Montague County, Texas

Montague County  is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, established in 1857. As of the 2020 census, its population was 19,965. The county seat is Montague. The county was created in 1857 and organized the next year. It is named for Daniel Montague, a surveyor and soldier in the Mexican–American War.

History
In the mid- to late 19th century, the county was the site of the trading post known as Red River Station, established near the river of the same name by Jesse Chisholm, a Cherokee merchant who also served as an important interpreter for the Republic of Texas and the United States. Together with Black Bear, a Lenape guide, he had scouted and developed what became known as the Chisholm Trail north through Indian Territory, where he had more trading posts, and into Kansas.

In the post-Civil War period, ranchers suffered from low prices for their beef cattle, as overproduction had occurred during the war, when their regular markets were cut off. Learning about high prices and demand in the East, they began to have their cattle driven to railheads in Kansas for shipment to the east. Red River Station became the southern terminus for the Chisholm Trail, and the gathering place for thousands of Texas Longhorns during annual cattle drives to railheads in Kansas. Over the years, an estimated five million cattle were driven north to Kansas. The cattle were gathered by cowboys from ranches in East and West Texas; the cattle were then driven overland north to Kansas. They were shipped east, where they could command much higher prices. After railroads were constructed into Texas, the cattle drives to Kansas ended.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 938 sqmi, of which 931 sqmi are land and 7.4 sqmi (0.8%) are covered by water.

Adjacent counties

 * Jefferson County, Oklahoma (north)
 * Love County, Oklahoma (northeast)
 * Cooke County (east)
 * Wise County (south)
 * Jack County (southwest)
 * Clay County (west)

National protected area

 * Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland (part)

Demographics
''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

As of the census of 2000, 19,117 people, 7,770 households, and 5,485 families were residing in the county. The population density was 20 /mi2. The 9,862 housing units averaged 11 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 95.95% White, 0.18% African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 1.67% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. About 5.41% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 7,770 households, 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were not families. About 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41, and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the age distribution was 24.00% under 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 24.30% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 19.80% who were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,048, and for a family was $38,226. Males had a median income of $31,585 versus $19,589 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,115. About 10.00% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.80% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

Education
These school districts serve Montague County:
 * Alvord ISD (mostly in Wise County)
 * Bowie ISD (small portion in Clay, Jack Counties)
 * Forestburg ISD
 * Gold-Burg ISD (small portion in Clay County)
 * Montague ISD
 * Nocona ISD
 * Prairie Valley ISD
 * Saint Jo ISD (small portion in Cooke County)
 * Slidell ISD (partly in Wise, Denton counties; small portion in Cooke County)

In addition, a branch of North Central Texas College operates in Bowie.

Major highways

 * US 81.svg U.S. Highway 81
 * US 82.svg U.S. Highway 82
 * US 287.svg U.S. Highway 287
 * Texas 59.svg State Highway 59
 * Texas 101.svg State Highway 101
 * Texas 175.svg State Highway 175

Farm to Market Roads

 * Texas FM 103.svg FM 103
 * Texas FM 174.svg FM 174
 * Texas FM 455.svg FM 455
 * Texas FM 677.svg FM 677
 * Texas FM 730.svg FM 730
 * Texas FM 922.svg FM 922
 * Texas FM 1106.svg FM 1106
 * Texas FM 1125.svg FM 1125
 * Texas FM 1630.svg FM 1630
 * Texas FM 1655.svg FM 1655
 * Texas FM 1749.svg FM 1749
 * Texas FM 1758.svg FM 1758
 * Texas FM 1759.svg FM 1759
 * Texas FM 1806.svg FM 1806
 * Texas FM 1815.svg FM 1815
 * Texas FM 1816.svg FM 1816
 * Texas FM 1956.svg FM 1956
 * Texas FM 2382.svg FM 2382
 * Texas FM 2634.svg FM 2634
 * Texas FM 2849.svg FM 2849
 * Texas FM 2953.svg FM 2953
 * Texas FM 3043.svg FM 3043
 * Texas FM 3301.svg FM 3301
 * Texas FM 3394.svg FM 3394
 * Texas FM 3428.svg FM 3428

Cities

 * Bowie
 * Nocona
 * St. Jo

Census-designated places

 * Montague
 * Nocona Hills
 * Ringgold
 * Sunset

Other unincorporated communities

 * Belcherville
 * Bonita
 * Dye
 * Forestburg
 * Fruitland
 * Hardy
 * Illinois Bend
 * Mallard
 * New Harp
 * Spanish Fort
 * Stoneburg

Ghost town

 * Capps Corner
 * Corinth
 * Gladys
 * Hynds City
 * Red River Station
 * Rowland
 * Salona

Politics
Republican Drew Springer, a businessman from Muenster in Cooke County, represents Montague County in the Texas House of Representatives. He carried the county in the 2012 Republican runoff election.

Prior to 1996, Montague County was strongly Democratic in presidential elections. The only Republican Party candidates who managed to win the county from 1912 to 1992 were Herbert Hoover in 1928 and Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan in their 49-state landslides of 1972 and 1984, respectively. Since 1996, the county has swung hard to the supporting Republican Party, in similar fashion to almost all white-majority rural counties in the Solid South.