Clifton Record

About the Collection

In 1997 Clifton was officially designated by the State of Texas as the Norwegian Capital of Texas. It also contains a sub-culture of retirees who have become a large percentage of the population and live in retirement villages. Because of this, many Scandinavian families research their Bosque County roots through historical records. They love the newspaper articles about their families and the history of the county. German roots also reach deep into Bosque County, and German families also research their history through museum archives.

The Clifton Record is a historical Clifton newspaper which dates from 1905. Many families and local organizations and societies are look for historical and genealogical information only found in the early issues of The Clifton Record. These newspapers mirror the past—activities, events, moral and social customs, fashion, commerce, and politics. Researchers, genealogists, and students can find these digitized documents of great benefit. Having these newspapers digitized benefits all who seek historical or genealogical information.

Free access to historical newspapers instills in the local populace a sense of identity and stress how these communities have left a mark on the world at large. As the Tocker Foundation states, “It is notable that history researchers who otherwise might never have had prior knowledge of these very old Texas towns now regularly access and cite their newspapers in published research.”