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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in Montague County, Texas.
History
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.
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.
On September 26, 2009, an historical marker on the Chisholm Trail was unveiled at the site of the former community of Red River Station in Montague County. The 5.5-ft concrete marker is the last of 12 erected in Montague County as part of a joint project of the Texas Lakes Trail and the Montague County Historical Commission to outline the Chisholm Trail.
Adjacent Counties
Cities, Towns & Communities
- Belcherville
- Bonita
- Bowie
- Capps Corner
- Corinth
- Forestburg
- Montague (County Seat)
- Nocona
- Nocona Hills
- Red River Station
- St. Jo
- Sunset
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