| Besides Stephenville, Texas, there are several | | | | regularly around the Cross Timbers area, |
| cities across the nation that refer to themselves | | | | especially Stephenville and nearby Dublin, according |
| as the "Cowboy Capital of the World." Whoa! | | | | to local old-timers. Many of these are honored off |
| Now, wait a minute! How can Dodge City, Kansas, | | | | downtown Stephenville's Heritage Square where |
| Banderas, Texas and Oakdale, California ALL claim | | | | you'll find the Cowboy Capital Walk of Fame, here |
| the same title as Stephenville? Somebody ain't | | | | to recognize the significance of the Western |
| tellin' the truth. | | | | heritage that is an integral part of Stephenville and |
| Git a rope. | | | | the Cross Timbers Area. |
| True, Oakdale, California had the first outdoor | | | | SMILE WHEN YOU SAY THAT |
| rodeo in the West, started early in the fabulous | | | | So, what do we mean when we use the term |
| 50's. Nineteen fifties, that is. What's so "Cowboy" | | | | "cowboy" anyway? Stephenville backs up its |
| about the era of Rockabilly, Elvis, 3-D movies and | | | | Cowboy claim by declaring that Erath County is |
| the hoola-hoop? | | | | the home of more professional cowboys and |
| Banderas, Texas got its start as a staging area | | | | cowgirls, per square mile, than anyplace else on |
| for the great cattle drives of yesteryear. The | | | | the planet. Who did the math? Well, that's a |
| town is known for its "dude" ranches which came | | | | mystery the likes of Marfa's lights, but there's no |
| into being when ranching fell upon hard times. | | | | question that there are lots of horse trailers, |
| When was that? During the Great Depression of | | | | pick-ups and Western Wear stores to |
| 1929. One enterprising rancher decided to open up | | | | accommodate all the 'pokes in these parts. Our |
| his ranch to city-slickers as a means for | | | | cowboy culture is the real deal, and all one must |
| generating earn extra money and a new industry | | | | do is take a look outside - or sniff our dairy air - |
| was born. Perhaps it should be called the City | | | | to attest to that fact. |
| Slicker Capital or the Dude Ranch Capital, since | | | | The REAL Cowboy Capital is home to Lone Star |
| that's what Banderas has hung its hat on. | | | | Arena, a huge, indoor rodeo complex featuring a |
| Dodge City, Kansas is known by several | | | | regular schedule of barrel racing, horse shows, bull |
| nicknames including Queen of the Cowtowns, | | | | riding, team roping, and more ( The USTRC calf |
| Wickedest Little City in America and Buffalo | | | | roping finals are held there annually and the Bayer |
| Capital of the World. C'mon, Dodge, surely you | | | | Legends Celebration of Champions will be here in |
| don't need another moniker, do ya? Famous for | | | | February 2006. Other crowd favorites that are |
| the likes of Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp and Boot | | | | held in Stephenville each year include Larry Joe |
| Hill, these days, Dodge is keeping its heritage alive | | | | Taylor's Texas Music Festival and Chili Cook-Off in |
| through historical preservation programs. Dodge, | | | | April at Melody Mountain Ranch & RV Park ( |
| stop "dodging" the issue....honor your past but stop | | | | and rodeo champions will herd into town for the |
| living in it. That's just sad. | | | | Cowboy Capital of the World Pro Rodeo ( in May |
| WILL THE REAL COWBOY CAPITAL PLEASE | | | | at the Erath County Livestock Arena. DairyFest, |
| STAND UP? | | | | an annual celebration of the local dairy industry |
| Enter Stephenville, Texas! The REAL Cowboy | | | | with all the free dairy products you can stand, |
| Capital of the World located in what's referred to | | | | takes place in June at City Park. |
| as the Cross Timbers region of the state. How | | | | CAPITAL IDEA FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM |
| can one small town, 70 miles south of Fort Worth | | | | Is Stephenville the Cowboy Capital? You bet yer |
| and almost 2 hours from Abilene, make such a | | | | boots! But it's more than that. Whether your |
| bold claim? Easy! The Cross Timbers region has | | | | focus is commerce, education, culture, recreation |
| been a thoroughfare to the American Cowboy | | | | or just a great place to settle down, Stephenville |
| since Americans crossed the Mississippi westward. | | | | is a "capital" idea. The town is known as one of |
| The lush, timbered basins of the Trinity, Brazos | | | | the country's most desirable places to live and |
| and Bosque Rivers (the timber ranges "crossed" | | | | earn a living. In fact, it is included in Norman |
| at this juncture, hence the name "Cross Timbers") | | | | Crampton's "The 100 Best Small Towns in |
| yielded thousands of unbranded Longhorn cattle. | | | | America," published by Prentice Hall. |
| Essentially, it's where the longhorns came to | | | | Yes, City Hall is committed to aggressively |
| graze. The famous Goodnight-Loving trail | | | | providing services that encourage the highest |
| originated from the Cross Timbers region; the | | | | quality of life to the citizens of Stephenville. |
| Great Western Trail passed right through the | | | | Promoting a business? Nobody helps you |
| heart of the Cross Timbers area. One old-timer | | | | maximize your business capital like The Chamber... |
| told me that one of those trails started right | | | | the award-winning Stephenville Chamber of |
| where the Sonic Drive-In is located on Washington | | | | Commerce, that is! In five years, this organization |
| Street and insisted there should be an historical | | | | has blossomed from less than 300 to over 700 |
| marker placed there. | | | | local businesses and tourism income is consistently |
| This Cross Timbers area is one of very few | | | | higher than it's ever been. As a business |
| places in the United States that is directly involved | | | | professional, you'll definitely want to capitalize on |
| in the evolution of the "professional cowboy." | | | | Stephenville's ready and able workforce, many of |
| During the period from 1930 to 1950, the ranch | | | | whom attend our local university. |
| cowboy discovered that the general public was | | | | Where Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic are |
| enamored with the idea of the Cowboy. A | | | | concerned, Stephenville spells "Education" with a |
| significant number of movies produced by | | | | capital "E!" The Stephenville Independent School |
| Hollywood glamorized the myth of the Cowboy | | | | District has a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 |
| and the public yearned to get more of him. To | | | | students. There are two elementary schools for |
| meet this need, rodeos were held in Madison | | | | children in grades K thru 4, and intermediate |
| Square Garden, Boston Garden, etc. These | | | | school for grades 5 thru 6. Junior High includes |
| rodeos played to packed houses, even during the | | | | grades 7 and 8 and High School, grades, 9 thru 12. |
| Great Depression. Since the first indoor rodeos | | | | Scholastically, musically, athletically...the success of |
| were held in Fort Worth at the Cowtown | | | | these schools have truly made Stephenville a City |
| Coliseum, much of the expertise for these | | | | of Champions! |
| big-building rodeos came from the Cowboys of | | | | Located in the heart of Stephenville is Tarleton |
| the Cross Timbers area, many of which called | | | | State University. Founded in 1899 as John |
| Stephenville their home. | | | | Tarleton College, in 1917, the college became a |
| This being the Cowboy Capital, you are quite likely | | | | part of the Texas A&M University System, |
| to find all things Cowboy just as you had hoped, | | | | gaining official status as a university in 1973. |
| in every direction you turn. For example, here's | | | | Tarleton University has experienced considerable |
| where you'll find the largest private Country and | | | | growth over the past decade (about 8% |
| Western club in the state, with live CW bands and | | | | annually), with a current enrollment exceeding |
| two steppin' all night long. Then there's the Cross | | | | 8000. Students come from over 200 Texas |
| Timbers Country Opry, a thriving equine industry, | | | | counties, as well as 30 states and ten foreign |
| and the fact that Stephenville is the county seat | | | | nations. Tarleton is dedicated to providing |
| of Erath County, the largest milk producer in | | | | outstanding instruction and concern for the |
| Texas. | | | | individual, ensuring that students acquire the tools |
| Stands to reason that where there are horses | | | | they need to achieve successful careers, gain |
| and cows, there are cowboys and cowgirls. Yes, | | | | cultural enrichment, and become productive |
| people shopping with spurs on can be seen in | | | | citizens and leaders in a diverse and ever-changing |
| these parts all the time. It's not uncommon to see | | | | culture. Tarleton offers the community the Clyde |
| a world champion cowboy or musical celebrity | | | | H. Wells Fine Arts Center as well as the TSU |
| around town, sharing in day-to-day community life. | | | | Planetarium, giving the community a wonderful |
| Around the town these days, it might be the | | | | array of visual sensations to enjoy. |
| singer Jewel or Rodeo Cowboys Ty Murray, Tom | | | | While we're on the subject of higher education, |
| Reeves, Tuff Hedeman or Cody Ohl. Time was, | | | | let's talk about the Highest Education, developing |
| when 20,000 spectators would crowd into | | | | one's spiritual life. Whatever your worship |
| Everett Colburn's Rodeo Bowl from 1940 to 1959. | | | | preference, you'll probably find it here in |
| Colburn's Lightning C Ranch was the world's | | | | Stephenville. With a large variety of churches to |
| largest ranch devoted entirely to Rodeo livestock. | | | | choose from, many with a passion for unity, |
| Lightning C was operated by Colburn but he was | | | | you're sure to find your next home church here! |
| joined later by TV Cowboy star Gene Autry. This | | | | That includes (what else?) the thriving Cowboy |
| rodeo made up its events and contestants each | | | | Church of Erath County. |
| year in Dublin and then rode the train to New | | | | Yes, Stephenville is the Cowboy Capital of Texas... |
| York's Madison Square Garden and the Boston | | | | and proud of it. But overall, whether your interest |
| Garden. In those days, the likes of Autry, Roy | | | | includes business, family, education or recreation, |
| Rogers, Audy Murphy and more of Hollywood's | | | | you're bound to find Stephenville, Texas to be the |
| Western stars and Rodeo greats were spotted | | | | "capital" idea you've been looking for! |