celebrated on July 19, 2006, when the “City of Arlington” Texas Historical Marker was dedicated for our 130th anniversary. 

Today, these iron rails remain exactly where they were placed in 1876. While the city has evolved all around them, nothing else has remained so constant. They have been here from the very beginning, serving as a tangible, lasting link to our past. 

 About the Author 

Jason S. Sullivan is a blogger exploring the past and present of Arlington. He has contributed local history articles to the City of Arlington’s website, Downtown Arlington’s blog, and Arlington Today magazine. As a board member, newsletter editor, and social media manager for the Arlington Historical Society, he is instrumental in sharing local history and preserving stories for future generations. In 2023, he received the Debbie Reynolds-Hazen Award, recognizing a younger individual for leadership in collecting and preserving Tarrant County's history. Visit his blog at JasonSSullivan.com.