Top o hill terrace photos

Most people would regard these items as the trappings of vice. The battlefield: forty-six oak-shaded acres on a hilltop in west Arlington.

You may ask, what is Top 'O Hill Terrace? This illegal gambling establishment operated for more than 20 years, from the s, before finally being shut down in the mids. If you blink you might miss the small guard shack door, a reminder that these gates once held back law enforcement while being the only entrance to this property surrounded by a wired alarm system. Guards carefully vetted gamblers, bootleggers, gangsters, and entertainers with secret passwords before allowing them to cross the gates. The views of the surrounding area are amazing as this is one of the highest points in the county.

Top o hill terrace photos

Beulah Adams Marshall bought land here along the Bankhead Highway in the early s and opened a tea room, hosting teas and serving dinners to Dallas and Fort Worth patrons. In the late s, Fred and Mary Browning purchased the property and shortly began converting the facilities into a casino, adding an escape tunnel and secret room for hiding the gambling paraphernalia during raids. Known as Top O' Hill Terrace, the popular spot attracted gamblers as well as visitors who were often unaware of the gaming activities. The restaurant, along with the tea garden that exists today, was a legitimate business, operating alongside a brothel as well as the casino, which benefited from the nearby Arlington Downs Racetrack. Contemporary to the Top O' Hill heyday was the outspoken Dr. The conservative Norris, co-founder of Fundamental Baptist Bible Institute, later known as Bible Baptist Seminary and later as the Arlington Baptist College, was an ardent proponent of prohibition and gambling reform. In , Texas Ranger Captain M. In late , under the leadership of Earl K. Oldham, the Bible Baptist Seminary bought the property and relocated here, fulfilling Norris' promise, although neither he nor Browning had lived to see it. Today, the Arlington Baptist University continues to use the site, which retains many of its original structures and features a statue of Norris by noted Sculptor Pompeo Coppini.

Bookmark the permalink. Edwards recalled. But Binion and Browning eventually caved to the pressure.

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You may ask, what is Top 'O Hill Terrace? This illegal gambling establishment operated for more than 20 years, from the s, before finally being shut down in the mids. If you blink you might miss the small guard shack door, a reminder that these gates once held back law enforcement while being the only entrance to this property surrounded by a wired alarm system. Guards carefully vetted gamblers, bootleggers, gangsters, and entertainers with secret passwords before allowing them to cross the gates. The views of the surrounding area are amazing as this is one of the highest points in the county. Vickie Bryant, wife of the former University president, greeted me at the administration building the former casino and ushered me into a small room filled with books, photos, clothing, and other artifacts. Vickie has spent the last 20 years collecting memorabilia, stories, and photographs, and retelling this amazing story. Featured on television, highlighted by tour guides, and lauded on Trip Advisor, Vickie is my guide. The tour began with a history filled presentation taking me through Top 'O Hill's beginnings as a tearoom, its heyday as a casino, and how the Baptist church came to own the property. During the presentation, Vickie showed me poker chips, a roulette wheel, fur coats and decks of cards.

Top o hill terrace photos

Most people would regard these items as the trappings of vice. The battlefield: forty-six oak-shaded acres on a hilltop in west Arlington. Frank Norris. And yet it all began so peacefully, even genteelly. On a hilltop with a grand view to the west she built an elegant building of timber and sandstone and opened a teahouse, hosting teas and dinners for ladies of refinement of Dallas and Fort Worth. Women were beginning to drive more in the early s, and the Bankhead Highway connected the teahouse to both cities. Onto the battlefield in stepped Fred C. Browning knew his way around a casino, had lots of contacts both inside and outside the law.

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It was centrally located on a major highway between Fort Worth and Dallas. She loves spending time with her husband and daughter, cooking and doing puzzles. The stories came to life with murder, intrigue, and redemption. Cheryl Hughey says:. The raiders caught fifty patrons inflagrante at the tables. Browning had hired Poe to care for his racehorses. The Reason Who? But by then the Terrace was established enough to survive on its own attractions. The teahouse could not be seen from the highway. You may ask, what is Top 'O Hill Terrace? The battlefield: forty-six oak-shaded acres on a hilltop in west Arlington. But they also had powerful enemies: law enforcement and J. Can you please email me?

Beulah Adams Marshall bought land here along the Bankhead Highway in the early s and opened a tea room, hosting teas and serving dinners to Dallas and Fort Worth patrons. In the late s, Fred and Mary Browning purchased the property and shortly began converting the facilities into a casino, adding an escape tunnel and secret room for hiding the gambling paraphernalia during raids.

Also note Frank Hamer of Bonnie and Clyde fame. Jack Poe, who worked at the Terrace for five years as a teenager in the s, recalled that a half-million dollars might change hands on a weekend during racing season. She loves spending time with her husband and daughter, cooking and doing puzzles. Hometown by Handlebar. Beulah Adams Marshall bought land here along the Bankhead Highway in the early s and opened a tea room, hosting teas and serving dinners to Dallas and Fort Worth patrons. It was beyond the city limits—and city law enforcement. Your email address will not be published. March 31, at pm. The Cyclist. The grounds of the Terrace were worthy of a country estate, landscaped and maintained by a caretaker with a staff of four. Featured on television, highlighted by tour guides, and lauded on Trip Advisor, Vickie is my guide. Browning died in A greenhouse kept fresh flowers on the tables in the restaurant. Like there was nothing bad going on. Photo from about looks north on Houston Street from just below 10th Street.