Sivells Bend is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

on Farm to Market Road 1201 just four miles south of the

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

border and 20 miles north of the county seat, Gainesville, in

Cooke County, Texas Cooke County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. At the 2020 census, its population was 41,668. The county seat is Gainesville. The county was founded in 1848 and organized the next year. It is named for William Gordon Cooke, a soldier du ...

, United States.

History

Early settlers from Kentucky Town, Texas, arrived in 1850 and established a general store, but north-central Texas was still under constant threat from Native American attacks, so settlers abandoned the store. Around 1860, settlers returned to stay and established a farming community. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, a company of Confederate soldiers was stationed at Sivells Bend to prevent aggression from across the Red River. As the

Chisholm Trail The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. The trail was established by Black Beaver, a Lenape guide and rancher, and his friend Jesse Chisholm, a Cheroke ...

came through north-central Texas in the early 1870s, a small branch of the trail went through the Sivells Bend area. The arrival of cowpunchers led to development, and by 1872, Sivells Bend had a post office. By 1900, the small community reported a population of 100 with various stores, physicians, cotton gins, and a small school, but its remote location, the growth of Gainesville, and the lack of a railroad or major highway hindered further development. Even the discovery of oil in the area could not abate the decline. The post office closed in 1973, but the small community retains two churches, several homes, and its independent school (though high school students are bused to nearby Muenster).

Education

Sivells Bend is served by the

Sivells Bend Independent School District Sivells Bend Independent School District is a public school district located in north central Cooke County, Texas (USA). The district has one school that serves students in Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) through eighth grade. High school students are ...

(grades K-8) and the

Muenster Independent School District Muenster Independent School District is a public school district based in Muenster, Texas (USA). In 2009, the school district was rated " recognized" by the Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the gove ...

(grades 9-12).

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Texas Unincorporated communities in Cooke County, Texas