TOM J. VANDERGRIFF
4/3/1951-1/11/1977
Born in Texas, January 29, 1926, Tommy Joe Vandergriff, also known as Tom J. Vandergriff was born in Carrollton, Dallas County, Texas.
Arlington was a town with a population of less than 8,000 when Vandergriff began his 26 year term as Mayor. During that period of time, he was involved with such major endeavors as the elevation of The University of Texas at Arlington to senior college status, construction of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and development of the region's giant tourist industry.
Judge Vandergriff has served on a White House Commission on Urban Problems. He was the founding President of the North Central Texas Council of Governments and the first Chairman of the Texas Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. At various times in the past, Judge Vandergriff has been named Citizen of the Year in Arlington, Dallas and Fort Worth.
Tom Vandergriff
served four terms as
Tarrant County Judge. He has previously been Mayor of
Arlington and a United States Congressman (Republican. U.S.
Representative from Texas 26th District, 1983-85.) He retired
in January 2007.
On February 27, 2007 the City of Arlington hosted a reception recognizing the contributions of Tom Vandergriff. The reception was held in the City Hall Lobby located at the Arlington Municipal Building, 101 W. Abram St. in downtown Arlington.
