Megargel ( ) is a town in Archer County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Wichita Falls, Texas metropolitan statistical area. Its population was 174 at the 2020 census. The town is named for Roy C. Megargel, the president of the railroad that developed the town.
History
Megargel was established as a result of the Gulf, Texas and Western Railroad extending services to Jacksboro and Seymour. The town was established in 1910. The community developed multiple businesses within three months because the purchasers of land who established businesses 60 days after acquiring their lots received discounts as an incentive to do so.
The town had 350 residents in 1914. By 1923, the population had increased to 475. Around that time, H. Sheets drilled a new oil well in the Swastika oilfield, causing a population increase. Oil was discovered east of Megargel in 1925, and the town expanded even more. One year later, the town had 1,000 residents, and in 1927, it increased by 200 more people.
In 2014, 130 water meters out of the 200 in Megargel were active, and many houses were unoccupied. That year, Bill Hanna of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram stated that downtown Megargel was "virtually empty, littered with crumbling and abandoned buildings and outdated gas stations."<br>2020 Census
As of the census
Megargel was once served by the Megargel Independent School District. By 2006, the school (along with the town) had been declining for years, and was running out of funds. The school board has voted to consolidate with Olney ISD, the neighboring school district in Olney, Texas (about 12 miles southeast), subject to voter approval on May 13, 2006. Proponents argued that the school (which had only 63 students, including only one in seventh grade) simply cannot continue to function, and consolidation with the neighboring district (which had nearly 800 students) would provide more opportunities for educational achievement. Opponents feared that closure of the school would cause the town to disappear. The vote was in favor of consolidation. The school and district closed after the school year ended.
The designated community college for Archer County is Vernon Regional Junior College.
Government and infrastructure
The community post office had opened within three months of Megargel's establishment.
Economy
Megargel had a hotel, a bank, and 23 stores within three months of its founding. By 1986, Megargel had nine businesses.