Representative Review

New Boston, Texas

City in the United States in Bowie County

About New Boston

New Boston is a city in Bowie County, Texas, United States. Boston was named for an early storekeeper in the settlement, W.J. Boston. The coming of the railroads led to the location of two more Bostons. A depot was built approximately 4 miles north of Boston and was named New Boston. The original Boston then became Old Boston. The courthouse was moved to Texarkana in the early 1880s, but a later election carried to move the courthouse back to the geographic center of the county. This location was between the Bostons. The Post Office Department named this location Boston, so Bowie County has claim to three Bostons: New Boston, Boston, and Old Boston. The population was 4,550 at the 2010 census and 4,612 in 2020.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How New Boston is governed

Form of government not yet listed.

1 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.

Residents of New Boston

Registered voters elect the officials below.

  • Mayor

    Executive

    • Ronald Humphrey per Wikidata

    The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.

    • City Manager / Administrator

      Executive

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).

  • City Council

    Legislative

    Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

    The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.

    • City Clerk

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.

    • City Attorney

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.

    • Boards & Commissions

      Legislative

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      Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.

  • Municipal Court

    Judicial

    Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

    Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.

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Population over time

From 4,550 in 2010 to 4,612 in 2020 (+1.4%).

2010 2020
Show the numbers
YearPopulation
20204,612
20104,550

History

The Red River Expedition (1806) was stopped by the Spanish in the vicinity of the town.

When the Missouri Pacific Railroad was being constructed 4 miles (6 km) north of the village of Boston (now Old Boston) in the summer of 1876, it was clear to many businessmen in the town that it would suffer a serious decline as a result of its distance from the line. At a mass meeting, J. H. Smelser, a local resident and surveyor for the railroad, was selected to meet with railroad officials to secure the location of a depot at a point on the line nearest to Boston. The negotiations were successful, and in September 1876, lots were laid out and put up for sale on 100 acres (0.40 km2) that the railroad had purchased. Because most of those engaged in the project were from Boston, the new town was named New Boston.

A post office was established in 1877 with L. C. DeMorse as postmaster. The town grew rapidly, and by 1884, it had 400 residents, two churches, a school, several mills and gins, and a newspaper, the New Boston Herald, edited by W. W. West. A furniture factory and another newspaper, the Bowie County Populist, were added in the 1890s.

By 1900, the town had a population of 762. It grew slowly until the late 1920s, when a short-lived boom raised the population from 869 in 1925 to 1,300 in 1929. The population fell to 949 by 1931. During World War II, the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant and the Red River Army Depot were constructed just southeast of New Boston. The two massive military installations were probably responsible for the town's rapid growth in the 1940s. The population grew from 1,111 in 1940, then to 2,688 in 1950. In 1980, it reached 4,628. Although an International Paper mill, the Barry Telford state prison and a few smaller factories provided some industrial base for the town, New Boston depends heavily on the two military installations for its continued prosperity. The town had 5,057 residents in 1990 and 4,550 residents in 2010.

New Boston is known for its Pioneer Days Festival and Rodeo. The townfolk gather at the T&P Trailhead Park for entertainment such as carnival rides, street dances, and live musical and comedy presentations.

On the evening of November 4, 2022, an EF3 tornado hit the western outskirts of the city, causing minor damage.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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