Stephenville was part of a tract of land located on the upper Bosque River Valley in Central Texas in 1854.  Stephenville became the county seat of Erath County in 1856.   The first land patent was secured by John M. Stephen on February 24, 1853.   Stephenville is located 100 miles southwest of Dallas and 65 miles southwest of Fort Worth.  Visit the Tarleton Maps page to find out driving directions from anywhere in North America using Mapquest.

The first permanent school in Stephenville was erected by John Tarleton.  There are now 7 public school districts in Erath County.  Stephenville Independent School District has a total enrollment of over 3,350 students. The one college in the area, Tarleton State University, has an enrollment of over 9500 students during this Fall 2008 semester.

Stephenville offers a variety of recreational areas including two public parks, two public swimming pools, two golf courses, 14 tennis courts, a movie theater, six football stadiums, two rodeo areas, a bowling alley, a youth center, and a historical museum.  There are also two major lakes within a 40 mile radius and many excellent areas for hunting and fishing.   Stephenville offers many annual events including livestock shows, arts & crafts festivals, rodeos, basketball tournaments and the Tarleton State University homecoming.

Major manufacturers & employers in Stephenville inlcude AMPI, Saint-Gobain, FMC, Harris Methodist Hospital, HEB Grocers, Medical & Surgical Clinic, Norton Company, Pecan Valley Medical, Rayloc Industries, Stephenville ISD, Tarleton State University, and Walmart.

For more information, please visit the City of Stephenville Homepage or the Stephenville Chamber of Commerce.