How it started…
Arlington Group was started in September or October of 1955. Carl Long and Jack Sutton moved to Arlington from Kansas City in April of that same year. Carl told a member of our group some years ago, that they went to Oak Cliff for a few months and met a few more guys. They got together and started the first group in Arlington in Bill Buzzell’s garage in September or October of 1955.
The group then moved to The First Christian Church on Mesquite Street. They met in one of the Sunday school rooms over a laundry.
Next they moved to a house on E. Abram Street that was owned by Vandergriff. Here they paid $50.00 a month rent. Here they had fish fries and people came from all over to these fish fries. Parking was just in the yard and when it rained people got stuck in the mud.
Next move was to Center Street over Keeton’s Variety Store.
The group then moved to 2516 S. Cooper St. While here the group begins to split. Some split off and started the Central Group, then the Triangle Group.
Next move was to 3518 South Cooper. The group split again and stayed at 2516 South Cooper and started the Cooper Street Group. The city of Arlington condemned this place and we were without a place to meet. Some members met at the community (center) and began to look for a place to hold meetings. This was in October and a Halloween Party was planned and no place to have it. We found a church willing to let us have our Birthday Party and Halloween Party.
We were able to get a temporary place to meet on Pioneer at the old Sears Driving School until we found a place to meet. Then we moved to the location on Roosevelt Street.
Next we moved to Pioneer and Fielder. When we had to move from there the group split again and Arlington Choices was started.
The Arlington Group moved to its present location on Bowen Rd.