Saint Jo
Camp Howze, like other World War II military camps, caused an influx of workers, soldiers, and others to migrate into surrounding areas. In addition to Gainesville, towns within reasonable commuting distance from Camp Howze saw the possibility of drastically increasing their population and in turn, improving their economic situation. One of the most evident examples of cities capitalizing on the possibilities is Saint Jo, a town just west of Gainesville in Montague County. Saint Jo advertised in a June issue of their weekly paper for camp workers to move to the small town. Residents hailed the city as the beginning of the “Friendly West”, and claimed the city offered low rents, low Utility Rates, and convenient commutes to Camp Howze.
