Iredell is a small city in the southwestern part of Bosque County, Texas, in the central region of the state near the Bosque River. The community traces its origins to the late 1850s, when Ward Keeler and Ranse Walker settled in the area and named it after Keeler's son, Ire. A post office opened in 1870, and the settlement later moved from its original site near the Walker homestead to its present location. The fertile land and proximity to the Bosque River attracted pioneers who established the farms and ranches that still define the local economy. The town has remained small throughout its history. Its population, recorded at 360 in 2000 and 305 at the 2020 census, reflects a stable, agriculturally based community that has not followed the growth of Texas' larger cities. Farming and ranching continue to anchor the area, and the surrounding rolling hills and river bottomland give Iredell the open, working landscape characteristic of Bosque County. Education is provided by Iredell Independent School District, which operates a single campus serving students from pre-kindergarten through high school. Classified as a 2A school, the district educates a small student body in one facility, keeping the school at the center of community life. This single-campus arrangement is emblematic of Iredell's scale and its emphasis on close, personal community ties. For those seeking a quiet, rural way of life in central Texas, Iredell offers an authentic small town within driving distance of larger communities. Its modest population, agricultural heritage, and unhurried pace make it a distinctive, low-density home base in the heart of Bosque County.