Gilmer, Texas
Gilmer, Texas | |
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City | |
 Buffalo Street in Gilmer | |
 Location of Gilmer, Texas | |
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| Coordinates: 32°43′57″N 94°56′49″W / 32.73250°N 94.94694°WCoordinates: 32°43′57″N 94°56′49″W / 32.73250°N 94.94694°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Upshur |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.80 sq mi (9.84 km2) |
| • Land | 3.79 sq mi (9.82 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 367 ft (112 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 4,905 |
| • Estimate (2019)[4] | 5,143 |
| • Density | 1,356.99/sq mi (523.90/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 75644-75645 |
| Area code(s) | 903 |
| FIPS code | 48-29564[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1336535[3] |
| Website | City of Gilmer official website. |
Gilmer is a city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, Texas.[5] It is best known for being the home of the East Texas Yamboree and the birthplace of popular music singers Don Henley of the Eagles band and Johnny Mathis, as well as blues musician Freddie King. The population was 4,905 at the 2010 census.
History[]
Founded in 1846, the city's namesake is former United States Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Walker Gilmer. Gilmer is located on the Old Cherokee Trace, a trail used by the Cherokee Indians in their travels. To this day arrowheads and other Native American artifacts can be found with little to no digging. Sam Houston, when he lived with the Cherokee, travelled the Trace through here. The location of Gilmer was determined by a flood on Little Cypress Creek. First located near the creek, residents decided to change locations because of frequent floods. The historic Trail of Tears came through this region.
Geography[]
Gilmer is located at 32°43'57" North, 94°56'49" West (32.732387, -94.946980).[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 mi2 (12.0 km2), all of it land.
Four miles west of Gilmer is Lake Gilmer, which opened September 29, 2001.
Gilmer is part of a larger area known as the "Piney Woods". The city and the surrounding area boast a number of impressive specimens.
Demographics[]
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 386 | — | |
| 1890 | 591 | 53.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,484 | — | |
| 1920 | 2,268 | 52.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,963 | −13.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,138 | 59.9% | |
| 1950 | 4,096 | 30.5% | |
| 1960 | 4,312 | 5.3% | |
| 1970 | 4,196 | −2.7% | |
| 1980 | 5,167 | 23.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,822 | −6.7% | |
| 2000 | 4,799 | −0.5% | |
| 2010 | 4,905 | 2.2% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 5,143 | [4] | 4.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] | |||
As of the census[2] of 2000, 4,799 people, 1,926 households, and 1,300 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,038.5 people per square mile (401.1/km2). The 2,214 housing units averaged 479.1 per mi2 (185.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.91% White, 20.23% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.42% of the population.
Of the 1,926 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were not families. About 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city, the population was distributed as 25.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,487, and for a family was $39,688. Males had a median income of $32,437 versus $17,910 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,823. About 15.9% of families and 19.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under the age of 18 and 21.0% of those 65 and older.
Notable people[]
Music[]
- Don Henley, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and founding member of the Eagles
- Freddie King, guitarist and singer in Blues Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Johnny Mathis, multiple platinum-selling popular music and standards singer; Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- Jason Sellers, country music singer-songwriter
Sports[]
- Kris Boyd, American football defensive back for the Minnesota Vikings
- Curtis Brown, former defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Manuel Johnson, former wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys
- G.J. Kinne, NFL and Canadian Football League quarterback
- Kenny Pettway, linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos
- David Snow, former offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jeff Traylor, Head Football Coach UTSA
In December 2019, Traylor left the Arkansas Razorbacks football program to become the head coach at UTSA. Traylor currently serves as the third head coach in UTSA Roadrunners program history.[8][9][10]
Other[]
- David Abner, African-American Republican state representative from 1874 to 1875; brought to Upshur County as a slave from Selma, Alabama[11]
- Robert L. Stephens, record-setting test pilot
- Dr. Robert McClelland, surgeon for John F. Kennedy at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on the day of his assassination
- Charles F. Baird, former justice of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, former judge, Travis County District Court; only judge in Texas history to preside over the exoneration of a deceased individual; longtime criminal justice reform advocate.
Education[]
Gilmer is served by the Gilmer Independent School District.
In popular culture[]
Gilmer is mentioned in the Michelle Shocked song "Memories of East Texas" on her album Short Sharp Shocked.
Climate[]
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Gilmer has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.[12]
References[]
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "UTSA names Jeff Traylor new head football coach". UTSA Athletics. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
- ^ "UTSA names Jeff Traylor new head football coach". www.utsa.edu. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
- ^ Kalmus, Jared (2019-12-09). "UTSA hires Jeff Traylor to become the program's third head coach". Underdog Dynasty. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
- ^ Merline Pitre. "David Abner, Sr". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
- ^ Climate Summary for Gilmer, Texas
- Herald Democrat (July 25, 1919). "Teas mob hangs Negro". The Herald Democrat. Leadville, Colorado. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
- Richmond Times-Dispatch (August 3, 1919). "Four Held In Lynching". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Virginia: Times Dispatch Pub. Co. pp. 1–54. ISSN 2333-7761. OCLC 9493729. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
External links[]
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- Cities in Upshur County, Texas
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- Longview metropolitan area, Texas