Arlington, Texas is a located in the north central part of the state, twelve miles from Fort Worth and twenty miles from Dallas. Arlington is comprised of ninety nine square miles and boasts a population of 371,000 residents. It is the tenth largest city in Texas. Arlington was founded in 1876 along the Texas and Pacific Railway lines. The city was incorporated in 1884. Although Arlington began as a predominately cotton-ginning and farming community, the city grew by leaps and bounds over the next two decades. By 1910, Arlington was considered one of the most advanced cities in the state, due to the availability of amenities such as natural gas, electricity, and telephone service. By the start of World War II, Arlington had amassed a population of over 4,000 residents. Arlington’s Pioneer Trail is a driving tour through some of the city’s most historic sites. There are numerous historic landmark plaques dotting the route, detailing events in the city. Over one hundred homes, buildings, cemeteries, museums, and other points of interest line the trial, each telling a different part of Arlington’s rich past. There are other, more modernized attractions in Arlington as well. Six Flags Over Texas is a large amusement park filled with thrill rides and other attractions. Also located on the site of Six Flags is Hurricane Harbor, a water sports theme park. Other popular Arlington venues are Arlington Highlands, Parks Mall, and Brownstone Village. Arlington Highlands is the larges of these three shopping venues, comprised of over 830,000 square feet. Aside from being a shopping center, Arlington Highlands is also an entertainment complex filled with live music venues, restaurants, and a pedestrian-friendly greenbelt.
Sports also play a big role in Arlington’s tourism industry. It is the home of the professional baseball team Texas Rangers and the future home of the Dallas Cowboys professional football team. The stadium that is currently under construction to house the Dallas Cowboys will play host to the Super Bowl XLV in 2011. College sports teams are also popular in Arlington. There are three colleges located in the city - The University of Texas Arlington (UTA), Tarrant County College, and Arlington Baptist College. The planetarium at UTA is the largest in the Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington metro area and offers a wide variety of astrology programs and presentations for visitors throughout the year. The biggest event is 100 Hours of Astronomy, which is meant to be a global effort to get everyone involved in and excited about astronomy. The event runs around the clock over the span of four days during the early Spring.