Gilmer, Texas, Upshur County seat, and Yamboree. (original) (raw)
Home of the "Yamboree" since 1935
Upshur County Seat, East Texas
32�43'57" North, 94�56'49" West (32.732387, -94.946980)
Hwy 155
15 miles N of Hwy 80
35 miles NE of Tyler
22 miles NW of Longview
Population: 5,216 Est. (2016)
4,905 (2010) 4,799 (2000) 4,822 (1990)
Gilmer, Texas Area Hotels
Longview Hotels | Tyler Hotels
History in a Pecan Shell
Upshur is one of the few counties in Texas to have both County and Seat named after men who were blown-up in the test firing of a cannon. Thomas W. Gilmer was an unfortunate sailor, and Abel P. Upshur was the U.S. Secretary of State that fatal day in February, 1844. The " Peacemaker," a state-of-the-art naval gun had already been fired once with satisfactory results. President Tyler was delayed a few seconds and narrowly escaped the blast that killed 6 and injured 12. It was under John Tyler's administration (and with his signature) that Texas joined the Union.
Gilmer had had bad times in the 20s when other parts of Texas had it good. It was only fair that when the Great Depression was being felt elsewhere, oil was discovered near Gilmer in 1931. The boom paid for the new Courthouse in 1937. A quarantine that had been placed on sweet potatoes after an infestation of weevils was lifted in 1935 and the thankful people of Gilmore have been celebrating it ever since with their Yamboree.
After WWII, with the new availability of cars, Gilmer's workforce was able to drive to jobs in Longview, Tyler and Marshall. This brought in cash at first, but then workers started seeing things to spend their money on in Longview, Tyler and Marshall.
Gilmer Historical Marker Text
Founded 1846. Named for Thomas W. Gilmer, U. S. Secretary of the Navy and ardent champion of annexation for Texas. Supply, training, production and educational center during the Civil War. Farming, lumbering and oil hub. Home of famous Annual Yamboree, Sweet Potato Festival.
 |
Gilmer town square in the 1930s Photos Courtesy City of Gilmer |
|---|
Gilmer, Texas by Archie P. McDonald
"... Upshur County, authorized by the legislature in 1846, and Gilmer, were named in memory of United States Secretary of War Able Upshur and Thomas W. Gilmer, who lost their lives in an explosion aboard the USS Princeton in 1844...." more
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/%7Etxpstcrd/
Gilmer, Texas Landmarks / Attractions
- Upshur Museum: Located in the 1925 Post Office Building on the N. E. corner of the square. Hours: Thursday to Saturday 10:00 until 5:00.
- The Flight of the Phoenix Museum: Located at the Gilmer Municipal Airport. Website: www.flightofthephoenix.org.
- Oglesby's Tire and Rock Museum: 216 S. Wood Street (Hwy 271) South
- Upshur County Library: Just west of the Courthouse Square, the Upshur County Library has an excellent genealogy department as well as a Civil War reference section. Hours are Monday to Friday 8 to 6, Saturday 9 to 1.
- Yamboree Park on Hwy 271 has RV camping facilities. Call the chamber for information.
- Drive the area roads to see spring wildflowers and rich fall colors.
- The Roads of Upshur County
- Gilmer Area Hotels - Longview Hotels | Tyler Hotels
Gilmer Scenes
The Yamboree is perhaps the oldest food festival in the state. Upshurers were always fond of the sweet potato, but when a weevil caused the harvest to be quarantined in the late 20s, they realized its economic importance and have celebrated it ever since. Third Thur., Fri., and Sat. each October. website: www.yamboree.com
Year 2000 Yamboree included a renaming of the Gilmer Municipal Airport to honor Gilmer native Robert "Bobby" Stephens. Colonel Stephens was a P-47 Thunderbolt Pilot in World War II. After the war he became an Air Force test pilot and was among the first to fly many new (and sometimes secret) aircraft. He also held the world's record for speed. Col. Stephens always enjoyed coming home to Gilmer, especially for Yamboree, and so it is fitting that the airport be named in his honor during this year's celebration.
Yamboree - "The oldest civic festivals in Texas"
From Gilmer, Texas by Archie P. McDonald
"Upshur County farmers became major producers of sweet potatoes early in the twentieth century, and in 1935 the county's citizens began celebrating their area's major crop with an annual Yamboree festival. The Yamboree quickly became the major civic promotion for Gilmer and remains one of the oldest civic festivals in Texas."
Gilmer Area Hotels › Longview Hotels | Tyler Hotels
Related Topic: Texas Food
Gilmer Area Recreations:
- Lake o'the Pines: 17 miles North on Hwy 155. This 18,700 acre lake, set among rolling, timbered land is regarded as one of the nicest lakes in East Texas. website: www.lakeothepines.com
- Lake Gladewater: 14 miles South on Hwy 271
Gilmer Tourist Information
- The Upshur County Chamber of Commerce - 903-843-2413.
Upshur County website: www.upshurcounty.com
- Gilmer City website: www.gilmer-tx.com
Our thanks to Diana Oglesby, Webmaster for both Gilmer and Upshur County for providing us with photos and updating information for the Gilmer town page.
Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.