Bosque County, Texas
Encyclopedia
Bosque County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau
in the U.S. state
of Texas
. As of 2000, the population is 17,204. Its county seat
is Meridian
. Clifton
, however, is the largest city and the cultural/financial center of the county. Bosque is named for the Bosque River
, which runs through the center of the county north to south. The Brazos River makes up the eastern border along with the Lake Whitney
reservoir it feeds.
The first exploring expedition that recorded travel in this area was made in 1721 by the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo, a Spaniard who established many missions in Texas. In one trip from San Antonio de Béxar to an East Texas mission, he ventured away from the regular road, the Old San Antonio Road, and wandered north. During this time he camped near the Brazos River and a major tributary. He named this tributary Bosque, Spanish for "woods." The county, therefore, derives its name from the Bosque River.
Settlement of the area began in 1825 when Sterling C. Robertson obtained a grant from the Mexican government in order to colonize the area along the Brazos River. Very few of the homesteaders chose to live within the current boundaries of Bosque County; however, the grant did prompt travel through the area. The land granted was later transformed into districts, one being the Milam District. George B. Erath, a surveyor for both the Republic of Texas and the state of Texas, is credited with naming many of the streams and landmarks in Texas. In the late 1830s he named Meridian Creek and the Meridian Knobs for the fact that they were near the ninety-eighth meridian
. In 1841 the botched Texan-Santa Fe expedition passed through the region, and many of the travelers chose to stay. In 1847, a prominent banker from New York, Richard B. Kimball, obtained a grant of land from the state of Texas along the west bank of the Brazos river fourteen miles (21 km) north of the mouth of the Paluxy River. Soon, Kimball formed a partnership with Jacob De Cordova in order to develop this land. They planned to establish a town so that they could lure prospective settlers to move to the area. A site was chosen along the Brazos River where there was a shallow ford. They named the town after Kimball. Since this was the best spot to cross the river for miles, many east-to-west travelers came through town. At this point the Chisolm Trail crossed the waterway. The location of Kimball, therefore, made it a good stopping place for settlers, ranchers, and cowboys. Following a somewhat prosperous start, however, Kimball was missed by the railroads that were built in the county later in the decade; therefore, the town quickly declined, and only a few people remain there today.
In 1850, McLennan County was carved out of the Milam District. The same year the Universal Immigration Company of England purchased 27000 acres (109.3 km²) of land from Richard Kimball and laid out a townsite on the west bank of the Brazos. In the late 185Os, the company sent over thirty families, comprising approximately 120 people. They settled in an area between the present-day towns of Kopperl and Kimball under a massive rock formation called Solomon's Nose. They named their idealistic colony Kent. Unfortunately, the citizens of Kent fell to the same fate that their predecessors did more than a century before in Jamestown, Virginia. The first harsh winter caused many hardships that led to a high number of fatalities. During the following spring, in their last attempts to survive as a community, they bought several cattle and some seed corn; however, they failed to build a fence around the crop and the cows ate all of the corn before it could be harvested. The settlement quickly broke up, and the colonists migrated separately to other areas. Some moved back to England.
Bosque County was officially formed in February 1854 from McLennan County. Soon a site was chosen at which to locate the county seat. Erath laid out the town of Meridian in the center of the county on land donated by Dr. Josephus M. Steiner. Town lots were sold at a public auction
on the Fourth of July 1854. Soon thereafter, the first courthouse, a one-story log cabin, was erected in the middle of town. This building served the needs of the residents until 1869, when a larger frame structure was built. In 1871 this second courthouse burned. For four years the business of the county was conducted in a tent. In 1875 the third, and present, courthouse was completed, a three-story structure of native stone.
Also in 1854, Norwegian immigrants began to move to the area. Ole Canuteson, the first, believed that the land was much like that in Norway. The state of Texas offered 320 acres (1.3 km²) to each family that would settle in the new county, and the Norwegians took advantage of the offer. Cleng Peerson
, who became known as the father of Norwegian immigration to America, led the settlers to the region. The bulk of the immigrants settled in a triangular area bound by the present-day towns of Clifton
, Norse, and Cranfills Gap. Peerson was sixty-seven years old when he moved to Bosque County, and he lived the remainder of his life in the area. Many descendants of the Canutesons, Ringnesses, Dahls, Questads, and other Norwegian settlers still live in Bosque County.
The first county election took place on August 7, 1854. The turnout was small, but county officials were chosen and the local government began to function. The next significant election took place on February 23, 1861, when secession was the issue. The citizens voted for it by 233 to 81; the Norwegians voted against secession by 52 to 42. Like many other European immigrants in Central Texas, the Norwegians of southern Bosque County maintained Union sentiments throughout the conflict, though they did not join in the fighting.
The history of the Civil War era in Bosque County is sketchy because of skimpy record keeping. Between 1861 and 1865 many men from the county served in the military. The most significant contributions were to the Second Frontier District, the Nineteenth Texas Infantry, and Company H of Col. T. C. Hawpe's regiment. The latter two units saw action in the Louisiana and Arkansas campaigns, and a few of the members fought with the Army of Northern Virginia. The majority of the soldiers, however, guarded the area against Indians. In January 1865 many of them fought in the famed battle of Dove Creek battle against the Kickapoos. Although the battle took place in what it now Tom Green County, many Bosque County fighters participated; about ten of them died. Probably the most significant impact of the Civil War in Bosque County was that it slowed, and in some places halted, development. Few people moved to new counties at the time, and the Norwegians stopped coming.
The county began to make progress in the decades following the Civil War. During Reconstruction the county population grew, from 4,981 in 1870 to 11,216 in 1880. Additionally, the black population increased from 293 in 1860 to 528 in 1870. But lawlessness, including the killing of freedmen, flourished. In early 1870 the situation was so bad that the Austin Daily State Journal reported Bosque County was averaging two killings each week. Bosque County whites blamed the Republican government for these problems; the Democratic party has dominated the county ever since.
By 1880 the population had grown to 11,216, and the value of the farms in the county had finally surpassed the $1 million mark. New communities were established. Furthermore, in 1881 the Texas Central and the Santa Fe railroads came to the area, and several towns began to thrive. The number of manufacturing establishments increased from eleven in 1880 to eight-five in 1900. The county, however, did not sustain this surge of growth, and by 1920 only twenty-one manufacturers remained; the number was the same in 1977.
At the turn of the century the population had increased to 17,390, but growth fell off subsequently in livestock production, crop production, and manufacturing. There were several reasons for the local depression. The soil was exhausted and eroding. Declining prices, spring floods, summer droughts, unseasonable weather, and onslaughts of insects plagued farmers. During the second decade of the twentieth century, Bosque County witnessed its first decline in population, decreasing from a peak of 19,013 in 1910 to 18,032 in 1920. The downward trend continued until 1980. During the decade before the Great Depression, Bosque County farmers and ranchers witnessed noticeable losses in agriculture. From 1920 to 1930, the value of all farms decreased from $26,308,381 to $17,255,955. The production of wheat alone dropped by more than 500,000 bushels. Manufacturers were down to eleven by 1930. When the depression hit the entire nation in 1929, Bosque residents were already suffering from very hard times.
The residents of the county had remained faithful followers of Democratic politics from 1876 to 1932. The only break occurred in 1928, when they opposed Democratic candidate Alfred Smith because he was a Catholic with New York mannerisms. In November 1932 the county joined the voters of Texas and the rest of the nation to give Franklin D. Roosevelt an overwhelming victory at the polls. On March 25, 1933, when citizens in need of aid were required to assemble at the city hall in Clifton to register for assistance, 107 residents applied. Within a few days, half of them were employed clearing the municipal park under the Federal Emergency Relief Act. The Civilian Conservation Corps opened Camp Clifton on the banks of the Bosque River on June 21, 1933. The corps was assigned to beautify the city park and to construct low-water dams on nearby streams. Merchants of Clifton welcomed the workers with open arms. In June, articles in the local paper called for cotton growers to plow under a portion of their crops. Reportedly, at least 90 percent of the cotton farmers of the county supported the program; county farmers received an estimated $125,831 cash for the destroyed cotton. When Congress passed the National Industrial Recovery Act, "blue eagles" began to appear in store windows throughout the county. But though the New Deal assisted Bosque County residents, it they could not stop the downward trend that had begun in the 1920s.
A succession of dry years in the late 1940s and 1950s forced many farmers to abandon their farms. The total number of farms dropped from 2,229 in 1930 to 1,558 in 1950. Only 1,002 farms were registered in 1982. During the mid-twentieth century, agricultural production and some livestock production also decreased. Fortunately for the county, when agriculture dropped off, manufacturing picked up the slack. Manufacturing establishments steadily increased in number and value every census year after 1947. After 1970, employment opportunities increased due to industrial growth in lumber, stone products, limestone, and, most significantly, apparel and textiles.
During the 1980s, Bosque County grew in population and economy. In the late 1970s and 1980s residents of Clifton, the largest town, carried out "Operation Comeback." The town grew by 40 percent in population and more than 100 percent in businesses. The town renovated old buildings in order to open a modern home for senior citizens, established Goodall-Witcher Hospital, and opened a 150-employee garment factory, an oilfield-tool manufacturing plant, and a 100-employee lime plant.
In 1990, the population of Bosque County reached 13,924, of which 91 percent were Anglo; the peak of 1920 was still unattained. Bosque County ranks fourteenth among all United States counties in the percentage of its population that is sixty-five years of age or older. In addition to Clifton, Meridian, and Valley Mills, the county has numerous small towns. As of 1982, there were 7,420 registered voters in the county. Voter turnout ranged remarkably between 58 and 73 percent in the 1980s; 97 percent voted Democratic and three percent voted Republican in the 1982 primaries. About half of those registered cast a ballot. Voting in presidential elections has varied. Since supporting Franklin Delano Roosevelt for four terms, county voters switched to the Republican candidates in 1952, 1972, and 1980 through 1992. The education level in the county has steadily decreased. In 1850, 22 percent of the population had graduated from high school; in 1980, 44 percent.
, Meridian, is situated in the center of the county at latitude 31°56' N and longitude 97°39' W. The county lies approximately sixty miles south of Dallas-Fort Worth and forty miles north of Waco
. Bosque County is bordered by Erath
and Somervell
counties to the north, Johnson
and Hill counties to the east, McLennan
and Coryell
counties to the south, and Hamilton County to the west. State Highways 6, 174, 144, 22, and 65 traverse the county, along with numerous county and farm-to-market roads; the public road system comprises 1106 miles (1,779.9 km).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
, the county has a total area of 1003 square miles (2,597.8 km²), of which 989 square miles (2,561.5 km²) is land and 13 square miles (33.7 km²) (1.34%) is water.
Bosque County is an agrarian area that covers 989 square miles (2,561.5 km²). As a part of the Grand Prairie subdivision of the North Central Plains, the land is primarily an area of shallow to deep, well-drained soils underlain by limestone
. Around the streams are deep, well-drained and moderately well-drained soils. Many believe that the soil is the most important natural resource of the county because the life of the livestock and the flora and fauna depend heavily upon it. Much sand, gravel, and limestone are mined in the county for construction. The alluvial soils of the riverbottoms promote the growth of elm, cottonwood, river birch, sycamore, ash, pecan, and a variety of oak trees. The area is also distinguished by clusters of flat-topped hills separated by low areas of flat grassland. Although many grasses cover the prairie areas of Bosque County, Johnson grass is the most common. Numerous livestock graze in the county, where sudden outcroppings of white limestone form tall, steep hills or cliffs. Throughout the plains areas, cedars, oaks, and mesquites are prevalent. The only commercial mineral found in Bosque County is limestone. In this region of rolling hills, the altitude ranges from 480 to 1200 feet (365.8 m).
Bosque County is considered a "well-watered" area. The Brazos River borders the eastern edge of the county, and the Bosque River cuts through the center of the county north to south. Besides the major rivers, there are numerous smaller watercourses or tributaries, such as Mesquite, Grass, Hill, Duffan's, Fall, Honey, Neils, Bee, Meridian, Spring, Turkey, and Mill creeks. Near the northeast corner of the county lies the well-known Kimball's Bend in the Brazos River. In 1951 Lake Whitney was constructed on the Brazos River at the southeastern edge of Bosque County. This reservoir is used for recreation, flood control, and power generation. Throughout the county, the supply of water is adequate for domestic use, livestock, and irrigation.
, the result of a freak meteorological phenomenon whereby a dying thunderstorm collapsed over the town. Rainfall is uniformly distributed throughout the county with an average of 33 inches a year. The heaviest one-day rainfall was 6.22 inches, measured at Whitney Dam on October 19, 1971. The average growing season lasts 243 days; the last freeze usually occurs in late March and the first freeze around late November. Along the North Bosque River in the southmost corner of the county, where the impermeable bedrock is most widely extended, serious floods occur. Intensive cultivation of the land has been a problem throughout the history of the county. Since the survival of the area depends on the soil, governmental agencies attempt through management to guard against flooding or erosion and exhaustion of the soil.
-Fort Worth
DMA. Local media outlets include: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV
, WFAA-TV
, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV
, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. Although located in Central Texas
and a neighboring county of the Waco
and Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan areas. Meaning all of the Waco
/Temple
/Killeen
market stations also provide coverage for Bosque County. They include: KCEN-TV
, KWTX-TV
, KXXV-TV, KDYW, and KWKT-TV.
of 2000, there were 17,204 people, 6,726 households, and 4,856 families residing in the county. The population density
was 17 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 8,644 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.75% White
, 1.92% Black
or African American
, 0.55% Native American
, 0.11% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 5.17% from other races
, and 1.47% from two or more races. 12.23% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 6,726 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,181, and the median income for a family was $40,763. Males had a median income of $31,669 versus $21,739 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,455. About 8.9% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.
Edwards Plateau
The Edwards Plateau is a region of west-central Texas which is bounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and east, the Llano Uplift and the Llano Estacado to the north, and the Pecos River and Chihuahuan Desert to the west. San Angelo, Austin, San Antonio and Del Rio roughly outline the area...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. As of 2000, the population is 17,204. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Meridian
Meridian, Texas
Meridian is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The population was 1,491 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bosque County, Texas.-Geography:Meridian is located at ....
. Clifton
Clifton, Texas
Clifton is the largest city in Bosque County in Central Texas. The city's population was 3,542 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clifton is located at ....
, however, is the largest city and the cultural/financial center of the county. Bosque is named for the Bosque River
Bosque River
The Bosque River is a long river in Central Texas fed by four primary branches. The longest branch, the North Bosque, forms near Stephenville, and flows toward Waco through Hamilton, Bosque and McLennan counties. It is subsequently joined by the East Bosque in Bosque County and the Middle and...
, which runs through the center of the county north to south. The Brazos River makes up the eastern border along with the Lake Whitney
Lake Whitney (Texas)
Lake Whitney is a flood control reservoir on the main stem of the Brazos River in Texas. It is located on River Mile Marker 442 and controls drainage for of Texas and parts of New Mexico. The reservoir encompasses a surface area of more than 23,500 acres and of shoreline. The area consists of...
reservoir it feeds.
History
Tonkawa, Waco, and Tawakoni Indians roamed Central Texas long before settlement by European Americans. The Tonkawas were the most predominant in number, and they proved to be quite peaceable. They are said to have claimed that they never took a scalp. They were a small group, and the only complaint that the settlers registered against them was stealing. The Comanches, who lived nearby, occasionally raided travelers or settlers in the Bosque territory to steal horses and property or to take scalps. When whites followed them in attempts to regain their property, the Tonkawas often acted as their guides.The first exploring expedition that recorded travel in this area was made in 1721 by the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo, a Spaniard who established many missions in Texas. In one trip from San Antonio de Béxar to an East Texas mission, he ventured away from the regular road, the Old San Antonio Road, and wandered north. During this time he camped near the Brazos River and a major tributary. He named this tributary Bosque, Spanish for "woods." The county, therefore, derives its name from the Bosque River.
Settlement of the area began in 1825 when Sterling C. Robertson obtained a grant from the Mexican government in order to colonize the area along the Brazos River. Very few of the homesteaders chose to live within the current boundaries of Bosque County; however, the grant did prompt travel through the area. The land granted was later transformed into districts, one being the Milam District. George B. Erath, a surveyor for both the Republic of Texas and the state of Texas, is credited with naming many of the streams and landmarks in Texas. In the late 1830s he named Meridian Creek and the Meridian Knobs for the fact that they were near the ninety-eighth meridian
98th meridian west
The meridian 98° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
. In 1841 the botched Texan-Santa Fe expedition passed through the region, and many of the travelers chose to stay. In 1847, a prominent banker from New York, Richard B. Kimball, obtained a grant of land from the state of Texas along the west bank of the Brazos river fourteen miles (21 km) north of the mouth of the Paluxy River. Soon, Kimball formed a partnership with Jacob De Cordova in order to develop this land. They planned to establish a town so that they could lure prospective settlers to move to the area. A site was chosen along the Brazos River where there was a shallow ford. They named the town after Kimball. Since this was the best spot to cross the river for miles, many east-to-west travelers came through town. At this point the Chisolm Trail crossed the waterway. The location of Kimball, therefore, made it a good stopping place for settlers, ranchers, and cowboys. Following a somewhat prosperous start, however, Kimball was missed by the railroads that were built in the county later in the decade; therefore, the town quickly declined, and only a few people remain there today.
In 1850, McLennan County was carved out of the Milam District. The same year the Universal Immigration Company of England purchased 27000 acres (109.3 km²) of land from Richard Kimball and laid out a townsite on the west bank of the Brazos. In the late 185Os, the company sent over thirty families, comprising approximately 120 people. They settled in an area between the present-day towns of Kopperl and Kimball under a massive rock formation called Solomon's Nose. They named their idealistic colony Kent. Unfortunately, the citizens of Kent fell to the same fate that their predecessors did more than a century before in Jamestown, Virginia. The first harsh winter caused many hardships that led to a high number of fatalities. During the following spring, in their last attempts to survive as a community, they bought several cattle and some seed corn; however, they failed to build a fence around the crop and the cows ate all of the corn before it could be harvested. The settlement quickly broke up, and the colonists migrated separately to other areas. Some moved back to England.
Bosque County was officially formed in February 1854 from McLennan County. Soon a site was chosen at which to locate the county seat. Erath laid out the town of Meridian in the center of the county on land donated by Dr. Josephus M. Steiner. Town lots were sold at a public auction
Public auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
on the Fourth of July 1854. Soon thereafter, the first courthouse, a one-story log cabin, was erected in the middle of town. This building served the needs of the residents until 1869, when a larger frame structure was built. In 1871 this second courthouse burned. For four years the business of the county was conducted in a tent. In 1875 the third, and present, courthouse was completed, a three-story structure of native stone.
Also in 1854, Norwegian immigrants began to move to the area. Ole Canuteson, the first, believed that the land was much like that in Norway. The state of Texas offered 320 acres (1.3 km²) to each family that would settle in the new county, and the Norwegians took advantage of the offer. Cleng Peerson
Cleng Peerson
Cleng Peerson was a Norwegian-American pioneer who led the first group of Norwegians to emigrate to the United States, traveling on the Norwegian sloop Restauration.-Background:...
, who became known as the father of Norwegian immigration to America, led the settlers to the region. The bulk of the immigrants settled in a triangular area bound by the present-day towns of Clifton
Clifton, Texas
Clifton is the largest city in Bosque County in Central Texas. The city's population was 3,542 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clifton is located at ....
, Norse, and Cranfills Gap. Peerson was sixty-seven years old when he moved to Bosque County, and he lived the remainder of his life in the area. Many descendants of the Canutesons, Ringnesses, Dahls, Questads, and other Norwegian settlers still live in Bosque County.
The first county election took place on August 7, 1854. The turnout was small, but county officials were chosen and the local government began to function. The next significant election took place on February 23, 1861, when secession was the issue. The citizens voted for it by 233 to 81; the Norwegians voted against secession by 52 to 42. Like many other European immigrants in Central Texas, the Norwegians of southern Bosque County maintained Union sentiments throughout the conflict, though they did not join in the fighting.
The history of the Civil War era in Bosque County is sketchy because of skimpy record keeping. Between 1861 and 1865 many men from the county served in the military. The most significant contributions were to the Second Frontier District, the Nineteenth Texas Infantry, and Company H of Col. T. C. Hawpe's regiment. The latter two units saw action in the Louisiana and Arkansas campaigns, and a few of the members fought with the Army of Northern Virginia. The majority of the soldiers, however, guarded the area against Indians. In January 1865 many of them fought in the famed battle of Dove Creek battle against the Kickapoos. Although the battle took place in what it now Tom Green County, many Bosque County fighters participated; about ten of them died. Probably the most significant impact of the Civil War in Bosque County was that it slowed, and in some places halted, development. Few people moved to new counties at the time, and the Norwegians stopped coming.
The county began to make progress in the decades following the Civil War. During Reconstruction the county population grew, from 4,981 in 1870 to 11,216 in 1880. Additionally, the black population increased from 293 in 1860 to 528 in 1870. But lawlessness, including the killing of freedmen, flourished. In early 1870 the situation was so bad that the Austin Daily State Journal reported Bosque County was averaging two killings each week. Bosque County whites blamed the Republican government for these problems; the Democratic party has dominated the county ever since.
By 1880 the population had grown to 11,216, and the value of the farms in the county had finally surpassed the $1 million mark. New communities were established. Furthermore, in 1881 the Texas Central and the Santa Fe railroads came to the area, and several towns began to thrive. The number of manufacturing establishments increased from eleven in 1880 to eight-five in 1900. The county, however, did not sustain this surge of growth, and by 1920 only twenty-one manufacturers remained; the number was the same in 1977.
At the turn of the century the population had increased to 17,390, but growth fell off subsequently in livestock production, crop production, and manufacturing. There were several reasons for the local depression. The soil was exhausted and eroding. Declining prices, spring floods, summer droughts, unseasonable weather, and onslaughts of insects plagued farmers. During the second decade of the twentieth century, Bosque County witnessed its first decline in population, decreasing from a peak of 19,013 in 1910 to 18,032 in 1920. The downward trend continued until 1980. During the decade before the Great Depression, Bosque County farmers and ranchers witnessed noticeable losses in agriculture. From 1920 to 1930, the value of all farms decreased from $26,308,381 to $17,255,955. The production of wheat alone dropped by more than 500,000 bushels. Manufacturers were down to eleven by 1930. When the depression hit the entire nation in 1929, Bosque residents were already suffering from very hard times.
The residents of the county had remained faithful followers of Democratic politics from 1876 to 1932. The only break occurred in 1928, when they opposed Democratic candidate Alfred Smith because he was a Catholic with New York mannerisms. In November 1932 the county joined the voters of Texas and the rest of the nation to give Franklin D. Roosevelt an overwhelming victory at the polls. On March 25, 1933, when citizens in need of aid were required to assemble at the city hall in Clifton to register for assistance, 107 residents applied. Within a few days, half of them were employed clearing the municipal park under the Federal Emergency Relief Act. The Civilian Conservation Corps opened Camp Clifton on the banks of the Bosque River on June 21, 1933. The corps was assigned to beautify the city park and to construct low-water dams on nearby streams. Merchants of Clifton welcomed the workers with open arms. In June, articles in the local paper called for cotton growers to plow under a portion of their crops. Reportedly, at least 90 percent of the cotton farmers of the county supported the program; county farmers received an estimated $125,831 cash for the destroyed cotton. When Congress passed the National Industrial Recovery Act, "blue eagles" began to appear in store windows throughout the county. But though the New Deal assisted Bosque County residents, it they could not stop the downward trend that had begun in the 1920s.
A succession of dry years in the late 1940s and 1950s forced many farmers to abandon their farms. The total number of farms dropped from 2,229 in 1930 to 1,558 in 1950. Only 1,002 farms were registered in 1982. During the mid-twentieth century, agricultural production and some livestock production also decreased. Fortunately for the county, when agriculture dropped off, manufacturing picked up the slack. Manufacturing establishments steadily increased in number and value every census year after 1947. After 1970, employment opportunities increased due to industrial growth in lumber, stone products, limestone, and, most significantly, apparel and textiles.
During the 1980s, Bosque County grew in population and economy. In the late 1970s and 1980s residents of Clifton, the largest town, carried out "Operation Comeback." The town grew by 40 percent in population and more than 100 percent in businesses. The town renovated old buildings in order to open a modern home for senior citizens, established Goodall-Witcher Hospital, and opened a 150-employee garment factory, an oilfield-tool manufacturing plant, and a 100-employee lime plant.
In 1990, the population of Bosque County reached 13,924, of which 91 percent were Anglo; the peak of 1920 was still unattained. Bosque County ranks fourteenth among all United States counties in the percentage of its population that is sixty-five years of age or older. In addition to Clifton, Meridian, and Valley Mills, the county has numerous small towns. As of 1982, there were 7,420 registered voters in the county. Voter turnout ranged remarkably between 58 and 73 percent in the 1980s; 97 percent voted Democratic and three percent voted Republican in the 1982 primaries. About half of those registered cast a ballot. Voting in presidential elections has varied. Since supporting Franklin Delano Roosevelt for four terms, county voters switched to the Republican candidates in 1952, 1972, and 1980 through 1992. The education level in the county has steadily decreased. In 1850, 22 percent of the population had graduated from high school; in 1980, 44 percent.
Important Residents
Several prominent persons were born or resided in Bosque County. Among them were:- Calvin M. Cureton, Texas Attorney GeneralTexas Attorney GeneralThe Texas Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Texas.The department has offices at the William P. Clements State Office Building at 300 West 15th Street in Austin.-History:...
from 1919 to 1921, Texas Chief Justice 1921-1940. - James E. FergusonJames E. FergusonJames Edward "Pa" Ferguson, Jr. , was a Democratic politician from the state of Texas.- Early life :Ferguson was born to the Reverend James Ferguson, Sr., and Fannie Ferguson near Salado in south Bell County, Texas. He entered Salado College at age twelve but was eventually expelled for...
26th Governor of TexasGovernor of TexasThe governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
. - Miriam A. FergusonMiriam A. FergusonMiriam Amanda Wallace "Ma" Ferguson was the first female Governor of Texas in 1925. She held office until 1927, later winning another term in 1933 and serving until 1935.-Early life:...
, James' wife and the 29th and 32nd Governor of Texas. - Earle B. Mayfield, Texas State Senator, United States Senator.
- John LomaxJohn LomaxJohn Avery Lomax was an American teacher, a pioneering musicologist and folklorist who did much for the preservation of American folk songs...
, American musicologist and folklorist.
Geography
Bosque County (F-16) is located in Central Texas. The county seatCounty seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, Meridian, is situated in the center of the county at latitude 31°56' N and longitude 97°39' W. The county lies approximately sixty miles south of Dallas-Fort Worth and forty miles north of Waco
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. Bosque County is bordered by Erath
Erath County, Texas
Erath County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 33,001. It is named for George Bernard Erath, an early surveyor and a soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto. The seat of the county is Stephenville....
and Somervell
Somervell County, Texas
There were 2,438 households out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had...
counties to the north, Johnson
Johnson County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 126,811 people, 43,636 households, and 34,428 families residing in the county. The population density was 174 people per square mile . There were 46,269 housing units at an average density of 63 per square mile...
and Hill counties to the east, McLennan
McLennan County, Texas
McLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 213,517; in 2008 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population to be 230,213. Its seat is Waco. The county is named for Neil McLennan, an early settler....
and Coryell
Coryell County, Texas
Coryell County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 74,978. The county seat is Gatesville. Coryell County forms part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area...
counties to the south, and Hamilton County to the west. State Highways 6, 174, 144, 22, and 65 traverse the county, along with numerous county and farm-to-market roads; the public road system comprises 1106 miles (1,779.9 km).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 1003 square miles (2,597.8 km²), of which 989 square miles (2,561.5 km²) is land and 13 square miles (33.7 km²) (1.34%) is water.
Bosque County is an agrarian area that covers 989 square miles (2,561.5 km²). As a part of the Grand Prairie subdivision of the North Central Plains, the land is primarily an area of shallow to deep, well-drained soils underlain by limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. Around the streams are deep, well-drained and moderately well-drained soils. Many believe that the soil is the most important natural resource of the county because the life of the livestock and the flora and fauna depend heavily upon it. Much sand, gravel, and limestone are mined in the county for construction. The alluvial soils of the riverbottoms promote the growth of elm, cottonwood, river birch, sycamore, ash, pecan, and a variety of oak trees. The area is also distinguished by clusters of flat-topped hills separated by low areas of flat grassland. Although many grasses cover the prairie areas of Bosque County, Johnson grass is the most common. Numerous livestock graze in the county, where sudden outcroppings of white limestone form tall, steep hills or cliffs. Throughout the plains areas, cedars, oaks, and mesquites are prevalent. The only commercial mineral found in Bosque County is limestone. In this region of rolling hills, the altitude ranges from 480 to 1200 feet (365.8 m).
Bosque County is considered a "well-watered" area. The Brazos River borders the eastern edge of the county, and the Bosque River cuts through the center of the county north to south. Besides the major rivers, there are numerous smaller watercourses or tributaries, such as Mesquite, Grass, Hill, Duffan's, Fall, Honey, Neils, Bee, Meridian, Spring, Turkey, and Mill creeks. Near the northeast corner of the county lies the well-known Kimball's Bend in the Brazos River. In 1951 Lake Whitney was constructed on the Brazos River at the southeastern edge of Bosque County. This reservoir is used for recreation, flood control, and power generation. Throughout the county, the supply of water is adequate for domestic use, livestock, and irrigation.
Major highways
State Highway 6State Highway 6 (Texas)State Highway 6 runs from the Red River, the Texas–Oklahoma boundary, to northwest of Galveston. In the Houston area, it runs north to FM 1960, then northwest along US Highway 290 to Hempstead, and south to Westheimer Road and Addicks, and is known as Addicks Satsuma Road. In the...
State Highway 22State Highway 22 (Texas)State Highway 22, or SH 22, runs from Corsicana to Hamilton in north central Texas.-Previous routes: SH 22 was one of the 26 original state highways proposed in 1917, along a path from Wichita Falls to Comanche. By 1919, plans had been extended from Comanche eastward to Corsicana...
State Highway 144
State Highway 174State Highway 174 (Texas)State Highway 174 is a state highway in Texas that connects Meridian and Burleson.-Route description:SH 174 begins in Bosque County at an intersection with in Meridian. The route travels northward out of the city and through Morgan. It briefly enters Hill County, passing to the north of Lake...
Adjacent counties
- Somervell CountySomervell County, TexasThere were 2,438 households out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.50% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.20% had...
(north) - Johnson CountyJohnson County, TexasAs of the census of 2000, there were 126,811 people, 43,636 households, and 34,428 families residing in the county. The population density was 174 people per square mile . There were 46,269 housing units at an average density of 63 per square mile...
(northeast) - Hill County (east)
- McLennan CountyMcLennan County, TexasMcLennan County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas. In 2000, its population was 213,517; in 2008 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population to be 230,213. Its seat is Waco. The county is named for Neil McLennan, an early settler....
(southeast) - Coryell CountyCoryell County, TexasCoryell County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 74,978. The county seat is Gatesville. Coryell County forms part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area...
(south) - Hamilton County (west)
- Erath CountyErath County, TexasErath County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 33,001. It is named for George Bernard Erath, an early surveyor and a soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto. The seat of the county is Stephenville....
(northwest)
Climate
Bosque County is very hot in the summer and cool in the winter, with occasional cold surges that cause sharp drops in otherwise mild temperatures. In the winter, the average low temperature is 47 °F. The lowest temperature on record, however, is -3°, recorded at Whitney Dam on February 2, 1951. During the summer, the average daily high temperature is 95°. A record 111° was recorded on July 26, 1954; however, an unofficial record of 140° was recorded on June 15, 1960 in KopperlKopperl, Texas
Kopperl is an unincorporated community in Bosque County, Texas, United States. It lies on the northwestern end of Lake Whitney, and has an estimated population of 225.-History:...
, the result of a freak meteorological phenomenon whereby a dying thunderstorm collapsed over the town. Rainfall is uniformly distributed throughout the county with an average of 33 inches a year. The heaviest one-day rainfall was 6.22 inches, measured at Whitney Dam on October 19, 1971. The average growing season lasts 243 days; the last freeze usually occurs in late March and the first freeze around late November. Along the North Bosque River in the southmost corner of the county, where the impermeable bedrock is most widely extended, serious floods occur. Intensive cultivation of the land has been a problem throughout the history of the county. Since the survival of the area depends on the soil, governmental agencies attempt through management to guard against flooding or erosion and exhaustion of the soil.
Local media
Bosque County is currently listed as part of the DallasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
-Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
DMA. Local media outlets include: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV
KXAS-TV
KXAS-TV, virtual channel 5 , is the NBC television station for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The station was Texas' first television station when the station made its debut on September 28, 1948. Its transmitter is located in Cedar Hill...
, WFAA-TV
WFAA-TV
WFAA, channel 8, is an ABC-affiliated television station serving the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex, one of the top ten media markets in North America. The station is the flagship of Belo Corporation and the largest ABC affiliate not owned and operated by the network...
, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV
KERA-TV
KERA-TV, virtual channel 13 , is the PBS member station in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Licensed to Dallas, it broadcasts from a transmitter located in Cedar Hill. However, it also serves as the default PBS station for the Abilene, San Angelo and Tyler/Longview/Lufkin/Nacogdoches markets, as...
, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV. Although located in Central Texas
Central Texas
Central Texas , is a region in the U.S. state of Texas. It is roughly bordered by San Marcos to Fredericksburg to Waco, and to Brenham, and includes the Austin–Round Rock, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Bryan-College Station, and Waco metropolitan areas...
and a neighboring county of the Waco
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
and Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood metropolitan areas. Meaning all of the Waco
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
/Temple
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
/Killeen
Killeen, Texas
Killeen is a city in Bell County, Texas, The United States. The population was 86,911 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, Killeen had 119,510 people. In 2010 Killeen's population shot to 127,921...
market stations also provide coverage for Bosque County. They include: KCEN-TV
KCEN-TV
KCEN-TV, virtual channel 6, is the NBC affiliate for Waco, Killeen and Temple, Texas. Licensed to nearby Temple, it is owned by London Broadcasting. It was founded in 1953 by Frank W. Mayborn, publisher of the nearby Temple Daily Telegram newspaper...
, KWTX-TV
KWTX-TV
KWTX-TV, channel 10, is a full-power television station in Waco, Texas, serving Central Texas as a CBS affiliate. Owned by Gray Television, it airs a digital signal on VHF channel 10...
, KXXV-TV, KDYW, and KWKT-TV.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 17,204 people, 6,726 households, and 4,856 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 17 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 8,644 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.75% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.92% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.55% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.11% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 5.17% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.47% from two or more races. 12.23% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 6,726 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,181, and the median income for a family was $40,763. Males had a median income of $31,669 versus $21,739 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $17,455. About 8.9% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.8% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- CliftonClifton, TexasClifton is the largest city in Bosque County in Central Texas. The city's population was 3,542 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clifton is located at ....
- Cranfills GapCranfills Gap, TexasCranfills Gap is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The population was 335 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cranfills Gap is located at ....
- KopperlKopperl, TexasKopperl is an unincorporated community in Bosque County, Texas, United States. It lies on the northwestern end of Lake Whitney, and has an estimated population of 225.-History:...
(unincorporated) - IredellIredell, TexasIredell is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The population was 360 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Iredell is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- Laguna ParkLaguna Park, TexasLaguna Park is an unincorporated community in Bosque County in Central Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 550 in 2000....
(unincorporated) - MeridianMeridian, TexasMeridian is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The population was 1,491 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Bosque County, Texas.-Geography:Meridian is located at ....
- MorganMorgan, TexasMorgan is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The cities population was 485 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Morgan is located at ....
- MosheimMosheim, TexasMosheim is an unincorporated community in Bosque County in Central Texas. It has a population of around 50 people.- Overview :The town is about 7.5 miles west of Valley Mills, Texas, and 23 miles northwest of Waco, Texas....
(unincorporated) - Valley MillsValley Mills, TexasValley Mills is a city in Bosque and McLennan Counties in Central Texas. The population was 1,123 at the 2000 census.The McLennan County portion of Valley Mills is part of the Waco Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
(partly in McLennan County) - Walnut SpringsWalnut Springs, TexasWalnut Springs is a city located in Bosque County in Central Texas. The population was 755 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Walnut Springs is located at ....
- Womack (unincorporated)
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Bosque County, Texas
External links
- Official website for Bosque County
- Bosque County in Handbook of Texas Online
- Bosque County Collection The Archives of the Bosque County Historical Commission.
- View historic materials from the Bosque County Historical Commission, hosted by the Portal to Texas History