City History

Brief History:

The story of Stephenville begins at the Alamo.  The surviving families of those who died during the battles of the Texas revolution were awarded land grants by the Republic of Texas government.  John Blair, a friend of Jim Bowie, was one of those who gave his life in the battle of the Alamo.  His land included what would later become Erath County.  The Blair family sold this section of land to John M. Stephen.

In May of 1855, George B. Erath, a surveyor, accompanied John Stephen and a group of 30 pioneers. They became the first white men to enter what is now Erath County. Among the pioneers on the trip was Thomas Arendell, who built the first log cabin in Stephenville, as well as Dr. W.W. McNeill, who would become the first doctor and pharmacist in this part of the country.  Later his son would be the first white child born in Stephenville.  About this time Stephen made an agreement that he would donate the land for his fellow settlers, for a courthouse to be built on the square, and for churches to be established.  It was under this condition-- the town of Stephenville would be officially designated as the county seat of Erath County.   The State of Texas agreed, and in 1856, the county and county seat became official.