Grand Prairie may be nestled next to higher-profile Arlington and sandwiched between Dallas and Fort Worth, but the Texas city can not be overlooked when it comes to big-time entertainment options.
The city of nearly 200,000 is crisscrossed by two busy interstates and two major state highways, and all roads lead DFW Metroplex residents to fun including a horse racing track, indoor water park, skateboard park, music venue, outlet mall, flea market, a lake, parks, and more.
“We’re smack dab in the middle of the metroplex,” Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen, who has been the city’s mayor for almost a decade. “We’re right along major highways, and there’s plenty of things to do here.”
Today, Grand Prairie is the 15th largest city in the Lone Star State – larger than cities such as Waco, Brownsville, Abilene, and College Station – but the city grew very slowly after its founding in 1863 along the West Fork of the Trinity River.
In fact, Grand Prairie was more prairie than town as late as 1940 with a population then of just 1,595 spread out over 81 square miles.
Grand Prairie traces its roots to Alexander McRae Dechman’s purchase of 239.5 acres on the eastern side of the Trinity River and another 100 acres of timberland on the western side.
Dechman did not live in the area immediately, and things did not grow until he sold half his property to the T&P Railroad in 1876. A train depot, and the first post office in 1877, were originally named Dechman (or Deckman as was the case with the post office when the federal government official couldn’t read the handwriting on the application).
The area’s name was later changed to Grand Prairie, a moniker originally found on maps of the area from the 1850s that labeled the land between Dallas (founded 1841) and Fort Worth (founded 1849) as the “the grand prairie of Texas.”
Grand Prairie, incorporated as a city in 1909, and grew in the 20th century after it became a defense aviation center.
Curtiss-Wright Airport was opened in the cattle and farming community in 1929 and three years later the Hensley Army Air Force Base (later renamed Dallas Naval Air Station) was opened nearby.
“The base would forever change Grand Prairie,” says the History of Aviation in Grand Prairie.
In 1939 North American Aviation chose a site near Hensley Field for a new production plant. The federal government committed to building a $1 million housing development of 300 homes in Grand Prairie for those coming to work in the plant.
During World War II, iconic planes such as the Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the P-51C and K Mustang variants rolled out of Grand Prairie plants.
According to aviation history: “In one 30-day period, 728 aircraft were produced – a mark never bettered [sic] in the U.S. before or since.”
At the peak of the war effort, the city of previously some-1,500 employed 38,500 workers around-the-clock in three 8-hour shifts.
Grand Prairie’s proud aviation defense tradition continues today with Lockheed Martin the area’s second largest employer; Bell Helicopter-Textron the 4th largest; and Vought Aircraft Industries the 7th largest.
Grand Prairie with the largest indoor water park in North Texas, a world class skate park, a lake with 60 miles of shoreline and adjoining state park abounds with family friendly fun.
Of course, the adults are not overlooked with live horse racing at the 315-acre Lone Star Park, big-name concerts at Texas Trust CPU Theater, and The Summit, a $23 million fitness center for ages 50+.
The highlight of the year for all ages is the Prairie Lights holiday display. Opening on Thanksgiving night for 40 days, the display features more than three million lights
Here are entertainment opportunities you can take advantage of in Grand Prairie: