Friends of Chandor Gardens Members Activity: Guided Tour of Top O' Hill Terrace, Arlington, TX

The next Friends of Chandor Gardens Members activity is a guided tour of Top O’ Hill Terrace (a Texas Historic Landmark known as “Vegas Before Vegas” ) on August 24, 2023 at 10:00 A.M.

Top O’ Hill Terrace is located at: Arlington Baptist University, 3001 West Division, Arlington, Texas 76012. 

It is listed as one of the Top 4 Attractions in Arlington on Trip Advisor.

We will be guided by Vickie Bryant who has spent the last 20 years collecting memorabilia, photographs, and stories about Top O’ Hill Terrace, which gives her the ability to pull her audience back in time to the days of illegal gambling, moonshine, brothels, escape tunnels and murder. 

On the surface, Top O’ Hill Terrace appeared to be an elegant tearoom located along the Bankhead Highway between Fort Worth and Dallas. However, on the underside, during the 1930’s and 1940’s lurked a glitzy speakeasy and notorious casino. Top O’ Hill Terrace was the “it” place to gamble before Las Vegas became the gambling mecca of the nation.

Top O’ Hill Terrace was a place where the rich and famous rubbed shoulders with the rich and infamous. Some of the casino’s more famous visitors included; Marlene Dietrich, Will Rogers, Mae West, John Wayne, Dean Martin, Hedy Lamarr, Howard Hughes, W. C. Fields, Lana Turner, Frank Sinatra, as well as high-profile gangsters like Bugsy Siegel, Bonnie Parker, and Clyde Barrow.

Carpool Option: For those who would like to carpool we will meet at Brookshires parking lot in Willow Park at 9:00 A.M. so that we can arrive at Top O’ Hill Terrace by 9:45 A.M. If you are interested in carpooling or are willing to help drive, please advise when you register for the tour.  

Lunch Option: After the tour we can stop for lunch in the area. When we know how many are interested in staying for lunch we'll get a consensus on the restaurant and make a reservation. 

Tour Length: 2 hours

Tour Fee: $10/person

It’s sure to be a fun morning!

** Please register for this tour by August 22 with Nancy Wester - 972-746-6078 (call or text) **