are always happy to discuss Cleburne lore and history both railroad related and in general .
While the railroad museum , The Depot and the upcoming Cleburne Station projects add to the city ’ s tourism and quality-of-life aspects , Cleburne is already rich in history , tradition , activity and tourism opportunities .
From the Chisholm Trail and Cleburne and Johnson County ’ s pioneer beginnings to the Civil War to the railroad ’ s arrival and the Barnett Shale , Cleburne has remained a vibrant city with a smalltown feel , steeped in tradition and community camaraderie .
A short distance from Fort Worth and Dallas and the more rural cities and areas of Johnson and surrounding counties , Cleburne contains the best of both worlds .
Cleburne offers shopping , dining and an array of cultural and entertainment attractions coupled with the opportunity to get away from it all and commune with nature . Both exist a short distance and mere minutes apart .
The city offers a host of seasonal events , museums , live theater , historic homes and buildings , two lakes , numerous parks , a golf course and Friday night football courtesy of the Cleburne Yellow Jackets .
The renovated and expanded Cleburne Conference Center opened in 2010 , after the new Cleburne Chamber of Commerce building , which houses the chamber , tourism center and economic development offices , opened in 2009 .
The Lowell Smith Sr . History Center , a former auto dealership , serves as a research library and archive storage for the adjacent Layland Museum .
Plans in the early stages of consideration also call for numerous renovations and attractions at Lake Pat Cleburne over the coming years .
“ Cleburne has a lot to offer those visiting our community ," Cain said . “ From one of the best theaters in North Texas to a night at The Depot to watch professional baseball . When you add the shops downton and our many museums there is something for everyone .”
History
Cleburne ’ s frontier roots stretch back to the 1800s .
Soldiers used a wagon road , Johnson County ’ s earliest road , to pass through the area while traveling from Fort Belknap in Young County to Fort Graham near Hillsboro .
Soldiers established Camp Henderson as a shelter for Civil War troops heading to combat , which led to the establishment of a permanent settlement in 1867 .
Many of the new settlement ’ s residents served under Confederate Gen . Patrick R . Cleburne during the war and later named the town in his honor .
The city grew with the coming of the railroad . The Gulf , Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad arrived in 1881 , and the city ’ s population dramatically increased . Santa Fe opened machine shops in the late 1800s , securing Cleburne ’ s future and serving as a major employer for the town .
The shops closed almost 30 years ago , but other industries , such as a Wal-Mart Distribution Center and Cleburne ’ s Industrial Park , sustain Cleburne ’ s economy .
The onset of natural gas exploration in the Barnett Shale , underlying Cleburne and Johnson County , supplied new opportunities , employment and the promise of more growth .
Government
The Cleburne City Council consists of four single-member district seats and a mayor .
In the single-member district system , each area elects its own representative . The mayor , however , is elected by all residents eligible to vote .
Cleburne has a councilmanager system of government . Under this system , an elected council makes policy and passes ordinances , and the city manager supervises city operations and implements policies adopted by the council .
Council members serve twoyear terms .
The council meets at 5 p . m . the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at Cleburne City Hall , 10 N . Robinson St .
The city hall building , anchoring the east end of downtown , formerly housed a post office .
The public is encouraged to attend council meetings . For information , call 817-645-0908 or visit ci . cleburne . tx . us .
Emergency services
Three fire stations serve Cleburne , and a fourth is planned . For non-emergency situations , call 817-645-0964 . The Cleburne Fire Department also provides ambulance service . The Cleburne Police Department is at 302 W . Henderson St . For non-emergency situations , call 817-645-0972 .
The Johnson County Sheriff ’ s Office is at 1102 E . Kilpatrick St . in Cleburne . For non-emergency situations , call 817-556-6060 . For emergency services from any of these agencies , dial 911 .
AMR provides ambulance service to Johnson County . For emergency service , dial 911 . For membership or other information , call 817-339-2273 or visit careflite . org .
The Johnson County Emergency Operations Center is at 810 E . Kilpatrick St . in Cleburne . For information call 817-556-6346 .
Cleburne This is Texas 15