Had to get from a camping trip in the Hill Country to visit someone in Fort Worth, so we decided to pass through Stephenville. Didn't have a lot of time, but someone here had posted that it was "close" to Fort Worth so we took a quick detour around the perimeter of the Tarleton campus.

First, your stadium is way more impressive than in the long-range overhead pictures. It's got a lot of verticality and some overhanging tiers. I couldn't see climbing to the top levels without an elevator. High intimidation factor relative to its seating.

Second, the academic buildings, at least around the outside, look really recent. There must be some historic buildings, maybe somewhere in the center part? Anyway, one gets the general impression that a lot of money is being spent to do things first-class. Named colleges (e.g. Mayfield Engineering) hinting at a sizeable alumni donor base.

Third, there's more to Stephenville than I expected. (Somehow I'd pictured a single commercial street bookended by a Dairy Queen and a Stripes.) The downtown looks like it's still lively, big variety of restaurants, lots of modernistic off-campus apartments and condos, and a lot of people around even though it's 1/5 the population of Edinburg and it was January 2nd.

Only one bad thing....based on yall's statements that it was "close" to FW and a naive look at a map, I took 377. Nightmare. Maybe 40 traffic lights, including an epic one at SH 171 that took like six cycles to get through. Rail crossing where a train with only three cars total pointlessly reversed back and forth across the road while the conductor literally smirked at the traffic pile up he was creating. Some town called Granbury where 10,000 posted population managed to field 80,000 SUVs.

I assume those in the know have some longer but faster way.

I actually spent a few days in Granbury and then made a quick day trip to Stephenville last week. That last paragraph made me chuckle.

Granbury sucks. Traffic is always horrible. Go there if you want to retire... it's Texas' Florida retirement village.

Cresson is the stop light and railroad tracks. They are constructing a bypass on the north side of the town to take care of that... but yes, Stephenville is a hard hour from Ft. Worth thanks to Granbury and Cresson.

Stephenville itself is a great college town. More to do than most realize although I wish the bowling alley and a couple of the drinking establishments could have survived the past 15 years.

Cresson Train! Lol!!! Gotten me many times:)

Glad you had an enjoyable excursion to the Ville. It was very nice to read an unbiased opinion of our growing campus.

Close is a relative term and there is no good way to get around Granbury, unless you have a helicopter.

I was attending a play on the square of Granbury and the opening was delayed 25 minutes as the band’s drummer and one actor were delayed due to the train in Cresson.

(01-04-2023 02:18 PM)wisdomgymrat Wrote:  Granbury sucks. Traffic is always horrible. Go there if you want to retire... it's Texas' Florida retirement village.

Cresson is the stop light and railroad tracks. They are constructing a bypass on the north side of the town to take care of that... but yes, Stephenville is a hard hour from Ft. Worth thanks to Granbury and Cresson.

Stephenville itself is a great college town. More to do than most realize although I wish the bowling alley and a couple of the drinking establishments could have survived the past 15 years.

What all is there to do? I don't really feel like there's much besides drinking and events related to the university. Whenever I see my cousin we don't really do much besides drink at his place or drink at a bar.

(01-05-2023 11:31 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 02:18 PM)wisdomgymrat Wrote:  Granbury sucks. Traffic is always horrible. Go there if you want to retire... it's Texas' Florida retirement village.

Cresson is the stop light and railroad tracks. They are constructing a bypass on the north side of the town to take care of that... but yes, Stephenville is a hard hour from Ft. Worth thanks to Granbury and Cresson.

Stephenville itself is a great college town. More to do than most realize although I wish the bowling alley and a couple of the drinking establishments could have survived the past 15 years.

What all is there to do? I don't really feel like there's much besides drinking and events related to the university. Whenever I see my cousin we don't really do much besides drink at his place or drink at a bar.

And?

(01-05-2023 04:59 PM)Itinerant Texan Wrote:  

(01-05-2023 11:31 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(01-04-2023 02:18 PM)wisdomgymrat Wrote:  Granbury sucks. Traffic is always horrible. Go there if you want to retire... it's Texas' Florida retirement village.

Cresson is the stop light and railroad tracks. They are constructing a bypass on the north side of the town to take care of that... but yes, Stephenville is a hard hour from Ft. Worth thanks to Granbury and Cresson.

Stephenville itself is a great college town. More to do than most realize although I wish the bowling alley and a couple of the drinking establishments could have survived the past 15 years.

What all is there to do? I don't really feel like there's much besides drinking and events related to the university. Whenever I see my cousin we don't really do much besides drink at his place or drink at a bar.

And?

Don't get me wrong, I love the sauce but there's plenty of great places for that where I'm at.

I miss the bowling alley, miniature golf, golf in general when Legends wasn't a cow pasture, McDow's Hole/Baker Hotel trips and taking Metroplex City boys snipe hunting.

281 to I20 is the best way. You have to slow down to 70 going through Morgan Mill, but other than that 80-90MPH the whole way.

Putt Putt is much needed!