Town file
Stephenville, Texas
Stephenville, Texas (Erath County, Texas) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 515, "Against The Wind" (1 August 2024). Susan Jeanette Atkins was born in 1957 in Stephenville, Texas, the daughter of Joe and Irma Atkins.
- Town
- Stephenville
- County
- Erath County
- State
- Texas
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 515
- Approximate location
- 32.215, -98.220
Episode 515 / 1 August 2024 / 171 min / full
Against The Wind
"This is in Stephenville, Texas... it's in central Texas, about two hours to Dallas; E-R-A-T-H, Erath County." about 0:04:46
The case: Murder of Susan Woods (July 1987). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2024
- Population
- 20,504
- Median age
- 25.5
- Median household income
- $50,552 a year
- Median home value
- $251,700
- Two-bedroom rent
- $1,070
- Cost of living
- 82
- Property crime
- ▼ just below
- Violent crime
- ▼ about half
History, in brief
- Known as the Cowboy Capital of the World. about 0:05:40
- Named after John M. Stephen, who settled there in 1854 and donated the land for the town site. about 0:06:32
- Laid out by George B. Erath, which is where the county and the town got their names. about 0:06:40
- In its first two years the settlement's population reached 776. about 0:06:52
- The population declined in 1871 because the town site was in Comanche territory and there were constant raids; it was also just after the Civil War. about 0:06:56
- The area became agricultural and livestock country. about 0:07:17
- Coal was found and coal mining was important to the area for about 30 years in the 1800s. about 0:07:22
- Tarleton State University is in the town. about 0:07:41
- In the 1980s the county was dry and you could not buy a beer. about 0:20:27
- On Saturday nights teenagers cruised Washington Street between the Dairy Queens on each side of town; they were known as drag buddies. about 0:20:54
The reviews read out
5 stars
"The roads are not perfect, but it is a beautiful town with wonderful people and many churches; not much to do beyond farmers markets, sports games, tennis courts and a miniature golf course."about 0:08:10
3 stars
"It is a town but better than a small town for amenities, grocery stores, restaurants and a four-year university."about 0:08:31
2 stars
"Not everyone here is nice and the college students tend to be very annoying."about 0:08:46
1 star
"The worst town to be in if you are an expecting parent or have kids; the county justice system rips families apart and the police are there for the money, not the community."about 0:09:20
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Aledo, Texas49 miles
- San Saba, Texas76 miles
- Axtell, Texas83 miles
- Lancaster, Texas88 miles
- Dean, Texas118 miles
- Gun Barrel City, Texas122 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.