By Stephanie Morrison
My husband and I moved to our house in north Arlington in August of 2000.
We had been living in Arlington for two years and were ready to buy a house – one where we could raise a family. Arlington was convenient to our jobs at the time and close to family in Bedford. We wanted to find a neighborhood with mature trees, unique homes and larger lots, as well as good schools.
We found all of that in Meadow Park Estates in north Arlington, south of Greens Oaks Boulevard and north of Interstate 30. Most of the homes here were built in the early 1970s. We personally love the character of these older homes.
I love our neighborhood for many reasons. The top reason has to be the neighbors on our street.
We are the type of street that has keys to each other’s houses and can borrow a cup of sugar or a lawn chair at a moment’s notice. We help each other during storms and home projects. When your home was built in 1971, there is always something to repair or fix or remodel.
Recently, we had an issue with some short-term rentals on our street. Our neighbors came out in force to prevent these party houses and were able to work with the city of Arlington to return them to residential homes.
The trees in our neighborhood are beautiful. It’s the first thing people notice and comment on when they drive through. In addition, we have so many parks close by. From our house, we can walk less than a block and be at Gibbins Park, which has a lovely paved walking trail, a short dirt trail, a playground and a large open field for soccer or kites. On any given day, whatever the weather, you will see people strolling their kids or walking their dogs.
River Legacy Park is our northern border. Our kids attended preschool Nature School there. Our family has spent countless hours riding bikes, hiking and playing in that park. It is a true treasure in north Arlington.
The third thing that I really love about our neighborhood is its geographic location in the Metroplex. We can jump on I-30 and be in Dallas or Fort Worth in less than 30 minutes. We have easy access to cities like Bedford and Grapevine, too. And, for more adventurous trips, DFW Airport is only 20 minutes away.
Arlington itself feels like a small town. However, it has so many options. The obvious big entertainment and sports events of course, but also the downtown has such a nice feel with local restaurants, bars and Levitt Pavilion for free outdoor concerts.
The trees and geographic location lured us to the neighborhood. The people and parks have kept us here for 23 years. Meadow Park Estates has been a wonderful and peaceful place to raise kids. It has a good balance of access to nature and entertainment and cultural activities.
We now have two teenage daughters. The oldest has graduated high school and is currently a freshman in college, living on campus, but returning every chance she gets to sleep in her room. The youngest started high school this year. Interestingly, even though the schools played a big role in deciding where we would live, we ended up homeschooling them for most of their education. The decision to homeschool was a personal decision and not a reflection of the local schools.
As we approach an empty nest, we have no plans to leave this area. There are many new developments occurring in north Arlington. We are hopeful this area will stay peaceful and convenient as it has since we have been here.
Stephanie Morrison is the owner of The Bevy Shops, a boutique and refillery, in Fort Worth. She has lived in her north Arlington home for nearly 23 years.
Meadow Park Estates
Total population: 2,072
Female: 52% | Male: 48%
Age
0-9: 10%
10-19: 11%
20-29: 4%
30-39: 10%
40-49: 11%
50-59: 14%
60-69: 15%
70-79: 15%
80 and older: 10%
Education
No degree: 8%
High school: 11%
Some college: 26%
Bachelor’s degree: 37%
Post-graduate: 17%
Race
White: 80% | Hispanic: 17% | Black: 2% | Native: 1% | Two or more: 1%
Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:
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