St. Jo, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Jo, Texas
City
Location of Saint Jo, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Montague
Area
• Total	1.08 sq mi (2.79 km2)
• Land	1.08 sq mi (2.79 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,142 ft (348 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	881
• Density	816/sq mi (315.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
FIPS code	48-64184
GNIS feature ID	2411760

Saint Jo is a small city in Montague County, Texas, United States. It is located near the northern border of the state. In 2020, about 881 people lived there.

History of Saint Jo

Saint Jo was started in 1856 by people mostly from Europe. It was first called Head of Elm. This name came from its location at the start of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Many early settlers moved here from states like Tennessee and Kentucky. They were looking for new chances in Texas.

How Saint Jo Got Its Name

A man named Joe Howell was a surveyor. He planned out the town and is known as its founder. Some stories say that Irby Holt Boggess helped Howell around 1872. This story was shown in 1986 at the Stonewall Saloon Museum in Saint Jo.

Joe Howell was said to be against selling drinks for adults. Because of this, people gave him the nickname "Saint Jo." This nickname then became the name of the town he founded. However, by 1880, a man named Zachariah T. Haden was running a saloon in Saint Jo.

Saint Jo and the Chisholm Trail

Saint Jo was close to Red River Station. This was a trading spot on the Red River. After the American Civil War, this spot became the southern end of the Chisholm Trail. Ranchers used this trail to move their cattle to train stations in Kansas. From there, the cattle were sent East to be sold for good prices.

Towns along the trail grew as more people and businesses arrived. Cowboys often visited saloons and hotels in these towns. Later, railroads were built directly into Texas. This meant cattle no longer had to be driven all the way to Kansas. As a result, businesses along the Chisholm Trail saw fewer customers.

Changes in Local Rules

From 1920 to 1933, the United States had a time called the Prohibition era. During this time, it was against the law to make or sell alcoholic drinks. After this period, Saint Jo voted to remain a "dry" city. This meant that selling alcoholic drinks was still not allowed there. It wasn't until May 2009 that people in Saint Jo voted to allow the sale of alcoholic drinks for people to take home.

Saint Jo's Western Heritage

Saint Jo is proud of its history from the American West. The city encourages visitors to learn about this heritage. For example, the Stonewall Saloon has been kept as a museum. The main street still looks much like it did in the late 1800s.

On May 6, 2017, a special meeting called the Real Chisholm Trail Symposium took place in Saint Jo. People from different historical groups attended. These included the West Texas Historical Association and the Trail Drivers Association. Authors Gary and Margaret Kraisinger, who wrote a book about the Western cattle trails, also spoke at the event.

The city also hosts an event called BoHo Saint Jo twice a year. This event works with a clothing store called Panache. It lets local sellers show off goods made in the area.

Geography of Saint Jo

According to the United States Census Bureau, Saint Jo covers about 1.1 square miles (2.79 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Population of Saint Jo

In 2020, the 2020 United States census showed that 881 people lived in Saint Jo. There were 364 households and 240 families in the city.

Education in Saint Jo

Students in Saint Jo attend schools that are part of the Saint Jo Independent School District.

Photo gallery

• 

  Downtown St. Joe

• 

  City hall

See also

In Spanish: St. Jo (Texas) para niños