Cleburne ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Johnson County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 31,352. The city is named in honor of Patrick Cleburne, a Confederate general. Lake Pat Cleburne, the reservoir that provides water to the city and surrounding area, is also named after him.

History

thumb|left|Main Street in Cleburne in the 1910s

Cleburne is Johnson County's third county seat (the first being Wardville, now under Lake Pat Cleburne). It was formerly known as Camp Henderson, a temporary Civil War outpost from which Johnson County soldiers would depart for war (most of them served under General Cleburne). The city was formally incorporated in 1871.

left|thumb|Major General Patrick Cleburne of the CSA

Cleburne was near the earliest road in the county. The location featured water from West Buffalo Creek, making it a stop for cattlemen from the Chisholm Trail. and adopted a 17-point political resolution, commonly known as the Cleburne Demands, which was the first major document of the agrarian revolt occurring at the end of the late 19th century.

In 1900, Cleburne was the site of the founding convention of the Texas State Federation of Labor.

Cleburne was primarily an agricultural center and county seat until the Santa Fe Railroad opened a major facility there in 1898. During this time, the population boomed, as it became a sizable city for the area with over 12,000 residents by 1920. The Chicago, Texas and Mexican Central Railway connected Cleburne to Dallas in 1882. Two other railroads had terminals in Cleburne. The Dallas, Cleburne, and Southwestern Railway completed a route to Egan in 1902, and the Trinity and Brazos Valley, nicknamed the Boll Weevil, operated from Cleburne from 1904 to 1924.

In 1985, the city was the petitioner in the U.S. Supreme Court case City of Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center, Inc. after being sued over a special-use permit.

Cleburne is on the fringe of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Growth in the area has been primarily attributed to suburbanization.

On May 15, 2013, Cleburne was hit by a powerful tornado that cut a mile-wide path through part of the city and damaged about 600 homes and two schools. The National Weather Service rated it EF-3, which has winds between . No deaths or severe injuries were reported.

Geography

Cleburne is west of the center of Johnson County, south of the center of Fort Worth. It is bordered to the north by Joshua and to the east by Keene. U.S. Route 67 runs through the north side of the city on a freeway bypass; the highway leads east to Alvarado and west to Stephenville. State Highways 171 and 174 run through the center of Cleburne on Main Street. Highway 171 leads northwest to Cresson and southeast to Hillsboro, while Highway 174 leads north to Burleson and southwest to Meridian.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Cleburne has a total area of , of which are land and , or 8.86%, are covered by water. East and West Buffalo Creek run through the center of Cleburne, flowing south to the Nolan River and part of the Brazos River watershed.

Climate

Cleburne has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with long, hot summers and short, mild winters.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, there were 31,352 people, 11,145 households, and 7,441 families residing in Cleburne. The median age was 36.2 years, 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males age 18 and over.

Of the 11,145 households, 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.0% were married-couple households, 16.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race

! Number

! Percent

|-

| White

| 21,538

| 68.7%

|-

| Black or African American

| 1,275

| 4.1%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native

| 333

| 1.1%

|-

| Asian

| 185

| 0.6%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

| 382

| 1.2%

|-

| Some other race

| 3,866

| 12.3%

|-

| Two or more races

| 3,773

| 12.0%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

| 9,361

| 29.9%

|}

Arts and culture

Theater and performing arts

thumb|Dudley Hall

Cleburne's historic downtown includes two Theaters. The Plaza Main Street Theatre, and Dudley Hall. Dudley Hall host family-friendly musicals and comedies performed by the award winning Plaza Theatre Company, which was founded in November 2006 by the Downtown Cleburne Association. The Plaza Main Street Theatre host the Plaza Academy, a youth offshoot of the Plaza Theatre Company. Songbird Live, which offers live music, is also within the historic downtown.

Within the Cleburne conference center is the Helmcamp Community Theatre stage, which host The Greater Cleburne Carnegie Players. Formed in 1980, the Carnegie Players performed in the top floor theater of the Cleburne Carnegie Library(Now the Layland Museum) untill 2010. That summer, they relocated to the conference center.

Museums

thumb|Layland Museum

The city of Cleburne manages both the Layland Museum of History, and the Cleburne Railroad Museum. The Layland's gallery is located in the Carnegie Library building. These galleries include first peoples, settlers, and 20th century sections containing over 50,000 artifacts and 100,000 photos. The Lowell Smith History Center holds the research library and a kitchen classroom. The Cleburne Railroad Museum explores the history and influence of the railroads on the city through traditional and interactive exhibits. The museum contains a large model train room and houses over 2000 railroad artifacts.

Other museums include the Johnson County Courthouse Museum, which preserves the history and artifacts of the county through the Johnson County Historical Commission. The JN Long Cultural Arts Center hosts various art workshops and galleries from local artist from the area. The Gone with the Wind Remembered Museum contains a comprehensive collection from the movie, as well as period pieces expounding on the history surrounding the story.

The Chisholm Trail Outdoor Museum showcases the history of the Chisholm Trail, Johnson County, and the pioneer life of the 19th century. The attractions in the museum are as follows. The Big Bear Native American Museum, a blacksmiths shop, a restored stagecoach, the 1855 Johnson County Log Courthouse, the Douglas Harman Chisholm Trail Artifacts and Western Memorabilia Museum, a historic mule barn, a replica of the Wardville Cemetery now under Lake Pat Cleburne, Wardville Sheriff's Office and Jail, the Nolan River Schoolhouse, and The Terry Building.

Annual events

Antique Alley occurs every April and September, showcasing over 500 antique dealers along the highways around Johnson, Hill, and Ellis counties. The western edge includes the historic downtown in Cleburne. SpringFest is held in April at the Market Square with live music, vendors, car show, and food trucks. Whistle Stop Christmas starts in late November through early January. Events include the lighting ceremony, Christmas parade, driving tour of lights, Candlewalk Tour of Historic Homes, and Cowboy Christmas on the Trail. Pioneer Days is held in November at the Chisholm Train Outdoor Museum, celebrating the history of Texas and Cleburne.

Cuisine

thumb|Burger Bar 1949 in downtown Cleburne

Southern home style cooking is a staple of the local food scene featuring fried comfort foods, hearty breakfast, and fresh baked goods. Options includes Mom's Kitchen, Our Place Restaurant, Jimmie's, and R&K Cafe II, Chaf-In Restaurant, and Southern Joy Bakery & Bistro.

Texas style barbecue enjoys quality options provided by Chisholm Trail Smokehouse, Fly by Night Cattle Co., and West End Grill. Local burger spots include Burger Bar 1949 and Morris Neal's Handy Hamburgers. Mug on the Square and Nolan River Coffee Company offer great brewed coffees. Soul Fire Brewing combines craft brews and pizza, with an arcade on the top floor. The Garden of Eating offers fresh, seasonal dishes made with fresh ingredients.

Tex-Mex is prevalent in Cleburne with options including Taqueria Torres Mexican Restaurant, La Cima Mexican Cuisine, Barrera's, Carmelita's Pupuseria & More, El Limón, El Torito's, La Flor De Michoacan, La Gringas Taqueria, Los Vaqueros Mexican Fast Food, Montes Breakfast Burritos, Taquería Juanita, Taquería Mexicano Grille, and Taqueria Rueda's Food Truck. Thai Garden Cafe offers authentic Thai dishes incuding spicy curries and noodle bowls. Giovanni's Italian Restaurant has many pasta and other Italian inspired dishes.

Sports

Cleburne Railroaders

thumb|La Moderna Field

The Cleburne Railroaders are a baseball team that play in the American Association of Professional Baseball.The first iteration of the Railroaders won the Texas League championship in 1906. After disbanding the next season, a second iteration would join the Texas–Oklahoma League in 1911-1912. The Railroaders would go on to win the 1911 championship. The modern Railroaders began playing in the American Association of Professional Baseball starting from 2017 to the present. La Moderna Field serves as the home of the Railroaders.

Annual events

The Tour De Goatneck occurs on the last Saturday of July, hosting over 1,250 riders through the rolling hills of Johnson and Somervell counties. The Johnson County Sheriff's Posse host a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo. competitions include bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, and bull riding.

Parks and recreation

thumb|Cleburne State Park

thumb|Spirit of Cleburne in Hulen Park

Cleburne Parks & Recreation maintains many parks, fields and trails. Neighborhood parks include John P. Bradshaw Park, John S. Butner Park, P.D. Lacewell Park, J. E. Standley Park, Byron "Buddy" Stewart Park, Westhill Park, Winchester Park and McAnear Park. The Buffalo Creek Parks provide trails along both the East and West Buffalo Creeks. Recreational facilities include the Market Square in downtown Cleburne, and the Booker T. Washington Recreation Center near Carver Park. The John Warren Sports Complex provides seven lighted baseball/softball fields, twenty soccer fields, two football fields, 2 batting cages, and supporting facilities. The old sports complex is also nearby.

More notable parks include Carver Park, which rest along the East Buffalo Creek. Providing several picnic areas, trails, a playground, a splash pad, and the lighted Carver Park Field. Hulen Park, a Lone Star Legacy Park, straddles the West Buffalo Creek. Amenities include pavilions, playgrounds, games, trails, a basketball court, a baseball/softball field, the lighted Don Moore Field, and Splash Station. Hulen park also host the Whistle Stop Christmas lighting display in December. The "Spirit of Cleburne" locomotive is present at the Hulen Park as well. Lakeshore Park borders Lake Pat Cleburne, providing great views of the lake. Winston Patrick McGregor Park showcases native plants with walking paths, a pavilion, a pond, and a children's area.

Cleburne State Park, operated by Texas Parks & Wildlife, sits southwest of Cleburne. The park encompasses 528 acres of limestone ridges and dense thickets with Cedar Lake at its center. There are many trails and campsites alongside projects built by the Civilian Conservation Corp.

Economy

Major employers include Walmart, which maintains a Supercenter retail outlet and a distribution center. Together, those facilities employ 914 workers. The Cleburne Independent School District is a major employer with 968 employees. Local government is also a major employer, providing 348 jobs, and Johnson County has 598 employees in the city. Johns Manville, Texas Resources Harris Methodist Hospital, Greenbrier rail service (operating at the rail yards previously occupied by Burlington Northern Santa Fe), Supreme Corporation of Texas, and Broan-Nutone are among other major private-sector employers. A recent natural gas boom has now brought related companies to the district and surrounding areas.

Fun Town RV, the nation's largest single-location towable RV dealer employs 412 at its corporate headquarters and sales office.

Education

thumb|Cleburne High School

thumb|Yellow Jacket Stadium

Cleburne is served by the Cleburne Independent School District. Elementary schools include Adams, Coleman, Cooke, Gerard, Irving, Marti, and Santa Fe. Middle schools include Smith Intermediate and Wheat Middle School. TEAM school serves as an alternate to the high school, and Phoenix serves as a disciplinary school Cleburne High School provides CTE programs, fine arts, and athletic programs. The fine arts department offers art, band, choir, dance, and theatre. The athletics department includes baseball, basketball, cheer leading, cross country, football, golf, power lifting, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. CISD also maintains Yellow Jacket Stadium, a Texas Historic Landmark, where football and other sports arre played.

Cleburne Christian Academy is a private school that offers preK-12 classes. Hill College manages a Johnson County campus in Cleburne that offers two year degrees and workforce certifications. The city of Cleburne operates a public library near the downtown core along the West Buffalo Creek.

Notable people

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  • William H. Bledsoe, a member of both houses of Texas legislature from Lubbock, 1915 to 1929
  • Johnny Carroll, a rockabilly singer, recorded for Sun Records, Decca Records, and Warner Bros
  • Pat Culpepper, All-American linebacker for the University of Texas at Austin
  • Donnie Dacus, former guitarist for Chicago
  • Leonard Eugene Dickson, professor of mathematics at University of Chicago
  • Dillon Gee, pitcher for the New York Mets and others
  • Joe Keeble, football player
  • David "Benedict" McWilliams, a former player and head football coach of the University of Texas at Austin
  • Spike Owen, a former Major League Baseball shortstop
  • Derrell Palmer, a 1950s Cleveland Browns lineman
  • Randy Rogers, singer and front man of Randy Rogers Band
  • Del Sharbutt, radio and television announcer, songwriter, and composer
  • Barbara Staff, co-chair of the 1976 Ronald Reagan presidential campaign in Texas
  • Montey Stevenson, former professional football defensive tackle
  • Anne Stratton, composer
  • Claude Porter White, composer

See also

  • The Greater Cleburne Carnegie Players

References

  • City of Cleburne official website
  • History of Cleburne in the Handbook of Texas