RELOCATION INFORMATION - Read why Caldwell is a

RELOCATION INFORMATION

MOVING TO CALDWELL Small Town Living

CALDWELL’S PROXIMITY TO METROPOLITAIN AREAS MAKES IT A STELLAR CHOICE FOR ALL

Burleson County Courthouse, 2021

Burleson County, Texas is located in the middle of the Texas Triangle between Houston, Dallas/ Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio. The City of Caldwell is the county seat, a small rural community about 25 miles west of Bryan and College Station.

The community has grown over the past couple of years due to the Eagle Ford Shale oil boom, and due to its location in the fast-growing Brazos Valley, Caldwell is expecting more growth. Caldwell’s blend of Texan, Czech, and other cultures plus its setting among fertile farmland, rolling hills, and Post Oak forests have equipped it with a range of natural and cultural assets. The population of Caldwell remained relatively stable from 1940 to the 1970s at just over 2,000. Caldwell’s population had increased to 3,449 by 2000, driven by the economic bases of oil, agriculture, and livestock. Today, Caldwell has reached an estimated population of almost 4,400. Population projections for the county show continued growth over the coming decades, given the county’s relatively high birth rate, and that this new generation will be the most diverse in the history of the county.

Caldwell maintains its strategic location at the junction of several trade and transportation networks, with significant amounts of road and rail-based freight passing through the county. State Highways 21 and CALDWELL, TEXAS | 26

RELOCATION INFORMATION

36 direct traffic from Mexico and the Gulf Coast through the Texas Triangle and eventually to Louisiana and Abilene. The significant rail infrastructure handles freight from all corners of the Texas Triangle.

Caldwell ISD school facilities generally meet or exceed Texas’s educational benchmarks, with an overall ‘B’ grade from the Texas Education Agency. Caldwell has a police department and a volunteer fire department. There is a municipal utility department and ample groundwater. Caldwell has St. Joseph’s CHI hospital, a senior center in the downtown, and a civic center/visitor center to host events and meetings and a few museums.

One of Burleson County’s most important natural resources is the Wilcox-Carrizo aquifer. Burleson County has a significant portion of the remaining water resources of this long belt of underground drinking water. In terms of natural hazards, Caldwell is at lower risk from hurricanes than coastal Texas communities, but significant portions of the two state highways passing through the city are located within the 100-year flood zone. The city is also at minor but nonzero risk of significant fires.

Caldwell Burleson County State of Community Report, September 2020

Caldwell is loctaed 23 miles from Bryan, 61 miles from Temple, 79 miles from Austin, and 107 miles from Houston.

The City of Caldwell is a General Law – Type A city operating under a council-manager form of government. The powers of the City are vested in a five member elected council that enacts local legislation, determines city policies and appoints the city administrator.

City Hall 107 S. Hill Street Caldwell, Texas 77836 Open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Camden White, city administrator 979-567-3271 cwhite@caldwelltx.gov - www.caldwelltx.gov

Burleson County Courthouse,1890

CALDWELL

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

A CORNERSTONE IN CALDWELL Community Driven

DISTINGUISHED WOODSON LUMBER COMPANY RECOGNIZES CALDWELL AS THE ANCHOR OF THEIR BUSINESS

By Michelle Banse Stokes, photos by Victoria Oliver/Faith and Fire Photo & Films

We’re very grateful to the citizens of Caldwell for supporting us for 108 years.

Ann Woodson Yager Chapman Boasting deep roots in Caldwell, Woodson Lumber Company is proud to have operated for over a century with the Woodson family continuously at the helm. Today, a third-generation member of the Woodson family, Ann Woodson Yager Chapman, serves as CEO. Chapman is the granddaughter of co-founder Harrie Woodson. Her daughter and business partner, Kate Woodson Borroni, currently works in human resources and administration. Kate’s two brothers are also partners, Stu Chapman works in purchasing and Philip Chapman is in operations. “In 1913, brothers Harrie and Jim Woodson partnered up with another lumber company in Caldwell,” said Borroni. “Eventually they bought the other company out and officially became Woodson Lumber Company. Over the next eight or nine decades, they acquired other locations. There are currently seven retail locations, a door and gate manufacturing facility, and our corporate offices. We employee approximately 150 people.” Always a family company from day one, Woodson Lumber Company recently celebrated their 100th anniversary in business. “Our partnerships with our communities that make up our customer base is what has helped with our longevity,” added Chapman. “We celebrated the people that helped get us to where we are. When the business started in 1913, it was run by my grandfather and his brother. After World War II, my grandfather’s two daughters were married and their husbands came into the business. After my dad was here, I got to work with him for a couple of years. I’m proud

Left, Woodson Lumber that my own children were recently brought in as Company takes great pride in partners.” the quality of their product; right, a family-owned busienss since day one. Growing up in the lumber business with such an entrepreneurial father had quite an influence on Chapman when she was young. “My dad taught me some very basic things,” shared Chapman. “Like learning to pick up trash as you walk through the lumberyard or the importance of going to someone’s house after work on Saturday for a meal and the sense of community that creates. He also showed me the importance of keeping an attitude that loves going to work every day. Those are some of the pearls of wisdom I learned growing up.”

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Chapman, proud of her daughter, is quick to talk about the many varied roles Borroni has held in the company but that diversification seems to be quite typical for almost everyone who works at Woodson Lumber Company.

“We don’t pigeonhole any one job,” said Borroni. “The ability to be flexible and pivot is something we pride ourselves on. I myself have a very diverse job and I enjoy learning new things and working with new people. I enjoy learning new skill sets – it’s not the same thing any two days in a row. An added plus is that I get to work beside a highly skilled group of people, and I am grateful for that.”

And it’s that high skill set, and ability to be flexible, that sets Woodson Lumber Company apart from other similar businesses.

“A lot of companies sell the same physical products that we do, but there are three things that make us stand out from the crowd,” shared Borroni. “It’s our people, our service and our adaptability. We’re proud of our ability to adapt to support the community our store is in and reflect those community needs through our inventory. We’re also proud of our service.”

“Yes, a good way to summarize it is expertise and commitment,” added Chapman. “We strive to get customers what they want, when they need it. We have a highly skilled group and for that we are very grateful. We’re also very grateful to the citizens of Caldwell for supporting us for 108 years.”

Borroni is quick to resonate with her mother’s strong appreciation for Woodson Lumber Company’s many customers and friends in the community.

“We’re proud to be in Burleson County,” said Borroni. “Caldwell is our flagship store, our anchor. We are very grateful for the support we receive in our local area.”

Woodson Lumber Company carries lumber, hardware, building materials, home goods, farm and ranch supplies, lawn and garden items, as well as a variety of other items. In Caldwell, they are located at 702 West Buck Street and online at www.woodsonlumber.com.

Top right, Harrie P. Woodson on a lumber buying trip in Lousiana in 1930; bottom left, brothers Stu and Philip Chapman inspect their product in the Caldwell yard. CALDWELL, TEXAS | 29