# Bowie, Texas

Bowie (/ˈbuːi/ BOO-ee) is a town in Montague County, Texas, United States. The population was 5,448 at the 2020 census.

## History

On July 22, 1881, Bowie was incorporated as a town in Montague County, United States. (A separate Bowie County includes Texarkana in northeastern Texas.) The town began to expand with the arrival of the Fort Worth and Denver Railway in 1882. In 1884, four men robbed the First National Bank of Bowie and allegedly left with over $10,000 in gold coins. Townspeople gave chase and eventually captured the robbers, who were hanged for their crimes. By 1913, the town had a population of more than 5,000, and included the Bowie Commercial College.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the town on his train on July 11, 1938. He ceremonially purchased biscuits from businessman Amon G. Carter of Fort Worth, who had grown up in Bowie. On August 19, 1941, Rex Beard, Jr., robbed the First National Bank of Bowie and was captured in December of that same year. An EF1 tornado hit the town of Bowie on May 22, 2020. On March 21, 2022, two EF1 tornadoes hit the town.

## Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bowie has a total area of 5.54 square miles (14.3 km$^2$), of which 5.52 square miles (14.3 km$^2$) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km$^2$) is water.

### Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Bowie has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.
Climate data for Bowie, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–present) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 92 (33) | 94 (34) | 100 (38) | 105 (41) | 107 (42) | 115 (46) | 113 (45) | 111 (44) | 109 (43) | 103 (39) | 91 (33) | 88 (31) | 115 (46) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 54.1 (12.3) | 58.4 (14.7) | 66.7 (19.3) | 74.4 (23.6) | 81.0 (27.2) | 88.7 (31.5) | 93.4 (34.1) | 93.9 (34.4) | 86.3 (30.2) | 76.2 (24.6) | 64.8 (18.2) | 55.4 (13.0) | 74.4 (23.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 42.0 (5.6) | 46.1 (7.8) | 54.2 (12.3) | 62.0 (16.7) | 70.2 (21.2) | 78.3 (25.7) | 82.6 (28.1) | 82.6 (28.1) | 75.0 (23.9) | 64.3 (17.9) | 52.7 (11.5) | 43.8 (6.6) | 62.8 (17.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 30.0 (−1.1) | 33.8 (1.0) | 41.7 (5.4) | 49.6 (9.8) | 59.4 (15.2) | 68.0 (20.0) | 71.9 (22.2) | 71.4 (21.9) | 63.6 (17.6) | 52.4 (11.3) | 40.5 (4.7) | 32.2 (0.1) | 51.2 (10.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −2 (−19) | −7 (−22) | 9 (−13) | 22 (−6) | 33 (1) | 45 (7) | 53 (12) | 52 (11) | 37 (3) | 18 (−8) | 13 (−11) | −11 (−24) | −11 (−24) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.64 (42) | 2.29 (58) | 3.00 (76) | 3.04 (77) | 5.22 (133) | 4.00 (102) | 2.63 (67) | 2.47 (63) | 3.23 (82) | 3.62 (92) | 2.10 (53) | 2.08 (53) | 35.32 (897) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.4 (1.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.7 (1.8) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 4.5 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 7.8 | 6.3 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 62.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 |
| Source: NOAA ||||||||||||||

### Roads

* U.S. Route 81
* U.S. Route 287
* Texas State Highway 59

## Demographics
### 2020 census

Bowie racial composition (NH = Non-Hispanic) :
| Race | Number | Percentage |
| White (NH) | 4,177 | 76.67% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 33 | 0.61% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 44 | 0.81% |
| Asian (NH) | 36 | 0.66% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 2 | 0.04% |
| Some other race (NH) | 7 | 0.13% |
| Mixed/multiracial (NH) | 275 | 5.05% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 874 | 16.04% |
| Total | 5,448 | |
As of the 2020 United States census, 5,448 people, 1,911 households, and 1,333 families resided in the city.

### 2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, 5,218 people and 2,090 households, with 2,489 housing units, were in the town. The population density was 945.6 people per square mile. The average household size was 2.32 persons and the average family size was 2.99. The racial makeup of the town was 91.9% White, 0.2% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.7% Asian, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 11.6% of the population. The median income for a household in the town was $33,846. The per capita income for the town was $19,063.

## Education

The town is served by the Bowie Independent School District and a branch campus of North Central Texas College.

## Notable people

* James V. Allred, 33rd Governor of Texas
* Amon Carter, Businessman, Creator and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
* Woodrow Chambliss, actor

## Gallery

* A look at downtown Bowie (2013)
* Bowie Public Library
* U.S. Post Office in Bowie
* St. Peter Lutheran Church at 906 Highway 59 North in Bowie; pastor Larry Knobloch (2013)