Stephenville, Texas is a historic small town with a great deal of vitality. Although founded in 1856, there is nothing worn or tired about Stephenville and it's not just a curiosity from the past. The "Cowboy Capital of the World" is also one of Norman Crampton's "100 Best Small Towns in America." Tarleton State University, built here in 1899, is one of the largest mostly-agricultural universities in the United States and one of the fastest growing in Texas. Tarleton is renowned for its innovations in environmental science and education, among other fields (among them landscaping for golf courses).
Tarleton reflects Stephenville's pride in a more "cowboyish" nature, a pride in open, healthy land. Cars and pedestrians aren't the only things that roam the avenues ? horses and cows are common sights. Stephenville, like much of Texas, also prides itself on scale. The largest private country western club in the state is within Stephenville's borders.
The history of Stephenville is preserved in its beautifully built courthouse and the large Stephenville Museum (which consists of ten fully furnished buildings from the 19th century). But a rather more recent event stirred up interest in Stephenville anew. In January of 2008, unidentified flying objects (UFOs) were spotted by hundreds of people within the city. The Air Force would eventually report that they'd been holding training exercises at night over Stephenville, but some doubt remains.
Stephenville is about 78 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
