| County: | Montague County |
| State: | Texas |
| Type: | County |
| Founded: | 1858 |
| Seat Wl: | Montague |
| Largest City Wl: | Bowie |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 938 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 931 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 7.4 |
| Area Percentage: | 0.8 |
| Census Yr: | 2020 |
| Pop: | 19965 |
| Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Ex Image: | Montague county courthouse.jpg |
| Ex Image Size: | 250 |
| Ex Image Cap: | The Montague County Courthouse in Montague |
| Web: | www.co.montague.tx.us |
| Time Zone: | Central |
| District: | 13th |
| Named For: | Daniel Montague |
Montague County [1] [2] is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas, established in 1857. As of the 2020 census, its population was 19,965.[3] The county seat is Montague.[4] The county was created in 1857 and organized the next year.[5] It is named for Daniel Montague, a surveyor and soldier in the Mexican–American War.
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.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 938sqmi, of which 931sqmi are land and 7.4sqmi (0.8%) are covered by water.[6]
| White alone (NH) | 17,347 | 16,342 | 87.97% | 81.85% | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 38 | 73 | 0.19% | 0.37% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 137 | 155 | 0.69% | 0.78% | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 59 | 84 | 0.30% | 0.42% | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 4 | 0.02% | 0.02% | |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 3 | 34 | 0.02% | 0.17% | |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 202 | 912 | 1.02% | 4.57% | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,930 | 2,361 | 9.79% | 11.83% | |
| Total | 19,719 | 19,965 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census[9] 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.
These school districts serve Montague County:
In addition, a branch of North Central Texas College operates in Bowie.
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.[10]
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.