Arlington Historical Society: Connecting Past, Present, & Future

The Arlington Historical Society, originally called the Cemetery Society, was founded August 27, 1887, to promote, develop, and support the process of collecting and preserving documents, pictures, and historical information pertaining to the founding and growth of Arlington, Texas.

Today the Society remains dedicated to the preservation of local history while serving as caretaker of the historic Fielder House where we are headquartered, the Fielder Museum, the city's historic cemeteries, and the Knapp Heritage Park.

The Fielder Museum is located at 1616 W. Abram Street, Arlington, TX 76013, and is open 11AM to 3PM Tuesday through Saturday and other times by appointment. Admission is $5.00 for ages 12 and over, free for children under 12... LEARN MORE

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AHS Bulletins

The Saga of Seven Seas - Part 2

The Saga of Seven Seas (Part 2 of an Ongoing Series)

Arlington's failed Seven Seas Marine Life park was troubled from its inception. Part 2 of The Saga of Seven Seas examines the rough waters encountered by Mayor Tom Vandergriff and the City of Arlington between the time of the park's groundbreaking ceremony and its opening in the spring of 1972.  READ ARTICLE

Fielder Museum Temporarily Closed

Students Share Artworks and Insights After Visiting Fielder Museum and Knapp Heritage Park

A group of young students who recently visited the Fielder Museum and Knapp Heritage Park produced sketches of their impressions. Their wisdom, insight, and even humor serve to illustrate how young imaginations are fired by exposure to history and historical places. View or download the PDF linked below to view their artwork and read their reflections — and enjoy!

The Great Plains Book Cover

Texas Authors Book Club Returns!

We’re excited to announce that the Texas Authors Book Club returns this fall. Sessions will be held monthly on the third Thursdays at Fielder Museum, from September to June, with a break in December for the holidays. Each month features a different book by a notable Texas author such as J. Frank Dobie, Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, and others. With an exciting mix of books, and each month alternating between nonfiction and fiction, there’s something for everyone. The Texas Authors Book Club is a collaboration between the Arlington Historical Society and the Arlington Public Library.

Books are not provided to participants, but are available at the Arlington Public Library, used bookstores, or online. Feel free to attend one or all the sessions!

Below are the scheduled dates and featured books. Sessions start at 6:30 PM.

  • February 15: No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy (fiction)
  • March 21: The Great Plains by Walter Prescott Webb (nonfiction)
  • April 18: The Which Way Tree by Elizabeth Crook (fiction)
  • May 16: In a Narrow Grave by Larry McMurtry (nonfiction)
  • June 20: The Gay Place by Billy Lee Brammer (fiction)
Caddos, Cotton and Cowboys: Essays on Arlington, Texas Book Cover

New 4th Edition - Caddos, Cotton and Cowboys: Essays on Arlington, Texas

Caddos, Cotton and Cowboys: Essays on Arlington, Texas, takes readers on a journey through one of the most intriguing communities in the country. Located midway between Dallas and Fort Worth, Arlington is home to the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers baseball team, the original Six Flags Over Texas and the sprawling University of Texas at Arlington. The journey begins with a besieged fort on the muddy banks of the Trinity River and follows Arlington as it transitions from a pioneer village. That 180-year journey includes big time gambling (some legal and some not), gangsters and gunfights, opportunistic capitalism and a mix of shrewd and lucky politics that transform the city -- now with 400,000 people -- to a sports, entertainment and higher education Mecca.

Pick up your copy at the Fielder Museum or online at AMAZON.COM!

Focus on: Knapp Heritage Park



Knapp Heritage Park
201 Front St.
Arlington, TX 76011


Learning Arlington's History

Children from Saint Joseph's Catholic school are enjoying a day at Knapp Heritage Park. The children are learning what it was like to live in the pioneer days.


AHS Venues

Arlington Fielder House

Fielder Museum

The historic Fielder Museum is home to the Arlington Historical Society and features themed exhibits and collections relating to the history and heritage of Arlington.


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Arlington Knapp Heritage Park

Knapp Heritage Park

Knapp Heritage Park is home to three of Arlington's oldest structures and serves as a public cultural and heritage facility. The Park is available for school tours, rentals, and more.


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Arlington Heritage Memorial Grounds

Arlington Heritage Memorial Grounds

The Arlington Heritage Memorial Grounds consists of three independently established cemeteries which serve as a monument to the history of Arlington and Tarrant County.


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Recent AHS History Articles

The Saga of Seven Seas - Part 2

Plans for the new oceanarium were unveiled to the public in the spring of 1970. Mayor Tom Vandergriff was stoked, and again, his enthusiasm was proving infectious...

READ ARTICLE

Bird's Fort

In 1936 the State of Texas, through its Commission of Control for Centennial Celebrations, allocated two official historical markers for placing at sites in Tarrant County that are significnnt in the history of the...

READ ARTICLE

A Fond Farewell to Mike Nichols

Mike Nichols' blog, Hometown by Handlebar, has long been one of DFW armchair historians' best kept secrets. Based in Fort Worth, Mike's musings often found him...

READ ARTICLE
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AHS: Get Involved!

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Arlington Historical Society Membership

We depend on supporting members to preserve and promote Arlington's history, venues, and the ongoing efforts of AHS. We invite you to join us today!

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Donate Arlington Historical Society

Business sponsors, whether on the local, regional, state, or national level, are a major resource and a vital part of the continued work of AHS.

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Volunteer with Arlington Historical Society

The success of our initiatives rely on community involvement. Arlington is your hometown and AHS is your key to its history.

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