Smith County, Texas

Not to be confused with Deaf Smith County, Texas.

Smith County
County
Smith County Courthouse in Tyler
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°23′N95°16′W / 32.38°N 95.27°W / 32.38; -95.27
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	July 1846
Seat	Tyler
Largest city	Tyler
Area
• Total	950 sq mi (2,500 km2)
• Land	921 sq mi (2,390 km2)
• Water	28 sq mi (70 km2)  3.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	233,479
• Estimate  (2021)	237,186
• Density	250/sq mi (95/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.smith-county.com

Smith County is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 233,479. ^[1] Its county seat is Tyler. ^[2] Smith County is named for James Smith, a general during the Texas Revolution.

Smith County is part of the Tyler metropolitan statistical area and the Tyler–Jacksonville combined statistical area.

History

Smith County veterans display, the Wall of Memories, in Tyler Plaza

Confederate States of America memorial in Tyler Plaza

Korean War Memorial in Tyler Plaza

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples occupied this area of present-day Texas. The first known inhabitants of the area now known as Smith County were the Caddo Indians, who were recorded here until 1819. That year, a band of Cherokee, led by their chief, "The Bowl" (also known as Chief Bowles), migrated from Georgia and settled in what are now Smith and Rusk counties. ^[3] The Treaty of Bowles Village on February 23, 1836, between the Republic of Texas and the Cherokee and 12 affiliated tribes, gave all of Smith and Cherokee counties, as well as parts of western Rusk County, southern Gregg (formed from Rusk County in 1873) and southeastern Van Zandt counties to the tribes. ^[4]

Native Americans remained on these lands until the Cherokee War in the summer of 1839, as part of European-American conflicts with Native Americans in Texas. The Cherokee were driven out of Smith County. In this period, Cherokee and other Native American nations were forced from the Southeast United States to west of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory during Indian Removal.

After 1845, some Cherokee returned when Benjamin Franklin Thompson, a white man married to a Cherokee, purchased 10,000 acres of land in Rusk County and allowed them to settle. The Mount Tabor Indian Community developed here, ^[5] some six miles south of present-day Kilgore. The community later grew and incorporated areas near Overton, Arp, and Troup, Texas.

In July 1846, Smith County separated from the Nacogdoches District and was named for James Smith, a general of the Texas Revolution. At this time, Tyler was designated as the county seat. ^[6]

Camp Fanin, a World War II US army replacement training facility, was located in the area known as Owentown, northeast of Tyler along US Hwy 271. Many of its original buildings still exist.

During the American Civil War, Camp Ford was the largest Confederate prisoner-of-war camp west of the Mississippi River. Here, Sheriff Jim Reed of Collin County and Judge McReynolds, former chief justice of the district, were seized and lynched by "Regulators".

The original site of the camp stockade is now a public historic park owned by Smith County, as such it is exempted from making any County property tax contribution, and is managed by the Smith County Historical Society. The park contains a kiosk, a paved trail, interpretive signage, a cabin reconstruction, and a picnic area. To date, it has never been the site of a paid venue, nor public event. It is located on Highway 271, 0.8 miles north of Loop 323.

20th century to present

The Smith County Historical Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 1959 by individuals and business firms dedicated to discovering, collecting, and preserving data, records, and other items relating to the history of Smith County. More information can be found at the Smith County Historical Society Website. ^[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 950 square miles (2,500 km²), of which 921 square miles (2,390 km²) are land and 28 square miles (73 km²) (3.0%) are covered by water. ^[8]

The county infrastructure includes some 1,180 miles (1,900 km) of two-lane county road.

Major highways

• Interstate 20
• U.S. Highway 69
• U.S. Highway 80
• U.S. Highway 271
• State Highway 31
• State Highway 57
• State Highway 64
• State Highway 110
• State Highway 135
• State Highway 155
• Loop 49
• Loop 323

Adjacent counties

• Wood County (north)
• Upshur County (northeast)
• Gregg County (east)
• Rusk County (southeast)
• Cherokee County (south)
• Henderson County (southwest)
• Van Zandt County (northwest)

Communities

Cities

• Arp
• Hideaway
• Lindale
• New Chapel Hill
• Noonday
• Overton (mostly in Rusk County)
• Troup (small part in Cherokee County)
• Tyler (county seat)
• Whitehouse

Towns

• Bullard (small part in Cherokee County)
• Winona

Census-designated place

• Emerald Bay

Unincorporated communities

• Antioch
• Bascom
• Blackjack
• Bostick
• Browning
• Carroll
• Copeland
• Dogwood City
• Elberta
• Flint
• Garden Valley
• Gresham
• Jamestown
• Lee Spring
• Midway
• Mount Sylvan
• New Harmony
• New Hope
• Omen
• Owentown
• Pine Springs
• Pine Trail Estates
• Red Springs
• Salem
• Sand Flat
• Shady Grove
• Sinclair City
• Starrville
• Swan
• Teaselville
• Thedford
• Walnut Grove
• Waters Bluff
• Wood Springs
• Wright City

Ghost towns

• Burning Bush
• Douglas
• Utica

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	4,292		—
1860	13,392		212.0%
1870	16,532		23.4%
1880	21,863		32.2%
1890	28,324		29.6%
1900	37,370		31.9%
1910	41,746		11.7%
1920	46,769		12.0%
1930	53,123		13.6%
1940	69,090		30.1%
1950	74,701		8.1%
1960	86,350		15.6%
1970	97,096		12.4%
1980	128,366		32.2%
1990	151,309		17.9%
2000	174,706		15.5%
2010	209,714		20.0%
2020	233,479		11.3%
2022 (est.)	241,757	[9]	3.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1850–2010 [11] 2010 [12] 2020 [13]

Demographic Profile of Smith County, Texas
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race / Ethnicity	Pop 2010 [12]	Pop 2020 [13]	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	130,246	134,452	62.11%	57.59%
Black or African American alone (NH)	37,195	38,003	17.74%	16.28%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	734	746	0.35%	0.32%
Asian alone (NH)	2,550	4,129	1.22%	1.77%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	63	77	0.03%	0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH)	225	695	0.11%	0.30%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)	2,613	8,096	1.25%	3.47%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	36,088	47,281	17.21%	20.25%
Total	209,714	233,479	100.00%	100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

In the 2010 U.S. census, Smith County had a population of 209,714, up from its 1850 population of 4,292. ^[12] By the 2020 census, its population increased to 233,479. ^[13] Among its population in 2010, the racial and ethnic makeup was 62.11% non-Hispanic white, 17.74% Black or African American, 0.35% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.22% Asian alone, 0.03% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.11% some other race, 3.47% multiracial, and 17.21% Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2020, its racial and ethnic makeup was 57.59% non-Hispanic white, 16.28% Black or African American, 0.32% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.77% Asian alone, 0.03% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.30% some other race, 3.47% multiracial and 20.25% Hispanic or Latino of any race; 2020's census statistics reflected state and nationwide demographic trends of greater diversification within the U.S. overall. ^{[14] [15]}

At the 2021 American Community Survey, Smith County had a median household income of $63,115; its mean household income was $86,661. ^[16] Among the owner-occupied housing units of the county, the median value was $169,600, and there was a median real estate tax of $2,634. ^[17] Owner-occupied housing units without a mortgage had a median value of $173,700 and median real estate tax of $2,203. ^[18] Throughout the county, an estimated 12.51% of the population lived at or below the poverty line. ^[19]

Politics

Conservative Whites in Smith County began to ally with the Republican Party in 1952, also making it one of three East Texas counties, along with Panola and Gregg, to vote for Barry Goldwater in 1964, when native son Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson won re-election. At that time, most Blacks and Latinos in the county were still disenfranchised due to the state's discriminatory use of certain barriers. ^[20] The last Democrat to carry Smith County was incumbent President Harry S. Truman in 1948. ^[21] No Democrat has gained 30% of the county's vote in the past six elections. The last Democrat to gain more than 40% was Jimmy Carter from Georgia in 1976.

United States presidential election results for Smith County, Texas ^[22]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	69,080	68.85%	29,615	29.52%	1,639	1.63%
2016	58,930	69.52%	22,300	26.31%	3,538	4.17%
2012	57,331	72.02%	21,456	26.95%	814	1.02%
2008	55,187	69.36%	23,726	29.82%	648	0.81%
2004	53,392	72.48%	19,970	27.11%	302	0.41%
2000	43,320	71.46%	16,470	27.17%	834	1.38%
1996	32,171	59.97%	18,265	34.05%	3,207	5.98%
1992	27,753	47.03%	17,514	29.68%	13,739	23.28%
1988	34,658	64.67%	18,719	34.93%	215	0.40%
1984	40,740	72.60%	15,227	27.13%	152	0.27%
1980	28,236	64.61%	14,838	33.95%	626	1.43%
1976	22,238	56.62%	16,856	42.92%	181	0.46%
1972	23,671	74.37%	8,041	25.26%	115	0.36%
1968	12,079	39.51%	8,897	29.10%	9,595	31.39%
1964	12,960	50.88%	12,474	48.97%	38	0.15%
1960	12,042	57.84%	8,494	40.80%	285	1.37%
1956	12,255	65.21%	6,468	34.42%	69	0.37%
1952	10,947	56.40%	8,450	43.53%	13	0.07%
1948	3,181	28.13%	6,473	57.24%	1,655	14.63%
1944	936	9.81%	6,671	69.94%	1,931	20.25%
1940	1,557	14.19%	9,410	85.74%	8	0.07%
1936	660	8.47%	7,116	91.37%	12	0.15%
1932	750	9.15%	7,424	90.53%	27	0.33%
1928	3,493	59.85%	2,343	40.15%	0	0.00%
1924	1,079	18.85%	4,473	78.16%	171	2.99%
1920	707	15.13%	2,965	63.45%	1,001	21.42%
1916	773	22.21%	2,422	69.58%	286	8.22%
1912	485	14.93%	1,936	59.61%	827	25.46%

Smith County is represented in the Texas House of Representatives by Matt Schaefer (R) of Tyler and the Texas Senate by Senator Bryan Hughes (R). Its U.S. Representative is Nathaniel Moran (R).

Government and infrastructure

The county is governed by a Commissioners Court, made up of four members elected from single-member districts and a county judge elected at-large.

Smith County ranks 10th in the State of Texas for road miles. The county has 1,170 miles – about the distance from Tyler, Texas to Paradise, Nevada – of roads it maintains. The Smith County Road & Bridge Department maintains the county's bridges and roads, including mowing the rights of way.

The $39.5 million Smith County Road Bond passed with 73% of the vote on November 7, 2017. The issuance of bonds was for road and bridge construction and major improvements. Road work around the county is well underway. For a list of road projects in the two-phase, six-year bond program, visit www.smith-county.com.

Officials

Twenty-eight elected officials serve Smith County citizens (county auditor is not an elected position):

Official	Function
County judge	County administration (as presiding member of the commissioners court) and judicial jurisdiction
Commissioners (four, one per precinct)	County administration (commissioners court)
Sheriff	Security and law enforcement
District attorney	Law enforcement and criminal prosecution
Constables (five, one per precinct)	Law enforcement
Justices of the peace (five, one per precinct)	Judicial/legal jurisdiction
District clerk	Judicial support to district courts
County clerk	Clerk of record for the county
County tax assessor-collector	Collector of property taxes and special fees
County treasurer	County's chief banker
County court at law judges (three)	Judicial/Legal jurisdiction
District judges (four)	Judicial/legal jurisdiction

Education

These school districts serve school-aged children in Smith County:

• Arp Independent School District
• Bullard Independent School District (also partially in Cherokee County)
• Chapel Hill Independent School District
• Gladewater Independent School District (also partially in Gregg County and Upshur County)
• Lindale Independent School District (also partially in Van Zandt County)
• Troup Independent School District (also partially in Cherokee County)
• Tyler Independent School District
• Van Independent School District (also partially in Van Zandt County)
• Whitehouse Independent School District
• Winona Independent School District

Those wishing to attend institutions of higher learning in the area can attend:

• Tyler Junior College
• Texas College
• University of Texas at Tyler

Media

Smith County is part of the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville DMA. Local media outlets are: KLTV, KTRE-TV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.

KTBB, an AM radio station based in Tyler, provides a news-talk format to the area.

The daily Tyler Morning Telegraph is the primary newspaper in the county, based in Tyler. Coverage of the area can also be found in the Longview News-Journal , published in Longview, in Gregg County.

See also

• Texas portal

• Caldwell Zoo
• Carnegie History Center
• Cotton Belt Depot Train Museum
• Goodman-LeGrand House
• List of museums in East Texas
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Smith County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Smith County
• Texas Rose Festival
• Tyler Museum of Art
• Whitaker-McClendon House

References

1. "Smith County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 30, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Clarke, Mary Whatley (1971). Chief Bowles and the Texas Cherokees: A History. p. 17.
4. Winfrey, Day (1825–1916). Indian Papers of Texas, Volume I: Treaty between Texas and the Cherokee Indians. pp. 14–17.
5. Pynes, Patrick (2007). Historic Origins of the Mount Tabor Indian Community: Northern Arizona University. p. 74.
6. Texas State Historical Association Online. "Smith County". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
7. "To discover, collect and preserve the history of Smith County". Smith County Historical Society. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
9. "Smith County, Texas Population 2022". World Population Review. Retrieved July 7, 2022.
10. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
11. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
12. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Smith County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
13. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Smith County, Texas". United States Census Bureau .
14. Frey, William H. (July 1, 2020). "The nation is diversifying even faster than predicted, according to new census data". Brookings. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
15. "America is becoming more urban, more diverse and less white, 2020 Census reveals". PBS NewsHour. August 12, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
16. "S1901 INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2021 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) - 2021: ACS 1-Year Estimates - Smith County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . July 1, 2021.
17. "S2506 FINANCIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR HOUSING UNITS WITH A MORTGAGE - 2021: ACS 1-Year Estimates - Smith County, Texas". July 1, 2021.
18. "S2507 FINANCIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR HOUSING UNITS WITHOUT A MORTGAGE - 2021: ACS 1-Year Estimates - Smith County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . July 1, 2021.
19. "S1701 POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS- 2021: ACS 1-Year Estimates - Smith County, Texas". United States Census Bureau . July 1, 2021.
20. "5.3 Historical Barriers to Voting", Texas Politics, University of Texas website, 2018
21. The Political Graveyard; Smith County, Texas
22. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 4, 2018.

External links

• Smith County official website
• Smith County Historical Society

32°23′N95°16′W / 32.38°N 95.27°W / 32.38; -95.27