Boston, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Boston
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| Nickname(s):
City of Boston, Texas
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 Boston, Texas
Location in Texas
Boston, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Bowie |
| Established | 1890 |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 200 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
75570
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| Area code(s) | 430 & 903 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1352714 |
Boston is a small community in Bowie County, Texas, United States. It is known as the county seat of Bowie County. This means it is where the main government offices for the county are located. In 2000, about 200 people lived there. Boston is also part of the larger Texarkana metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Boston, Texas
How Boston Became the County Seat
In the mid-1880s, the original town of Boston started to get smaller. People in Texarkana wanted the county seat to be in their city. They succeeded, and the county government moved there.
However, after five years, people in the middle and western parts of Bowie County wanted the county seat closer to the center of the county. So, in 1890, a new community was started. This new place was about a mile south of New Boston.
Naming the New County Seat
The new county seat needed a post office. The first three names suggested were Center, Hood, and Glass. But these names were already being used by other places.
So, the post office from the original Boston was moved to this new location. The name "Boston" came with it. The old town was then called "Old Boston."
Boston Through the Years
Even though a newer courthouse was built in New Boston in the 1980s, Boston still remained the official county seat. The number of people living in Boston was recorded as 200 in 2000. Before that, from 1896 through the early 1990s, the population was around 175 people. In 1982, there were only two businesses operating in the community.
The jail for Bowie County, located in Boston, is a special building. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
Geography
Boston is located near U.S. Highway 82. It is also close to the Missouri Pacific Railroad. The community is about 22 miles (35 km) west of Texarkana. It sits in the central part of Bowie County.
Education
Students in Boston attend schools that are part of the New Boston Independent School District.
Notable People
Some interesting people have connections to Boston:
- Jeff D. Leach was born in Boston. He is a businessman and a researcher who studies the microbiome.
- William Lee Estes, who became a United States federal judge, was also born in Boston.
- Howell Washington Runnels Sr. worked as a store clerk in Boston.
In Popular Culture
The movie Christmas on Mars was filmed in Boston.
