National Preservation Month Feature: The Historic Hill Neighborhood

Published on May 15, 2026

By the Office of Communication

Did you know that May is Historic Preservation Month? Throughout the month of May, the Landmark Preservation Commission is featuring historic sites and structures to highlight Arlington’s unique 150-year history.

One of Arlington’s most historic neighborhoods, The Hill, lies within a 5-block neighborhood just north of Downtown Arlington. The Hill was the only historic addition platted specifically for Arlington’s African American residents. Some of Arlington's earliest known Black residents still have descendants who remain active in the Hill community today. These descendants are also a link to Tarrant County's antebellum era.

Watch the "Echoes from The Hill: A Place of Our Own" Documentary

Postwar changes to the Hill saw many residents leave the community for better job opportunities and better housing options. When General Motors opened its local factory in 1953, several of Arlington’s Black residents were hired to work at the plant. 

Throughout most of its history, the Hill was socially, as well as physically, segregated from the rest of Arlington. In 1932, the school board decided that those who wanted to attend high school could commute to I. M. Terrell in Fort Worth. Hospitals and churches were among other local institutions that followed segregation practices during this period.

The Hill powered itself as a thriving community through its own churches, schools, restaurants, and night clubs. Despite the city's surrounding segregation, the Hill became a regional destination for the African Americans who lived in Mosier Valley, Bear Creek, and Garden of Eden.

Visit Arlington150.com for more historical articles, photos and events planned throughout 2026.