Joshua, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joshua, Texas
City
Location in Johnson County and the state of Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Johnson
Area
• Total	9.20 sq mi (23.82 km2)
• Land	9.15 sq mi (23.69 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2)
Elevation	915 ft (279 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	7,891
• Density	857.7/sq mi (331.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	76058
Area code(s)	817
FIPS code	48-38080
GNIS feature ID	2410152

Joshua is a city located in Johnson County, Texas, in the United States. It is a growing community with a rich history. According to the 2020 census, about 7,891 people live there.

History of Joshua

Early Beginnings

Joshua is in a part of Texas called the Cross Timbers region. The land where Joshua now stands was first claimed by W. W. Byers in 1867. Later, in 1874, John Powell bought this land.

Near Joshua, about 2 miles (3.2 km) east, was an older community called Caddo Grove. It was a busy town with its own post office. But things changed when the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway was built in 1881.

The Railroad Arrives

The new railroad tracks did not go through Caddo Grove. Instead, a train station was built where Joshua is today. This station was first called "Caddo Peak." However, the post office did not approve this name because another town already used it.

So, the name "Joshua" was chosen. It is believed that Dr. D. B. McMillan picked the name, inspired by the biblical Joshua. In 1882, Joshua got its first post office, and W. L. West became the first postmaster. The post office in Caddo Grove closed the next year.

Growth and Development

The town of Joshua was planned out in 1880, and it officially started in 1881 when the railroad arrived. The first store opened in 1882, also serving as the post office. By 1890, Joshua had grown to about 300 people. It had two mills for grinding corn and ginning cotton, a hotel, a general store, and even a newspaper called the Johnson County Record.

The railroad was very important for shipping farm products, which were Joshua's main export. The first one-room school opened in 1890 and moved into a new building in 1899. This school later became Joshua High School in 1917.

Challenges and Progress

Joshua faced some tough times with major fires in 1900 and 1912. But the town kept growing. New businesses opened, like the Citizen's Banking Company in 1904. A public water system was also started in 1906. Farms around Joshua grew many different crops, like fruits, vegetables, corn, and cotton.

In 1912, a special train service called the Fort Worth South Traction Line began. It connected Joshua to Cleburne and Fort Worth. This service stopped in 1932 because more people started using cars. The first car in Joshua was bought in 1913. By 1914, Joshua had 824 people, two cotton gins, an ice plant, a bank, a newspaper called the Joshua Star, and four churches.

Modern Joshua

Joshua officially became an incorporated city in the mid-1950s. Ted Strube was the first mayor. The population changed over the years, growing from 550 in the 1950s to 3,828 by 1990. This growth was partly because Joshua is close to Fort Worth.

The number of businesses in Joshua also increased. In 1980, there were 58 businesses, including seven local factories that made things like aluminum products and boat trailers. A local newspaper, the Joshua Tribune, started in 1970. Theodore "Ted" Roosevelt Strube, the first mayor, also helped start the Masonic Lodge in Joshua. His wife, Sylvia Couch Strube, was the city's first florist.

Geography of Joshua

Joshua is located in Texas, with Burleson to its north and Cleburne to its south. Cleburne is the main city of Johnson County. Texas State Highway 174 (also known as Broadway Street) goes right through Joshua. This highway leads north about 7 miles (11 km) to Burleson and south about 8 miles (13 km) to Cleburne. The big city of Fort Worth is about 22 miles (35 km) north of Joshua.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Joshua covers a total area of about 9.2 square miles (23.8 square kilometers). A very small part of this area, about 0.05 square miles (0.13 square kilometers), is water.

The northern part of Joshua is drained by Village Creek, which flows into the Trinity River. The southern part is drained by streams that flow into East Buffalo Creek, which then goes into the Nolan River. The Nolan River is part of the larger Brazos River system. West of Joshua, there is a hill called Brushy Knob. It stands at 1,042 feet (318 meters) above sea level.

People of Joshua

Population Changes Over Time

The population of Joshua has changed a lot over the years. Here's how it has grown:

Who Lives in Joshua?

In 2020, there were 7,891 people living in Joshua. These people lived in 2,928 households, and 2,066 of these were families.

Here is a breakdown of the different groups of people living in Joshua, based on the 2020 census:

Education in Joshua

The public schools in Joshua are managed by the Joshua Independent School District. This school district covers an area of about 76.68 square miles (198.60 square kilometers) and has eight different school campuses for students.

See also

In Spanish: Joshua (Texas) para niños