|
|
GILMER,
TEXAS Home of
the "Yamboree" since 1935
Upshur County Seat, East Texas
Hwy 155
15 miles N of Hwy 80
35 miles NE of Tyler
22 miles NW of Longview
Population 4,799 (2000) 4,824 (1990)
|
|
|
Gilmer
town square in the 1930s
Photos Courtesy City of Gilmer |
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,
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 |
Gilmer 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.
|
Yamboree
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.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Longview
Hotels
|
Nearby Destinations
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
|
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Longview
Hotels
More Hotels
Gilmer
Texas Forum
Anyone
wishing to share history, stories or photos of Gilmer, Texas, please
contact
us.
© John Troesser
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. |
|
|
