Stephenville, Texas
Encyclopedia
Stephenville is a city in and the county seat
of Erath County
, Texas
, United States
. The population was 14,921 at the 2000 census
. Founded in 1856, it is home to Tarleton State University
. Stephenville is among several communities that calls itself the "Cowboy Capital of the World".
territory and raids were common. Also the hardships of the American Civil War
forced citizens to leave. The population declined until 1871 when it grew after Stephenville became an agriculture and livestock center. Coal mining also became important to the area in 1886 and was a major source of economy for the following three decades.
Stephenville was incorporated in 1889, with the arrival of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway
. In the 1890s, many of the buildings around the town square were built, Tarleton State University opened, and the community's two newspapers merged to become the Empire-Tribune, which is still in existence. In the 20th century industry became an important part of Stephenville, and the population has steadily increased since the 1920s.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), of which, 10 square miles (25.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.
Stephenville is bisected by three major US highways. US Highway 377, US Highway 281, and US Highway 67 (which joins into US Hwy 377).
of 2000, there were 14,921 people, 5,906 households, and 3,195 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,488.3 people per square mile (574.4/km²). There were 6,632 housing units at an average density of 661.5 per square mile (255.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.84% White, 1.47% African American, .56% Samoan
, 0.58% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.50% from other races
, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.56% of the population.
There were 5,906 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.9% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 25.4% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,489, and the median income for a family was $40,115. Males had a median income of $27,143 versus $21,824 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,108. About 8.0% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
s (UFOs). According to reports, residents observed several types of UFOs, the descriptions ranging from triangular looking craft to discs. Several residents described the crafts as the size of a football field, while others said they were nearly a mile long, similar to the historic Arizona
mass sighting of March 13, 1997. Some observers reported military aircraft pursuing the objects.
CNN's Larry King
covered the news story in the days following the incident, and according to Steve Allen, a private pilot who witnessed the UFO, the object was travelling at a high rate of speed which supposedly reached 3,000 feet in the air. Allen said it was "About a half a mile wide and about a mile long. It was humongous, whatever it was."
The History Channel
show, UFO Hunters
did an investigation on the UFO sightings.
On January 23, after initially denying that any aircraft were operating in the area for
operations security purposes, the US Air Force said that it was conducting training flights in the Stephenville area that involved 10 fighter jets. The Air Force said they were merely F-16 Fighting Falcon
jets conducting night flights from NAS JRB Fort Worth
. Disgruntled employee, Angelia Joiner, who during this period was the Stephenville Empire-Tribune reporter covering the story, resigned from the paper when they ceased covering the topic. Washington Post blog
ger Emil Steiner reported that her termination may have been related to pressure from the Stephenville town fathers. MUFON has released reports about the UFO incident here. The report was based on radar data obtained from the FAA. Using the FAA radar information the detailed report tracked the F16 flight paths as well as an unknown object in the same area and time as seen by multiple witnesses. Inquiries made about the UFO incident have been stonewalled by the USAF.
On January 30, 2008 - Charlotte Littlefield Brown and George Butler produced a video interview with Steve Allen - the video can be found at http://www.greencity.com
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....
of Erath County
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....
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 14,921 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. Founded in 1856, it is home to Tarleton State University
Tarleton State University
Tarleton State University is a public, coeducational, state university located in Stephenville, Texas. It is the largest non-land-grant university primarily devoted to agriculture in the United States....
. Stephenville is among several communities that calls itself the "Cowboy Capital of the World".
History
Stephenville is named after John M. Stephen, who settled there in 1854 and donated the land for the townsite laid out by George B. Erath when the county was organized in 1856. In the first two years of its settlement, the townsite was successful; by 1858 the population reached 776. However the townsite was located in ComancheComanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
territory and raids were common. Also the hardships of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
forced citizens to leave. The population declined until 1871 when it grew after Stephenville became an agriculture and livestock center. Coal mining also became important to the area in 1886 and was a major source of economy for the following three decades.
Stephenville was incorporated in 1889, with the arrival of the Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway
Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway
The Fort Worth and Rio Grande Railway, chartered under the laws of Texas on June 1, 1885, was part of a plan conceived by Buckley Burton Paddock and other Fort Worth civic leaders to create a transcontinental route linking New York, Fort Worth, and the Pacific port of Topolobampo, which they...
. In the 1890s, many of the buildings around the town square were built, Tarleton State University opened, and the community's two newspapers merged to become the Empire-Tribune, which is still in existence. In the 20th century industry became an important part of Stephenville, and the population has steadily increased since the 1920s.
Geography
Stephenville is located at 32°13′13"N 98°12′49"W (32.220168, -98.213630).According to the United States 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 city has a total area of 10 square miles (25.9 km²), of which, 10 square miles (25.9 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.20%) is water.
Stephenville is bisected by three major US highways. US Highway 377, US Highway 281, and US Highway 67 (which joins into US Hwy 377).
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 14,921 people, 5,906 households, and 3,195 families residing in the city. 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 1,488.3 people per square mile (574.4/km²). There were 6,632 housing units at an average density of 661.5 per square mile (255.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.84% White, 1.47% African American, .56% Samoan
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
, 0.58% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.50% 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 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.56% of the population.
There were 5,906 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% 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, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.9% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 25.4% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 15.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,489, and the median income for a family was $40,115. Males had a median income of $27,143 versus $21,824 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 city was $15,108. About 8.0% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Education
- Stephenville Independent School DistrictStephenville Independent School DistrictStephenville Independent School District is a public school district based in Stephenville, Texas .In 2009, the school district was rated "academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.-Schools:*Stephenville High School...
- Stephenville High SchoolStephenville High School-Athletics:SHS has been one of the most successful football programs in the state of Texas in recent years. Though it did not make the playoffs from 1952 to 1989, the arrival of Art Briles finally turned the program around. Briles got the Yellow Jackets to the playoffs from 1989 until his departure...
(Grades 9-12) - Henderson Jr. High School (Grades 7-8)
- Gilbert Intermediate School (Grades 5-6)
- Hook Elementary School (Grades 3-4)
- Chamberlin Elementary School (Grades 1-2)
- Central Elementary School (Grades PK-K)
- Stephenville High School
- Tarleton State UniversityTarleton State UniversityTarleton State University is a public, coeducational, state university located in Stephenville, Texas. It is the largest non-land-grant university primarily devoted to agriculture in the United States....
Notable people
- Robert A. CalvertRobert A. CalvertRobert Arnold Calvert, Jr., known as Bob Calvert , was a historian and professor at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, best known for his standard textbook, The History of Texas, co-authored with Arnoldo De Leon and Gregg Cantrell.Calvert was born in Stephenville, the seat of Erath...
, Texas historianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is... - Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
, professional golferProfessional golferIn golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;... - JewelJewel (singer)Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
singer - Ty MurrayTy MurrayTy Monroe Murray is a nine-time World Champion rodeo cowboy and co-founder and board adviser of the Professional Bull Riders.-Early life:...
world champion pro rodeo cowboy - Kevin KolbKevin KolbKevin Benjamin Kolb is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Houston....
NFL quarterback - Red SnappRed SnappEarl Elmer "Red" Snapp was a longtime minor league baseball player and manager notable for leading seven teams to pennants in their respective leagues.-Early years:...
, baseball player
UFO sightings
On January 8, 2008, Stephenville gained national media attention when dozens and later hundreds of residents reported observations of unidentified flying objectUnidentified flying object
A term originally coined by the military, an unidentified flying object is an unusual apparent anomaly in the sky that is not readily identifiable to the observer as any known object...
s (UFOs). According to reports, residents observed several types of UFOs, the descriptions ranging from triangular looking craft to discs. Several residents described the crafts as the size of a football field, while others said they were nearly a mile long, similar to the historic Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
mass sighting of March 13, 1997. Some observers reported military aircraft pursuing the objects.
CNN's Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
covered the news story in the days following the incident, and according to Steve Allen, a private pilot who witnessed the UFO, the object was travelling at a high rate of speed which supposedly reached 3,000 feet in the air. Allen said it was "About a half a mile wide and about a mile long. It was humongous, whatever it was."
The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
show, UFO Hunters
UFO Hunters
UFO Hunters is an American television series that premiered on January 30, 2008 on The History Channel, produced by Motion Picture Production Inc., and ran for three seasons....
did an investigation on the UFO sightings.
On January 23, after initially denying that any aircraft were operating in the area for
operations security purposes, the US Air Force said that it was conducting training flights in the Stephenville area that involved 10 fighter jets. The Air Force said they were merely F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
jets conducting night flights from NAS JRB Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth
Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base or NAS Fort Worth JRB includes Carswell Field, a military airfield located west of the central business district of Fort Worth, in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. This military airfield is operated by United States Navy...
. Disgruntled employee, Angelia Joiner, who during this period was the Stephenville Empire-Tribune reporter covering the story, resigned from the paper when they ceased covering the topic. Washington Post blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
ger Emil Steiner reported that her termination may have been related to pressure from the Stephenville town fathers. MUFON has released reports about the UFO incident here. The report was based on radar data obtained from the FAA. Using the FAA radar information the detailed report tracked the F16 flight paths as well as an unknown object in the same area and time as seen by multiple witnesses. Inquiries made about the UFO incident have been stonewalled by the USAF.
On January 30, 2008 - Charlotte Littlefield Brown and George Butler produced a video interview with Steve Allen - the video can be found at http://www.greencity.com
External links
- Official website
- ABC News Article: UFO Visits Stephenville, Texas
- The Stephenville Empire Tribune - newspaper
- Stephenville Lights
- Steve Allen Interview