By Nancy Amos
My husband and I have lived in lots of places since our marriage 57 years ago.
We honeymooned in a small town in Germany for two years while he was in the Army. We lived in Tyler when he got out of the service. We lived in four places in Arlington as we each got an education and raised our family.
Today we live in Meadow Park, north of Interstate 30, where we found our home 40 years ago.
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When we first got our degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington, my husband worked in Dallas and I worked in Fort Worth for 30 years. Arlington was the perfect place for us, and we loved the schools for our kids.
Over the years, Arlington has gotten bigger as more people discovered its merits. As our needs and interests changed over time, Arlington seemed to change with us.
We like the fact that the best park in the Metroplex, River Legacy Park, is a few blocks from our home. We are there several times a week, hiking and birdwatching. We are both naturalists and appreciate the parks near our home.
When we got the book “Wild DFW”, we began to visit the parks identified in it and to appreciate the significant treasures in Arlington, like the Cross Timbers trees that are not found in Dallas.
On Jan. 1 every year, we like to hike the hill in Sheri Capehart Nature Preserve and check out the Glen Rose yucca that don’t grow in many other parts of Tarrant County.
Then there’s baseball! My dad introduced me to baseball in the old Turnpike Stadium.
I took my daughter to sit on the metal bleachers in the outfield at Arlington Stadium while my husband was in night school at UT-Arlington.
My son and I “supervised” the construction of The Ballpark in Arlington, and my grandson lost his first tooth there many years later while waiting in line for an autograph.
My dad and I attended the first opening day at The Ballpark in 1994, and he lived to see the Rangers go to the World Series in 2010 and 2011.
My grandson and I went to the All-Star Game in 2024 at Globe Life Field. How could I not love living in a home just 2 miles away from where the Rangers play?
I value and appreciate the newer things that have come to my hometown, too. The National Medal of Honor Museum is a place to honor and respect the past. I loved sharing it with my family.
The Arlington Museum of Art is a special treasure. My MPAC group toured the Pompeii exhibit. A friend who visited Pompeii said the exhibit and tour guide were more informative than those in Italy.
Arlington is a caring community.
Mission Arlington has met needs and served people for many years. The Taste Project is a new outreach program in the same vein. Churches in the city meet needs and make our community better. My tai chi class is just down the road at Elzie Odom Recreation Center, but the new ACTIV Center for seniors is an amazing place.
There is a committed group of naturalists and gardeners who volunteer in the parks. My husband volunteers with them two days a week.
The George W. Hawkes Downtown Library is an outstanding place to visit and meet. The downtown plaza with the new clock tower fountain is beautifully situated next to the Levitt Pavilion. The 60th annual Fourth of July Parade made me tear up a bit again at the presentation of the colors.
So you see, I live in a part of a small community with cosmopolitan amenities. I live where the city knows my stories and helps me recall them fondly, from neighbors who check on us because we are the older folks on the block to our letter carrier who holds our mail when we are out of town.
All of this explains why we choose to continue to live here in Meadow Park.
Nancy Amos is an Arlington retiree who worked in the transit sector for over 30 years. Now, she enjoys nature, baseball and staying active in the community.
Meadow Park Estates
Total population: 2,212
Female: 59% | Male: 41%
Age
0-9: 10%
10-19: 11%
20-29: 7%
30-39: 12%
40-49: 11%
50-59: 13%
60-69: 14%
70-79: 16%
80 and older: 7%
Education
No degree: 8%
High school: 13%
Some college: 24%
Bachelor’s degree: 33%
Post-graduate: 23%
Race
White: 73% | Hispanic: 20% | Black: 2% | Asian: 2% | Two or more: 2%
Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:
Source: Census Reporter
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