STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS

Erath County Seat, Central Texas North

32°13'13"N 98°12'49"W (32.220168, -98.213630)

Hwys 281, 377 and 67
20 miles NW of Hico
32 miles W of Glen Rose
100 miles SW of Dallas | Fort Worth
Population: 21,164 Est. (2018)
17,123 (2010) 14,921 (2000) 13,502 (1990)

Book Hotel Here › Stephenville Hotels

The 1889 First National Bank of Stephenville
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003
More Texas Banks

History in a Milk Bottle

1854 - John M. Stephen settles in the area - donates land for town
1856 - George Bernard Erath, lays out the town when Erath County was organized
1857 - Town gets approved for post office - John Stephens is postmaster
1858 - population reaches 766 people - but Indian attacks and the Civil War reduce it to 300 by 1871
1870 - First newspaper - The Texas Pacific is printed for Erath county
1889 - Ft. Worth and Rio Grande Railroad arrives
1890s - Second newspaper appears - John Tarleton Agricultural College opens
1892 - Erath County courthouse is built. Designed by J. Riely Gordon.

The 20th Century History of Erath County is rather quiet. The growth has been slow and steady with John Tarleton College becoming Tarleton University.

Erath County became the top producing dairy county in the state - as proclaimed on the square by Moola the cow.

Stephenville, Texas street view old photo

Street view, leading to John Tarlton College
1908 Photo courtesy Dan Whatley Collection

Tarleton College Campus
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Stephenville, Texas Landmarks / Attractions

Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003

Erath County Courthouse by Sam Fenstermacher
Erath County Courthouse by Lou Ann Herda, Ed. D.

Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003

Stephenville Historical House Museum ›

Stephenville Historical House Museum
by Sam Fenstermacher

The museum's collection of structures includes several log cabin style frontier homes, a church, an old schoolhouse, and a carriage house. These buildings are all on display in the grassy field behind the Berry Cottage... more

Presbyterian Chruch
1908 Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/

Stephenville Historical House Museum Log Cabin
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003

Old stone house, Stephenville Historical House Museum

The Old Stone House
Photo courtesy Sam Fenstermacher, 2003

Stephenville Chronicles

Strange News by Mike Cox
Meteor, killer pachyderm, nine lives, dog ghost ...

The McDow Hole by Bob Hopkins
"The story of the McDow ghost became very popular by the end of the 19th century ... many people would come to the water hole hoping to get a glimpse of the specter."

Stephenville Tourist Information

Stephenville Chamber of Commerce:
187 West Washington, Texas 76401
Phone: 254-965-5313, 1-800-658-6490.
website: http://www.stephenvilletexas.org/

The chamber of commerce has a good walking / windshield tour of 21 of the towns interesting buildings complete with background information. Want to know how much the fiberglass cow cost? It's provided.

The Historical House Museum Complex at 525 E. Washington St. has seven more buildings on display.

Take a road trip

Stephenville, Texas Nearby Towns:
Hico
Glen Rose
See Erath County | Central Texas North

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