Denison, Texas

Denison, Texas
Denison is a city in Grayson County, Texas, United States, south of the Texas–Oklahoma border. Its population was 24,479 at the 2020 and 22,682 at the 2010 censuses. Denison is part of the Texoma region and is one of two principal cities in the Sherman–Denison metropolitan statistical area. Denison is the birthplace of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
History
Denison was founded in 1872 in conjunction with the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad (MKT) or "Katy" depot. It was named after wealthy Katy vice president George Denison. Because the town was established close to where the MKT crossed the Red River (both important conduits of transportation in the industrial era), it came to be an important commercial center in the 19th-century American West. In 1875, Doc Holliday had offices in Denison.
During the phylloxera epidemic of the mid-19th century, which destroyed the vast majority of wine grapes in Europe, Denison horticulturalist T.V. Munson pioneered methods in creating phylloxera-resistant vines, and earned induction into the French Legion of Honor, as well as sister city status for Denison and Cognac, France.
In 1901, the first electric "Interurban" railway in Texas, the Denison and Sherman Railway, was completed between Denison and Sherman.
In 1915, Kentucky-based evangelist Mordecai Ham held a revival meeting in Denison, which resulted in 1,100 professions of faith in Jesus Christ.
Denison played host to 20th-century notables such as the Marx Brothers and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was born on October 14, 1890, in Denison.
Geography
Denison is located in northeastern Grayson County, with the city limits extending north to the Red River, which forms the Oklahoma state line. It is bordered to the south by the city of Sherman; the city centers are apart.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Denison has a total area of , of which , or 1.94%, are covered by water.
Denison Dam, which forms Lake Texoma on the Red River, is north of Denison. The lake is in the center of the Texoma region, encompassing parts of Texas and Oklahoma.
Climate
Denison has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa in the Köppen climate classification).
Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, 24,479 people, 9,361 households, and 6,038 families were residing in the city.
Economy
Major employers
Major employers in Denison include:
Denison Independent School District
Ruiz Foods
Texoma Medical Center
Cigna
Caterpillar
Wal-Mart Stores
Spectrum Brands
Anthem
ACS Manufacturing
Denison Industries
City of Denison
Grayson College
Dialogue Direct Contact Centers
National Government Services
Champion Cooler Corporation
SignWarehouse.com
Arts and culture
The Grayson County Frontier Village in Denison contains 11 of the oldest homes in Grayson County that were moved here for preservation.
Sports
Former minor league baseball teams include the Denison Katydids, Denison Blue Sox, Denison Champions, Denison Railroaders, and Sherman–Denison Twins.
Munson Stadium seats 5,262 people and is used primarily for football. It is the home field of Denison High School's football and soccer teams. The Denison High School football team won the 1984 Texas Class 4A State Championship by beating Tomball 27–13, completing a perfect 16–0 record. They also made appearances in the 1995, 1996, and 1997 Class 4A Division II State Championship games, losing each time to La Marque. They are home to the longest high school football rivalry in Texas: the Battle of the Ax, against Sherman High School.
Education
Denison is served by the Denison Independent School District. The current Denison High School campus opened in 2014.
Grayson College is located in Denison. The school's T.V. Munson Viticulture and Enology Program preserves Denison's viticultural heritage.
Media
Magazine
Texoma Living! Magazine
Newspaper
The Herald Democrat
Radio stations
KMAD Mad Rock 102.5
KMKT Katy Country 93.1
KDOC HOT 107.3 FM
Television stations
KTEN – Channel 10 (NBC)
KTEN – DT Channel 10.2 (The Texoma CW)
KTEN – Channel 10.3 (ABC Texoma)
KXII – Channel 12 (CBS)
KXII – DT Channel 12.2 (My Texoma)
KXII – DT Channel 12.3 (Fox Texoma)
Infrastructure
Transportation
Denison is served by two U.S. Highways—U.S. 69 and U.S. 75 (Katy Memorial Expressway) and two State Highways—State Highway 91 and Spur 503 (Eisenhower Parkway). State Highway 91, known as Texoma Parkway, is one of the main commercial strips that connects Sherman and Denison. It also extends north to Lake Texoma.
General aviation service is provided by North Texas Regional Airport.
TAPS, a regional public transportation system, offers limited service for disabled passengers.
Health care
Denison is served by Texoma Medical Center.
Notable people
Bill Anoatubby, governor of the Chickasaw Nation
Clora Bryant, jazz trumpeter
Joie Chitwood (1912–1988), race car driver and businessman
Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States; was born in Denison in 1890, and to date is the city's most notable resident. His birthplace was purchased by the city in 1946 (six years before he was elected President) and is now maintained as Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site. In addition, Eisenhower State Park on Lake Texoma is named in his honor.
Booker Ervin, jazz musician who played tenor saxophone
Michael Haynes, NFL Hall of Fame player
Jim Hightower, former commissioner of Texas Department of Agriculture and a liberal commentator and author, born in Denison in 1943
John Hillerman, the actor who played Higgins on Tom Selleck's Magnum, P.I.
John Henry "Doc" Holliday, gunfighter, gambler, and western legend, maintained a dental practice in Denison
Aaron Hunt and Reggie Hunt, brothers and professional football players in Canadian Football League
Viola Van Katwijk, composer and pianist
Walter Kinney born 1893 was a major League Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1918 and The Philadelphia Athletics 1919,1920, and 1923. Played for The Denison Railroaders in 1914 and 1915 and The Dallas Submariners in 1916-1918. retired from professional baseball in the early 1930s after a long and prosperous career. This information was gathered from an estate find for the Kinney family of Denison, Texas.
Thomas Volney Munson, horticulturalist
Clifford Noe, international conman and swindler
Beatrice Pearson, actress
SoMo, singer
Chesley Burnett "Sully" Sullenberger, airline pilot
Jordan Taylor, NFL wide receiver, Super Bowl 50 champion with the Denver Broncos
Zeb Terry, Major League Baseball infielder
Fred Washington, NFL defensive tackle for Chicago Bears
Harold Wertz, 1927–1999, "Bouncy" of Our Gang comedies (1932–1933)
In popular culture
In 2013, Lake Texoma and the Hampton Inn and Suites Denison were featured on a travel show entitled The Official Best of Texas, which aired on CBS and the Discovery Channel.
References
External links
City of Denison official website
Denison Chamber of Commerce
Cities in Texas
Cities in Grayson County, Texas
Populated places established in 1872
1872 establishments in Texas