General Motors’ 70-year history in Arlington plays a big role in the city’s growth.
The factory’s move to the city in 1954 has been credited with setting the stage for Six Flags, the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Cowboys to move to Arlington.
But despite its impact on the city, it's one of the less explored parts of Arlington's story.
A new documentary produced by the city hopes to change that. "The Heartbeat of Arlington," produced by the city, is set to release Nov. 22 on YouTube.
Original footage from the '50s, interviews with prominent Arlington leaders and longtime GM employees and video from inside the factory today illustrate its long history and the impact it had on the city.
Jeremy Thomas, the director of the documentary and a communications coordinator for the city, said they packed as much original footage into the film as possible and even recreated a bumper sticker made popular when there was talk of the factory shutting down.
That bumper sticker was the namesake of the documentary, its message urging city and GM leaders to “Keep GM The Heartbeat of Arlington.”
That bumper sticker speaks to how important GM is to the city and its past.
“It goes beyond that massive complex that’s out there,” Thomas said. “It goes beyond the story they have for themselves.
A trailer posted to the streaming platform Nov. 8 shows longtime GM employees and Arlington leaders like City Manager Trey Yelverton talk about the history of the plant that has rolled out around 12 million cars since it opened in January 1954.
The trailer, with dramatic, uplifting music in the background, calls GM’s move to Arlington the start of the city’s modern history.
Interviewees talk about the impacts and credit General Motors with being the catalyst for Arlington’s growth.
“I’ll argue the case that Arlington’s luckiest day ever was when General Motors decided to cast its lot with us,” former Arlington mayor Tom Vandergriff says in the film.
It’s true that Arlington’s economy shifted with the factory’s opening. It brought new jobs, new people and, on the less thrilling but equally important side, more tax income to the city.
"I ultimately hope that residents and viewers get an understanding of how important the General Motors’ Arlington assembly is to Arlington and is to our region here in North Texas,” Thomas said. “It’s impacted so many different lives in different ways.”
Some of those lives impacted are employees who are the third or fourth generation GM employees in Arlington. They talk in the documentary, including one man who has worked there for 62 years.
He started as a teenager and just never left and still works the overnight shift, Thomas said.
Viewers will also hear from former mayors like Richard Green and Vandergriff, local historian O.K. Carter and GM corporate leaders. In total, Thomas said the documentary features 29 different voices.
Growth and improved quality of life are common trends in the documentary interviews.
John Urbanic, the executive director of the Arlington assembly plant, said being part of the history of Arlington and General Motors is something he’s proud of. He hopes the documentary shows viewers why.
“We’re very proud of the part we play here in the city of Arlington and the surrounding communities,” Urbanic said. “This is such a fantastic team and it’s very gratifying being part of such a storied history, not just with the General Motors Arlington plan but the relationship with the city of Arlington. It’s a special thing to be part of.”
The documentary will be free to watch on YouTube starting Friday. Thomas and Urbanic both said they hope people who watch the film see how special the relationship is between Arlington and General Motors and gain a deeper appreciation for the impact the city and factory have had on each other.
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