Pat Hamlin and Lynn Pierce organized a group of singles to visit Thistle Hill and the Ball-Eddleman-McFarland cattle baron mansions in Fort Worth and the Top O’ Hill Casino in Arlington. Forty members of the Singles Club enjoyed the October trip.
Forty members of the RR Singles Club traveled to two cattle baron mansions and Top O’Hill Casino in Arlington in October. For the cattle barons who made their fortunes at the dawning of the twentieth century, the ultimate sign of success was a grand mansion in Ft. Worth, location of the largest livestock market in the Southwest.
Thistle Hill (1904) was built in the district known as Quality Hill by Electra Waggoner, daughter of W.T. Waggoner, and her husband A.B. Wharton. This commanding mansion with a glistening green tile roof and massive limestone columns with a 14 ft. wide staircase welcomes you to an amazing era.
The Bill Eddlemas-McFarland Mansion features five chimneys, hand-carved sandstone, a wraparound porch decked in Georgian marble and stained glass windows, but wait until you see the inside of this amazing home. It features carved wood from floor to ceiling. Never restored, it remains in pristine condition.
Sometimes referred to as “Vegas before Vegas,” Top O’ Hill Terrace opened in the early 1920s as a tea room and restaurant. In the late 1920s the facilities were converted into a casino with escape tunnels and a secret room for hiding gambling paraphernalia during raids. Today the Arlington Baptist College continues to use the site and retains many of the original structures.
Members of the Singles Club look forward to the Karaoke Halloween party, the Christmas party and weekly mix ‘n mingles at the grill on Tuesdays. All members of the Singles Club are invited to attend.