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 census, up from 22,682 at the 2010 census. Denison is part of the Texoma region and is one of two principal cities in the Sherman–Denison metropolitan statistical area. It is the birthplace of 34th U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower.

History

Denison was founded in 1872 in conjunction with the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad 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, 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%, is 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.

Demographics

RaceNumberPercentage
White 16,67668.12%
Black or African American 2,0038.18%
Native American or Alaska Native 4711.92%
Asian 1880.77%
Pacific Islander 60.02%
Some other race 590.24%
Multiracial 1,8517.56%
Hispanic or Latino3,22513.17%
Total24,479

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:
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!''

    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
  • KTEN – DT Channel 10.2
  • KTEN – Channel 10.3
  • KXII – Channel 12
  • KXII – DT Channel 12.2
  • KXII – DT Channel 12.3

    Infrastructure

Transportation

Denison is served by two U.S. highways—U.S. 69 and U.S. [Route 75 in Texas|U.S. 75] and two state highways—State Highway 91 and Spur 503. 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

In 2013, Lake Texoma and the Hampton Inn and Suites Denison were featured on a travel show titled The Official Best of Texas, which aired on CBS and the Discovery Channel.
Denison is referenced in the book Dan Gutman's From Texas with Love as the main characters drove through the town, noting the bust of President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the side of U.S. Route 75.