Clifton, Texas
Encyclopedia
Clifton is the largest city in Bosque County
in Central Texas
. The city's population was 3,542 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
-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 in a neighboring county of the Waco
metropolitan area. Meaning all of the Waco
/Temple
/Killeen
market stations also provide coverage for Clifton and Bosque County. They include: KCEN-TV
, KWTX-TV
, KXXV-TV, KDYW, and KWKT-TV.
of 2000, there were 3,542 people, 1,296 households, and 864 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,852.2 people per square mile (716.0/km²). There were 1,422 housing units at an average density of 743.6 per square mile (287.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.02% White, 3.36% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 8.98% from other races
, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.83% of the population.
There were 1,296 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples
living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 27.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 81.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,867, and the median income for a family was $41,548. Males had a median income of $27,472 versus $25,154 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,823. About 9.6% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.
In 1880 the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built a station a mile south of Clifton. Merchants moved their businesses closer to the railroad station, and the town thrived as a business and trade center. The Merchant Exchange and Flour Mill, the first steam flour mill in the Bosque valley, was established in 1887 or 1888. The Clifton Record, a newspaper that began publishing in 1895 under the ownership of W. C. O'Brian, continued to serve the community through the years. Clifton also served as the county seat between 1890 and 1892. Clifton Lutheran College, later known as Clifton College, opened in 1896. The community was incorporated in 1901. An earlier attempt at incorporation in 1891 failed when the election results were declared invalid. A fire on December 23, 1906, destroyed a large portion of the business district, which was eventually rebuilt. The Clifton Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1907. The town's need for a hospital was met by Dr. V. D. Goodall and Dr. S. L. Witcher,who formed the Goodall-Withcher Hospital in 1938, which is still operating today along with the Clifton Clinic. The Lutheran Sunset Home for the elderly was established in Clifton in 1954. In 1991, the Bosque river flooded much of the town due to torrential rains. The town had an estimated population of 204 in 1904 and 3,542 in 2000.It now has a population of 3,761. Clifton is also the birthplace of musician, Rickey Edwards Jr.
, commonly recognized as the "Father of Norwegian Immigration to America." The founder of Norse was Ole Canuteson, (Ole Knudsen) from the Stavanger
region of Norway
.
Visitors to Clifton may explore the vast collection of pioneer Norwegian articles at the Bosque Memorial Museum, or take the Cleng Peerson Memorial Highway west to the Norse Historic District. Sites along the route include many 19th century homes and churches. Among them is Our Savior's Lutheran Church
, which was established in 1869. The church is the annual site of the Norse Smorgasbord
, a feast of traditional foods introduced to the area by Norwegian settlers. Further down the road a Lutefisk
dinner is held annually in Cranfills Gap, near the site of the historic St. Olaf Kirke
often called the Old Rock Church.
Clifton celebrates its Norwegian heritage each year with the Norwegian Country Christmas Tour, held the first Saturday of December. The daylong event features demonstrations of Norwegian crafts, tours of homes and buildings harkening back to the days of the early settlers, and many other related activities. The 1999 tour was a featured Road Trip appearing in the November 1999 issue of Texas Highways.
Clifton is home to the Bosque Conservatory. Housed in a magnificent 3-story building that was the former Main Hall of Clifton College, the organization offers a local outlet for visual and performing arts unparalleled in a city of Clifton's size. Among its many offerings are a performing theatre, classes in a variety of subjects, an annual photography show and a nationally recognized art show, the Conservatory Art Classic. Clifton has twice been designated as one of the top 100 small art communities in the nation. It is home to nationally recognized artists, including several members of the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America
.
.
Bosque County, Texas
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...
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...
. The city's population was 3,542 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Clifton is located at 31°46′49"N 97°34′51"W (31.780275, -97.580825).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 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all of it land.
Local media
Clifton and Bosque County are 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 in 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....
metropolitan area. 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 Clifton and 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 3,542 people, 1,296 households, and 864 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 1,852.2 people per square mile (716.0/km²). There were 1,422 housing units at an average density of 743.6 per square mile (287.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.02% White, 3.36% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 8.98% 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 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.83% of the population.
There were 1,296 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% 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, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 27.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 81.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,867, and the median income for a family was $41,548. Males had a median income of $27,472 versus $25,154 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 $14,823. About 9.6% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 20.0% of those age 65 or over.
History
Clifton was founded in the winter of 1852-53, when the families of Samuel Locker, Monroe Locker, Frank Kell, and T. A. McSpadden settled in the vicinity. The town was named Cliff Town after the limestone cliffs that surround it. Over the years the name was altered to Clifton. The site was originally on the banks of Clear Branch. The Masonic hall and a log schoolhouse were the first public buildings. The post office was established in 1859. The First Presbyterian Church of Clifton was organized in 1861 and is the oldest church in continuous service in the county. The Baptists built the first church building in Clifton in 1884-85. After the Civil War J. Stinnett built a flour mill that was powered by the Bosque River. It was replaced in 1868 by a limestone mill, which was eventually converted to the electric power plant that provided the first electricity for Clifton homes. A three-story school known as Rock School was built around 1870 and served the community for more than twenty years. In 1893 a new building was constructed on property donated to the Clifton school system.In 1880 the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway built a station a mile south of Clifton. Merchants moved their businesses closer to the railroad station, and the town thrived as a business and trade center. The Merchant Exchange and Flour Mill, the first steam flour mill in the Bosque valley, was established in 1887 or 1888. The Clifton Record, a newspaper that began publishing in 1895 under the ownership of W. C. O'Brian, continued to serve the community through the years. Clifton also served as the county seat between 1890 and 1892. Clifton Lutheran College, later known as Clifton College, opened in 1896. The community was incorporated in 1901. An earlier attempt at incorporation in 1891 failed when the election results were declared invalid. A fire on December 23, 1906, destroyed a large portion of the business district, which was eventually rebuilt. The Clifton Volunteer Fire Department was organized in 1907. The town's need for a hospital was met by Dr. V. D. Goodall and Dr. S. L. Witcher,who formed the Goodall-Withcher Hospital in 1938, which is still operating today along with the Clifton Clinic. The Lutheran Sunset Home for the elderly was established in Clifton in 1954. In 1991, the Bosque river flooded much of the town due to torrential rains. The town had an estimated population of 204 in 1904 and 3,542 in 2000.It now has a population of 3,761. Clifton is also the birthplace of musician, Rickey Edwards Jr.
Culture
In May 1997, the Texas Legislature officially designated Clifton as the Norwegian Capital of Texas. Clifton and the surrounding area was settled by Norwegian immigrants in the mid-19th century. The nearby community of Norse is the final resting place of Cleng PeersonCleng 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:...
, commonly recognized as the "Father of Norwegian Immigration to America." The founder of Norse was Ole Canuteson, (Ole Knudsen) from the Stavanger
Stavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
region of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Visitors to Clifton may explore the vast collection of pioneer Norwegian articles at the Bosque Memorial Museum, or take the Cleng Peerson Memorial Highway west to the Norse Historic District. Sites along the route include many 19th century homes and churches. Among them is Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Our Savior's Lutheran Church (Cranfills Gap, Texas)
Our Savior's Lutheran Church, is a Lutheran church located near Cranfills Gap, Texas in an unincorporated community known as Norse, Texas.-History:...
, which was established in 1869. The church is the annual site of the Norse Smorgasbord
Smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. In Norway it is called koldtbord, in Denmark it is called det kolde bord, in Finland seisova pöytä and in Estonia rootsi laud...
, a feast of traditional foods introduced to the area by Norwegian settlers. Further down the road a Lutefisk
Lutefisk
Lutefisk or Lutfisk is a traditional dish of the Nordic countries and parts of the Midwest United States. It is made from aged stockfish or dried/salted whitefish and lye . It is gelatinous in texture, and has an extremely strong, pungent odor...
dinner is held annually in Cranfills Gap, near the site of the historic St. Olaf Kirke
St. Olaf Kirke
St. Olaf Kirke, commonly referred to as The Rock Church, is a small Lutheran church located outside of Cranfills Gap, Texas, United States, in an unincorporated rural community known as Norse, Texas.-Background:...
often called the Old Rock Church.
Clifton celebrates its Norwegian heritage each year with the Norwegian Country Christmas Tour, held the first Saturday of December. The daylong event features demonstrations of Norwegian crafts, tours of homes and buildings harkening back to the days of the early settlers, and many other related activities. The 1999 tour was a featured Road Trip appearing in the November 1999 issue of Texas Highways.
Clifton is home to the Bosque Conservatory. Housed in a magnificent 3-story building that was the former Main Hall of Clifton College, the organization offers a local outlet for visual and performing arts unparalleled in a city of Clifton's size. Among its many offerings are a performing theatre, classes in a variety of subjects, an annual photography show and a nationally recognized art show, the Conservatory Art Classic. Clifton has twice been designated as one of the top 100 small art communities in the nation. It is home to nationally recognized artists, including several members of the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America
Cowboy Artists of America
The Cowboy Artists of America was founded in 1965 by four prominent western artists, Joe Beeler, Charlie Dye, John Hampton and George Phippen, who have all since died...
.
Education
The City of Clifton is served by the Clifton Independent School DistrictClifton Independent School District
Clifton Independent School District is a public school district based in Clifton, Texas .Located in Bosque County, a small portion of the district extends into Coryell County....
.
- Clifton High School (Grades 9-12)
- Clifton Middle School (Grades 6-8)
- Clifton Intermediate School (Grades 3-5)
- Clifton Elementary School (Grades PreK-2)
Notable natives and residents
- Bobby Joe ConradBobby Joe ConradBobby Joe Conrad is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who was drafted by the New York Giants in the fifth round in the 1958 NFL Draft. A 6'0", 194-lb. wide receiver from Texas A&M University, Conrad played in 12 NFL seasons from 1958 to 1969 with the...
, National Football League player - Zach DukeZach DukeZachary Thomas Duke is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks...
, Major League Baseball player - Brad WinchesterBrad WinchesterBrad Winchester is a professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 35th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers....
, National Hockey League player
Primary Source
- Pool, William C.Bosque Territory (Kyle, Texas: Chaparral, 1964)
- Pool, William C. A History of Bosque County (San Marcos, Texas: San Marcos Record Press, 1954)