Community Outreach
The Significance of the Top O’ Hill Terrace Collaborative Project
The University of Texas at Arlington and Arlington Baptist University have both exerted considerable effort to preserve the location and artifacts of Top O’ Hill. Arlington Baptist University has taken on the responsibility of safeguarding numerous documents and artifacts from Top O’ Hill. The institution also helps maintain the physical structure of the property. UTA has taken on the job of digitizing and preserving as many of the historical documents and artifacts as possible, in an effort to save Top O’ Hill Terrace from a fate so many other historical sites have been dealt: Being lost to time.
“We are the last remaining piece of Arlington history. The only part of old history is on this campus, and we are still here.” – Vickie Bryant
Preserving Arlington’s Legacy: A Message from Mayor Jim Ross
The Top O’ Hill Terrace project reflects Arlington’s dedication to preserving its rich history, and this vision was set in motion by Arlington Mayor Jim Ross. Recognizing the importance of connecting the past to the future, Mayor Ross played a pivotal role in initiating this collaborative effort between the University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington Baptist University, and Top O’ Hill Terrace.
Mayor Ross shared his perspective on the project’s significance:
“In order for Arlington to have a good understanding of where we’re gonna go in the future, we have to have a great understanding of where we’ve come from. And that’s critically important.”
His leadership and commitment to preserving Arlington’s legacy have been instrumental in ensuring that the stories and artifacts of Top O’ Hill Terrace are safeguarded for future generations. This project serves as a cornerstone for fostering a deeper understanding of Arlington’s unique history and its influence on the city’s growth and identity.
Preserving History: UTA’s Special Collections and Archives Team
The University of Texas at Arlington’s Special Collections and Archives plays a vital role in preserving the history of Top O’ Hill Terrace. Kera Newby, Director of Special Collections and Archives, also serves as the director of this community outreach project. Her responsibilities include addressing technical and legal questions related to the physical artifacts being archived and providing recommendations to Ms. Vickie Bryant. Kera offers consulting guidance to ensure proper handling of documents, particularly regarding copyright laws and other legal considerations. Reflecting on her involvement, Kera expressed gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate on such a meaningful project, preserving a piece of Arlington’s history that might otherwise be lost.
Taking a step further into the UTA library you will find Amy Castillo, a research associate in UTA’s Special Collections. Amy explains that the process of scanning and classifying has started off a little slow. And just like any project, until you get your system down the way you want it things just take time. Out of the 25 binders, one binder took 10 hours to complete because manipulating the metadata to get the kind of results you want takes time. The average for the project is about 7 to 12 hours per week according to Amy. Her role is that of a facilitator, so she is keeping track of materials needed and everything else in between. The machines providing the horsepower she mentioned was the document feeder, it makes copies, the document scanner for pictures, and the quartz scanner which accommodates larger materials like newspapers. She estimates the work will take 6 to 8 months to complete.
The goal and vision of these two entities with respect to these idle historical documents is to preserve and safeguard them through digitization efforts made attainable at a crucial moment in Arlington’s history. Top O’ Hill is perhaps the oldest and most enduring piece of history left in Arlington besides cemeteries.