Ector

History

The community started in the late 19th century when farmers settled near Caney Creek. It is named for one of the pioneer settlers of the area, Ector Owens. It was originally named Victor's Station, but was changed when residents were informed by postal authorities that a town of that name already existed. Postal service began in 1886, and it was connected to the Texas and Pacific Railway in 1892, making Ector a shipping point for area farmers. In 1904, the town had 218 residents, and infrastructure included a church, a school, and a bank. The population reached 451 in 1926, at which time there were 25 business, and the population reached 457 in 1947. The population was reported as 650 in 1988. However, the number of businesses declined over this period, from 12 in 1936 to three in 1988. By that time, most of the residents were commuting to jobs in Sherman, to the west, and Denison, to the northwest. A $320 million resort and bunker facility called Trident Lakes was under development near Ector in 2017. James O’Connor was CEO with former Navy SEAL Rob Kaneiss as chief security officer. By 2018, the owner of Trident Lakes Property Holdings, John Eckerd, was under investigation for money laundering with investors calling the project a scam.

Geography

Ector is located in western Fannin County. Texas State Highway 56 runs through the center of town, leading east to Bonham, the county seat, and west to Savoy. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• BONHAM H S
  High · BONHAM · 548 students · 13:1 ratio
• FINLEY-OATES EL
  Elementary · BONHAM · 533 students · 15.2:1 ratio
• EVANS EL
  Middle · BONHAM · 374 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• RATHER L H
  Middle · BONHAM · 283 students · 14.9:1 ratio
• SAVOY EL
  Elementary · SAVOY · 187 students · 13.4:1 ratio
• BAILEY INGLISH EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
  Other · BONHAM · 161 students · 16.1:1 ratio
• SAVOY H S
  High · SAVOY · 132 students · 8.8:1 ratio
• ECTOR H S
  High · ECTOR · 118 students · 7.9:1 ratio