Mayor Jim Ross gave the annual State of the City address on Thursday at Esports Stadium Arlington. Business owners, civic leaders and elected officials attended. The city has run a campaign this year to mark its 150th anniversary.
Ross described the city's early history, including the mineral wells that first drew outsiders. He also cited the founding of Arlington ISD and what is now the University of Texas at Arlington as key early milestones.
Ross credited former mayor Tom Vandergriff with helping the city grow past its image as a small town between Dallas and Fort Worth. He named the Arlington General Motors plant, Six Flags Over Texas and Major League Baseball as part of Vandergriff's impact. Ross also presented the Mayor's American Dream award to Geraldine Mills, who has served as director of the Arlington Historical Society.