BOSQUE COUNTY
County Offices
110 South Main, Room 110
Meridian 254-435-2201
https://www.bosquecounty.us/bosque-county-clerk/
Chamber of Commerce
111 North Main Street
Meridian 254-435-2966
www.meridian-chamber.com
Services
Picturesque Bosque County offers more than natural beauty and a relaxed lifestyle. First-rate services include advanced healthcare at the Goodall-Witcher Hospital in Clifton, a 40-bed facility that anchors the area’s primary healthcare system. Clifton Medical Clinic, a home health agency, and three nursing facilities provide specialized care. Comprehensive services include patient diagnostics and treatment, physical exams, patient education, nursing home care, home visits, health status assessments, immunizations, family planning, and emergency care.
Bosque County school provide children with quality education in modern classrooms where small classes emphasize personalized attention and schools encourage extra-curricular activities. The integration and use of technology is continually being advanced to enrich and expand the curriculum. Opportunities for higher education close to home include Hill College in Hillsboro, McLennan Community College in Waco, Temple Junior College in Temple, and Central Texas College in Killeen — all within an hour’s drive from Bosque County. Four-year institutions within the same radius include Baylor University in Waco, Mary Hardin Baylor University in Belton, and Tarleton State University in Stephenville. Waco also offers a Texas State Technical College, while the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is home to an impressive selection of outstanding public and private colleges and universities.
Lifestyle
Residents of Bosque County enjoy the pleasures of small-town life surrounded by a scenic backdrop of hills, canyons, prairies, lakes, rivers, and streams. Abundant wildlife, premier recreational amenities, and a warm community spirit are encouraging rapid growth in this area. Much of the natural beauty and rich heritage of Bosque County is associated with abundant water-ways, including the Bosque and Brazos Rivers as well as Meridian and Whitney Lakes. Well-worn pathways also reflect the area’s historic legacy along the Old Chisholm Trail, the Sante Fe Railroad, the Texas Lakes Trail, and the Cleng Peerson Memorial Highway. The name “bosque” comes from a Spanish term meaning “wooded.” Although Bosque County has changed with the growth and development of the modern age, much of the county preserves the open space and fertile land that caught the attention of the first pioneers.
Quaint downtown districts contrast with cattle drives through the city in this region of Western lore and modern convenience. Colorful festivals throughout the county include the Norwegian celebration, the Annual Chili and Stew Supper, Young Farmer’s Sale, Rattlesnake Festival, holiday pageants, a county-wide garage sale, veteran’s celebrations, competitive running events, game tournaments, fair and rodeos, carnivals, parades, home tours, and barbecue cookoffs. The region’s sparkling lakes and Meridian State Park encourage every type of outdoor adventure and sport, including boating, fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, biking, and winter sports. Along the banks of the Bosque River lie acres of parkland with tennis courts, picnic areas, sports fields, a swimming pool, walking trails, and playgrounds. Housing is as diverse as the scenery, from ranches and small farms to beautiful new construction or historic homes in the heart of town.
Clifton
City Hall
254-675-8337
https://cityofclifton.org/
Chamber of Commerce
254-675-3720
https://cliftontexas.org/
Providing a small-town atmosphere to approximately 4,000 residents, Clifton is 90 miles from Dallas and 80 miles from Forth Worth. The City of Waco is only a 30-minute drive from Clifton. Known for its family oriented lifestyle and proud Norwegian heritage, Clifton presents a value-rich setting with opportunities for growth, prosperity, and a relaxed lifestyle. Nestled in the panoramic hill country, the city complements the array of sports and recreational facilities in town with regional attractions like Meridian State Park and Whitney Lake. Services are exceptional for a small community, including a full-service healthcare network and hospital, sports courts and arenas, walking and nature trails, Bosque Memorial Museum, the Bosque County Conservatory of Fine Arts, excellent schools, and a designation as a “Main Street” city by the Texas Historical Commission. The Bosque River meanders through the town, adding to the natural beauty of the cityscape.
Meridian
City Hall
254-435-2381
Chamber of Commerce
254-435-2966
www.meridian-chamber.com
The small town of Meridian nevertheless serves as the county seat, home to nearly 2,000 residents who enjoy a relaxed lifestyle in the Bosque River Valley. Nestled below cliffs and canyons and surrounded by oak and pecan trees, the community draws neighbors and friends together for lively gatherings like the annual holiday parade, Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival, and the National Championship Barbecue Cookoff. Nearly 200 chefs arrive for the cookoff on an “invitation only” basis, welcomed by a parade that showcases floats, bands, and horses. The historical courthouse serves as the focal point of the downtown district, preserving the area’s rich historical legacy in newspapers, journals, diaries, and photos. Residents have access to efficient emergency service and a local medical clinic, although a full-service hospital is only 12 miles from home in Clifton. The presence of Interstate 35 and the continued Metroplex sprawl toward the south ensure that Meridian will experience even more growth and development.
