Montgomery, Texas

Montgomery, Texas
City
Historic Business District in Downtown Montgomery.
Nickname(s): Lone Star Town
Motto(s): Texas is Texas

Location of Montgomery, Texas
Coordinates: 30°23′22″N 95°41′53″W / 30.38944°N 95.69806°W / 30.38944; -95.69806Coordinates: 30°23′22″N 95°41′53″W / 30.38944°N 95.69806°W / 30.38944; -95.69806
Country  United States
State  Texas
County Montgomery
Incorporated February 26, 1848[1]
Government[2]
 • Mayor Kirk Jones
 • City Council Jon Bickford
John Champagne
T.J. Wilkerson
Rebecca Huss
Dave McCorquodale
Area
 • Total 4.6 sq mi (11.8 km2)
 • Land 4.5 sq mi (11.7 km2)
 • Water 0.1 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation 295 ft (90 m)
Population (2010)[3]
 • Total 621
 • Density 108.3/sq mi (41.8/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes 77316, 77356
Area code(s) 936, 597
FIPS code 48-49128[4]
GNIS feature ID 1382317[5]

Montgomery is a city located in Montgomery County, Texas, a part of the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 621.

History

Advertisement for the sale of lots in the Town of Montgomery, Texas from the July 8, 1837 edition of the Telegraph and Texas Register newspaper published in Houston, Texas.

The town of Montgomery was founded in the middle of the Lake Creek Settlement by W. W. Shepperd in July 1837 on 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land that had originally been part of the John Corner League. Shepperd had established the first store in the Lake Creek Settlement in 1835. W. W. Shepperd and his partner John Wyatt Moody named the town Montgomery.[6]

Montgomery became the first county seat of Montgomery County shortly after the county was created on December 14, 1837.[6]

Origins of the city's name

Local histories and accounts by 20th century historians held that the city and county of Montgomery were named after a family of early settlers to the area: Andrew Montgomery and Owen and Margaret Montgomery Shannon.[7][8] However, recent evidence provided by Carrol Cagle and Kameron Searle suggests that, while there were residents of the area with the surname "Montgomery" living in the area, it is more likely that the town and county were named after Lemuel P. Montgomery, a major of the U.S. Army during the Creek War.[6] According to Cagle, John Wyatt Moody, one of the founders of Montgomery, was the County Clerk for Montgomery County, Alabama, before moving to Texas. Montgomery County, Alabama, is named for Lemuel Montgomery.[9] Sam Houston, the President of the Republic of Texas when the town and county of Montgomery were founded, served in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend with Lemuel Montgomery and witnessed his death in the front lines of the battle.[10] According to Searle, Moody and his partner W.W. Shepperd may have used Houston's connection with Lemuel Montgomery to help promote the creation of Montgomery County, with the town of Montgomery as the county seat.[6]

Birthplace of the Lone Star Flag?

On July 7, 1922, Edmund B. Stewart, son of the early Montgomery settler Charles B. Stewart, claimed in a letter that his father had drafted the original design of the Lone Star Flag, enclosing what he claimed was his father's draft of the flag's design.[6] To date, this letter and draft copy, along with claims by Stewart's descendants, remain the only evidence currently known that Charles Stewart was the designer of the flag.[11] In particular, the lack of evidence not directly tied to the Stewart family has caused many flag historians to question Stewart's claim.[11][12][13][14] As a legacy of the Stewart claim, one of the nicknames for the city of Montgomery is "Birthplace of the Texas Flag."[15]

Geography

Montgomery is located at 30°23'22" North, 95°41'53" West (30.389406, -95.698089).[16]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12 km2). 4.5 square miles (12 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it is water. The total area is 1.31% water.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1880414—
1970216—
198025819.4%
199035638.0%
200048937.4%
201062127.0%
Est. 2016922[17]48.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[18]

In the 2010 United States Census,[3] there were 621 people, 237 households, and 167 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city is 67.1% White, 26.4% African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 5.0% from other races, and 0.2% from two or more races. 14.5% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 237 households out of which 32.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% are married couples living together, 14.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% are non-families. 25.3% of all households are made up of individuals. The average household size is 2.62 and the average family size is 3.13.

In the city, the population is spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38.6 years. For every 100 females, there are 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 95.7 males.

As of the 2015 American Community Survey, The median income for a household in the city is $48,125, and the median income for a family is $63,750. Males have a median income of $41,429 versus $24,000 for females. The per capita income for the city is $27,376. 20.3% of the population and 16.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 28.6% of those under the age of 18 and 9.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Government and infrastructure

Location of Montgomery County.

The City of Montgomery is governed locally by a City Council consisting of a mayor and 5 council members. The current mayor is Sara Countryman. Current council members are Jon Bickford, John Champagne, T.J. Wilkerson, Rebecca Huss, and Dave McCorquodale.[2]

In the Texas Senate, Montgomery is part of District 3, represented by Republican Robert Nichols. In the Texas House of Representatives, Montgomery is part of District 16, represented by Republican Will Metcalf.[19]

In the United States Senate, Republicans John Cornyn and Ted Cruz represent the entire state. In the United States House of Representatives, Montgomery is part of District 8, represented by Republican Kevin Brady.[19]

The United States Postal Service operates the Montgomery Post Office at 821H Eva Street (Texas State Highway 105) and the Montgomery Post Office Annex at 21359 Eva Street.[20][21]

Education

Montgomery is a part of the Montgomery Independent School District.

Montgomery ISD is currently changing the structure of their feeder system. Previously, students attended a K-4 elementary, a 5th grade intermediate school, a 6th grade middle school, a 7-8th grade junior high school, and a 9-12th grade high school.

Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, students will instead attend a K-5th grade elementary, 6-8th grade junior high, and 9th-12th grade high school.[22]

For students located within Montgomery city limits:[23]

  • K-5 students will attend Montgomery Elementary.
  • 6-8 students will attend Montgomery Junior High.
  • 9-12 students will attend Montgomery High School.

Montgomery County Memorial Library System operates the Charles B. Stewart West Branch at 202 Bessie Price Owen Drive.[24]

Places

View of the entrance to Fernland Historical Park from Memory Park.

Fernland Historical Park

Fernland Historical Park is an educational park, bringing samples of early Texas architecture together with examples of early Texas life. The log homes and cabins presented within the park are some of the oldest remaining structures within Texas. Fernland Historical Park now features a museum located in the Arnold-Simonton house which was built in 1845 during the Republic of Texas era in Texas history.[25]

Historical Markers

Texas Historical Commission marker approved for the Lake Creek Settlement located in front of the N. H. Davis Museum and Pioneer Complex, 308 Liberty Street, Montgomery, Texas.

The city of Montgomery contains buildings and other sites which date back to the original settlement of the area, such as Old Montgomery Cemetery, which contains the grave sites of some of Montgomery's first settlers. Historic buildings include the Davis Cottage and Museum, First State Bank, the Old Montgomery Baptist Church, and the Shelton-Smith House. Each site is designated with a historical marker established by the Texas Historical Commission.[26]

Westland Bunker

Ling-Chieh "Louis" Kung, the nephew of Soong Mei-ling, built an underground bunker in Montgomery, which was completed in 1982. Kung took money that he made from the success of the Westland Oil Development Corp. in the 1970s and used it to build the bunker, since he feared that the Soviet Union or the People's Republic of China would launch nuclear weapons towards the United States. Kung bought hundreds of acres of cow pasture on the outskirts of Montgomery and secretly began building the bunker. The two story, 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) bunker could house at least 700 people; Kung intended to have the bunker house his employees, their families, and others in case of a two-month emergency. Melanie Trottmann of The Wall Street Journal stated that the bunker "was a source of intrigue and gossip for the town of Montgomery." After the oil bust in the 1980s, Kung lost the title to the property; Kung died in 1996. Trottman said that the bunker "sat frozen in time" until a group of investors bought the property. The facility, now called "Westland Bunker," serves as a data storage center for businesses. The facility also contains office space that corporations can use in the event of a disaster.[27][28]

Notable people

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Montgomery has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[33]

References

  1. ↑ http://texashistorypage.com/Town_of_Montgomery_Incorporated_-_1848.html
  2. 1 2 City Council City of Montgomery, TX. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  3. 1 2 Census 2010: Montgomery, TX United States Census Bureau. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  4. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Searle, Kameron K. The Early History of Montgomery, Texas. City of Montgomery, Texas: July 7, 2012. Accessed on November 4, 2017.
  7. ↑ Montgomery, Robin. Montgomery, TX. Handbook of Texas: June 15, 2010. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  8. ↑ Our History Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  9. ↑ Montgomery County, Alabama. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  10. ↑ Haley, James L. Chapter 1: The Runaway Grocery Boy. in Sam Houston, pg. 14-15. University of Oklahoma Press: April 10, 2015. Accessed on August 9, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Spain, Charles A. Who Designed the Lone Star Flag? Heritage Volume 18, Number 1: Winter 2000. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  12. ↑ Maberry Jr, Robert. Letter to Representative Creighton April 9, 2009. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  13. ↑ Smith, Whitney. Letter to Charles A. Spain, Jr. The Flag Research Center: May 19, 2009. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  14. ↑ Report on the Design of the Lone Star Flag Texas Vexillological Commission: May 4, 2013. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  15. ↑ Homepage for the City of Montgomery Website "Birthplace of the Texas Flag" is written as a banner at the top of the page. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  16. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  17. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  19. 1 2 Who Represents Me: Montgomery Texas Legislative Council. Accessed on June 22, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Post Office Location - MONTGOMERY." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 8, 2008.
  21. ↑ "Post Office Location - MONTGOMERY ANNEX." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on December 8, 2008.
  22. ↑ MISD Bond 2015. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  23. ↑ MISD Attendance Zones 2017 and Beyond. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Charles B. Stewart West Branch." Montgomery County Memorial Library System. Retrieved on December 8, 2008.
  25. ↑ Order of the Confederate Rose meet in Fernland Historical Park. Houston Chronicle: August 9, 2016. Accessed on November 5, 2017.
  26. ↑ Montgomery Historic Landmarks County Gen Web. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  27. ↑ Trottman, Melanie. "Continental Airlines Finds a Safe Haven In a Texas Bunker." The Wall Street Journal. October 2, 2006. Retrieved on December 22, 2009.
  28. ↑ Mendoza, Jesse. Westland Bunker Community Impact Newspaper: June 2, 2015. Accessed on June 21, 2017.
  29. ↑ Lee, Bill. The Baseball Necrology: The Post-Baseball Lives and Deaths of More Than 7,600 Major League Players and Others. McFarland: April 16, 2009. Page 44. Retrieved on October 28, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Kambri Crews' Website." Kambri Crews. Retrieved on December 8, 2008.
  31. ↑ Women's Past Senior National Teams: 2015-2016. USA Gymnastics. Accessed on July 20, 2017.
  32. ↑ Biographical Directory of the Texan Conventions and Congresses: 1832-1845. Legislative Reference Library of Texas: 1942. Page 171. Retrieved on October 28, 2017.
  33. ↑ Climate Summary for Montgomery, Texas
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