Belcherville, Texas
Encyclopedia
Belcherville is an unincorporated community
along U.S. Route 82
and Farm to Market Road 1816
in Montague County
, Texas
, United States
. The population is less than 50.
was surveyed through Montague County, generally north of modern-day U.S. Route 82
. The ranchers offered land for the railway's right-of-way, and the community of Belcherville was born. A post office opened in 1887. Belcherville continued to grow through the remainder of the 19th Century, claiming 305 residents at the 1900 census.
During the 20th Century the community declined, and residents voted to repeal their incorporation in 1908. The railway that brought the town into existence may have been the cause of its demise, as well. Just after World War I, 1/2 of the cities businesses burned, some say caused by a train, others say by arson. Either way, it spelled the end for Belcherville, and the town never recovered. Most residents moved to nearby Nocona
. When the town voted to reincorporate is something of a mystery, but in 1958, it claimed to be the smallest incorporated city in the United States. In 2000, the population stood at 34.
. Some students in outlying areas may attend Gold-Burg Independent School District
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
along U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82 is an east–west United States highway in the southern United States. What started as a 1932 addition to the system across central Mississippi and southern Arkansas eventually became a 1,609 mile route extending from the White Sands of New Mexico to Georgia's Atlantic coast.The...
and Farm to Market Road 1816
Farm to Market Road 1816
Farm to Market Road 1816 or FM 1816, is a two-lane, state-maintained highway that connects the farming areas of north central Montague County to Bowie. FM 1816 also intersects with FM 1816 east of Stoneburg, US 82 near Belcherville, and other various county secondary roads...
in Montague County
Montague County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 19,117 people, 7,770 households, and 5,485 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile . There were 9,862 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population is less than 50.
History
The settlement was first called Belcher for local ranchers of the same name, though the settlement was really nothing more than the ranch's heaquarters until 1887. In that year, the Gainesville, Henrietta and Western RailwayGainesville, Henrietta and Western Railway
The Gainesville, Henrietta and Western Railway Company was chartered on July 23, 1886, to build a rail line from Gainesville in Cooke County, Texas, to Seymour in Baylor County, Texas, a distance of . The line was to cross Montague, Clay and Wichita counties....
was surveyed through Montague County, generally north of modern-day U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82 is an east–west United States highway in the southern United States. What started as a 1932 addition to the system across central Mississippi and southern Arkansas eventually became a 1,609 mile route extending from the White Sands of New Mexico to Georgia's Atlantic coast.The...
. The ranchers offered land for the railway's right-of-way, and the community of Belcherville was born. A post office opened in 1887. Belcherville continued to grow through the remainder of the 19th Century, claiming 305 residents at the 1900 census.
During the 20th Century the community declined, and residents voted to repeal their incorporation in 1908. The railway that brought the town into existence may have been the cause of its demise, as well. Just after World War I, 1/2 of the cities businesses burned, some say caused by a train, others say by arson. Either way, it spelled the end for Belcherville, and the town never recovered. Most residents moved to nearby Nocona
Nocona, Texas
Nocona is a city along U.S. Highway 82 and State Highway 175 in Montague County, Texas, United States. The population was 3,198 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. When the town voted to reincorporate is something of a mystery, but in 1958, it claimed to be the smallest incorporated city in the United States. In 2000, the population stood at 34.
Education
The City of Belcherville is served by the Nocona Independent School DistrictNocona Independent School District
Nocona Independent School District is a public school district based in Nocona, Texas . Nocona ISD provides more than the standard K-12 curriculum. NISD offers extended opportunities for students ranging from Head Start for very young children to college dual credit courses via distance learning...
. Some students in outlying areas may attend Gold-Burg Independent School District
Gold-Burg Independent School District
Gold-Burg Independent School District is a public school district in northwestern Montague County, Texas . A small portion of the district extends into northeastern Clay County....
.