Arlington: 175 Years

In 1834, Robert Hurd and his family settled on a parcel of land in what is now present-day Arlington. A devout Presbyterian, Hurd named the town after his favorite church hymn. In the late 1800s, the small town of Arlington saw progress in the form of two railroads. The mid-1930s were especially prosperous, as the town enjoyed a bustling business center that included six grocery stores. The famous Arlington Homecoming Festival began in 1946 and ran for 50 years. In the 1990s, George Herbert Bush and William Jefferson Clinton made presidential campaign stops here, making history in this quiet, small town. The heart of this town can be found in its citizens, their churches, schools, and businesses, and their community park. Current and former residents alike share fond memories of their small-town lifestyle and are proud to be Arlingtonians.

The Eagle Creek Historical Organization was established in 1988 to research and preserve the history of southern Hancock County. It teamed up with the intermediate-grade Program Alternatives and Curriculum Enrichment (PACE) classes at Arlington School to research and write this history. Photographs were secured from Leslie Lazenby Hunsberger's collection from the town's sesquicentennial in 1984, as well as additional images recently shared by Arlington residents both past and present.