Cleburne

By Mollie Gallop Bradbury Mims

Once known for its cotton production and Jersey cows, Cleburne has evolved from its agricultural heritage into a diverse community. This former Civil War training camp, located near Buffalo Creek, was named for Confederate general Patrick Cleburne when it became the county seat in 1867. Just west of town, cowboys moved cattle up the Chisholm Trail before the Santa Fe Railway brought jobs and money in 1881. As lieutenant commander of the navy dirigible USS Akron, Charles Rosendahl soared over his childhood home of Cleburne in 1932. From early opera and movie houses, saloons, and congested trade days, to live theaters, parks, and modern industries, Cleburne continues to progress. Today a new economy and booming growth have emerged due to the Barnett Shale gas exploration.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Sep 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781439623374

Mollie Gallop Bradbury Mims

Author Mollie Gallop Bradbury Mims's interest in preserving local history led her to coordinate the 1985 Johnson County History. While the sources for the photographs in this book are numerous, the City of Cleburne's Layland Museum provided a majority of the images. The magnificent Layland Museum is housed in the 1905 Carnegie building that served as the library for generations. Mims is an avid historical researcher for the museum and has been a freelance writer and photographer for over 30 years.

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www.cleburnechamber.com

INTRODUCTION

Photographs that represent the highlights of Cleburne’s history from its beginning until early 2009 are within these pages. Many photographs were left out of this publication because of space. Other stories were not told because a photograph could not be found. It is not a complete history.

The chapters are arranged by years, focusing on the events and the lifestyle of the residents during those times. It is not a family history book but a book about a community of families. Events of the past will not repeat themselves, but their relevance to our future is undeniable.

The purpose of this introduction is to acquaint the reader with how the county was formed and to give a glimpse into the years before it became Cleburne, Texas, in 1867. Photographs and descriptions in the book include little-known facts or almost-forgotten vignettes that make up our history. Some were major events, while others show the quality of life and the activities available during the decades.

Johnson County was marked off in 1854 from Ellis, Navarro, and Hill Counties. Its population was then 700. The county was named for Middleton T. Johnson, who had served in the Mexican-American War and would later serve in the Civil War.

The first county seat was Wardville, named for Thomas William Ward, the second commissioner of the General Land Office of Texas and a hero of the Texas Revolution. Wardville was located on the West bank of the Nolan River, about 2 miles west of Cleburne. The first courthouse, built by William O’Neal, was a 14-foot-square log structure with one door and a dirt floor.

In 1856, Buchanan was named the county seat because it was found that Wardville had violated the Texas constitutional requirement that a county seat be within 5 miles of the center of the county. The town was named after the recently elected president of the United States, James Buchanan, and was located 5 miles northwest of Cleburne. In 1860, a wooden courthouse was constructed for $500. There were also a school, a jail, a tavern, and several businesses in the town. By this time, the county population had grown to over 4,000.

The western portion of the county was taken away about 1866 to form Hood County, so Buchanan was no longer in the geographical center of the county. The area located near the fresh running springs locally known as Camp Henderson was chosen for the next and final county seat. The land was owned by Nat Henderson and had been used as a rendezvous and campground for the county’s Civil War volunteers.

In May 1867, the courthouse, jail, and other buildings were moved from Buchanan to Cleburne. The courthouse was placed on the east side of the square, where the corner of Chambers Street and Caddo Street are today. It was a one-room building with seats in a semicircle and had a raised platform in the center.

A few weeks later, a contract was submitted to fence the public square, then covered in huge oak trees. Lots around the square were selling for $500.

On July 4, 1867, during a picnic, there was a suggestion to give the county seat a more appropriate name. Those who loved and had served with Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne in the Confederate army and others in attendance that day voted unanimously to change the name from Camp Henderson to Cleburne. In 1881, a section of Ellis County was added to Johnson County, thus completing its current boundaries.

By April 1869, a two-story brick courthouse was completed in the square, but it was deemed inadequate and the court ordered it torn down. The following two courthouses built in Cleburne are pictured and described within the pages of this book.

Open land and natural resources made it easy for the early settlers to choose this Johnson County area. The constant flowing springs of Buffalo Creek lured Native Americans and herds of buffalo before permanent settlers came for the same reason. Although there are no recorded permanent native settlements here, there were tribes who hunted and moved through this area. The springs were also an early-day watering spot for explorers, Confederate soldiers, and settlers. People came many miles to wash, haul needed water, and visit with others. It was an early social gathering place.

Images of early decades show just how rustic it began, with a town full of cowboys, cattle, and saloons. The town square traces its beginning to 1854, when the first house, a log cabin, was built near the constant flowing water. In 1860, livestock was the primary industry, and Indian corn was the largest crop in the area. Buffalo, deer, antelope, wild turkeys, wolves, prairie chickens, quail, and wild horses roamed the prairies.

By the time Cleburne was the official town name, a few settlers had built cabins and opened businesses that catered to Chisholm Trail cowboys and other travelers. Few quality photographs of that era exist.

For many decades, cattle and cotton and crops of various kinds provided jobs and lifestyles. Then Cleburne became nationally known for its progressive Santa Fe Railroad repair and construction shop. Recent growth is attributed to the exploration of the Barnett Shale gas field and the many industries that call Cleburne home.

With growth comes change and challenges. As 2009 unfolded, there were many changes taking place in our town. We even experienced a few minor earthquakes. Cleburne is no longer a rural community. We are diversified in our religions, our professions, and our cultural offerings, but we continue to strive to make this a hometown that is proud to share the past and determined to mold the future in a positive direction.

This book is a tribute to the early settlers who were daring enough to settle in a new area, open businesses, and raise their families on the frontier and to the present-day citizens, who still have the dream to build, mold, and leave their mark in history.

So reader, sit back and enjoy the ride through the pages of Cleburne’s history from the eyes of photographers past. As the conductor standing beside the