View source for Gilmer, Texas

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Gilmer, Texas
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| motto                    = "Finding the Way"
| image_skyline            = Gilmer September 2018 10 (Buffalo Street).jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Buffalo Street in Gilmer
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = File:Logo_of_Gilmer,_Texas.png
| image_map                = TXMap-doton-Gilmer.PNG
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Gilmer in [[Texas]]
| image_map1               = Upshur County Gilmer.svg
| mapsize1                 = 250px
| map_caption1             = 
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Upshur County, Texas|Upshur]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| established_title        = 
| established_date         = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 9.84
| area_land_km2            = 9.82
| area_water_km2           = 0.03
| area_total_sq_mi         = 3.80
| area_land_sq_mi          = 3.79
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 4843
| population_density_sq_mi = 1356.99
| population_density_km2   = 523.90
<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 358
| coordinates              = {{coord|32|44|17|N|94|56|35|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]s
| postal_code              = 75644-75645
| area_codes                = [[Area codes 903 and 430|903, 430]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 48-29564<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2410590<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2410590}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|http://gilmer-tx.com}}
| footnotes                = 
| name                     = 
}}
'''Gilmer''' is a city in, and the [[county seat]] of, [[Upshur County, Texas]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> The population was 4,843 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

The East Texas Yamboree is an annual event in Gilmer.

==History==

Founded in 1846, the city's namesake is former [[United States Secretary of the Navy|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, traveled 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.

In 1919, [[Chilton Jennings]], a 28-year-old African American man, was [[lynched]] in Gilmer’s town square by a mob of approximately 1,000 white residents.<ref name="LynchingInTexas">{{cite web |title=Lynching of Chilton Jennings |website=Lynching in Texas |publisher=Texas After Violence Project |date=February 14, 2018 |url=https://www.lynchingintexas.org/items/show/33 |access-date=2024-09-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114000000/https://www.lynchingintexas.org/items/show/33 |archive-date=2023-11-14}}</ref><ref name="RedSummer">{{cite journal |last=McWhirter |first=Clayborne |title=Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America |journal=Journal of American History |date=2011 |url=https://academic.oup.com/jah/article-abstract/98/2/410/837434 |access-date=2025-06-11}}</ref>

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 4.6&nbsp;mi<sup>2</sup> (12.0&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), all  land.

Gilmer is part of a larger area known as the East Texas Piney Woods. <!-- of what? The city and the surrounding area boast a number of impressive specimens. -->

===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.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=645314&cityname=Gilmer%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Gilmer, Texas]</ref>

{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | collapsed   = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = Gilmer, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1929–2012)
 | Jan record high F  = 85
 | Feb record high F  = 90
 | Mar record high F  = 91
 | Apr record high F  = 97
 | May record high F  = 100
 | Jun record high F  = 109
 | Jul record high F  = 110
 | Aug record high F  = 114
 | Sep record high F  = 111
 | Oct record high F  = 98
 | Nov record high F  = 88
 | Dec record high F  = 85
 | year record high F = 
 | Jan high F = 55.6
 | Feb high F = 60.2
 | Mar high F = 67.0
 | Apr high F = 74.5
 | May high F = 81.6
 | Jun high F = 88.6
 | Jul high F = 92.6
 | Aug high F = 92.2
 | Sep high F = 87.4
 | Oct high F = 77.2
 | Nov high F = 65.5
 | Dec high F = 57.4
 | year high F = 75.0
 | Jan mean F = 44.1
 | Feb mean F = 47.7
 | Mar mean F = 54.8
 | Apr mean F = 61.9
 | May mean F = 70.4
 | Jun mean F = 77.9
 | Jul mean F = 81.5
 | Aug mean F = 80.8
 | Sep mean F = 74.8
 | Oct mean F = 64.3
 | Nov mean F = 53.3
 | Dec mean F = 45.7
 | year mean F = 63.1
 | Jan low F = 32.7
 | Feb low F = 35.2
 | Mar low F = 42.6
 | Apr low F = 49.3
 | May low F = 59.3
 | Jun low F = 67.2
 | Jul low F = 70.5
 | Aug low F = 69.4
 | Sep low F = 62.2
 | Oct low F = 51.4
 | Nov low F = 41.2
 | Dec low F = 34.0
 | year low F = 51.3
 | Jan record low F  = -4
 | Feb record low F  = -3
 | Mar record low F  = 12
 | Apr record low F  = 25
 | May record low F  = 36
 | Jun record low F  = 46
 | Jul record low F  = 50
 | Aug record low F  = 47
 | Sep record low F  = 36
 | Oct record low F  = 23
 | Nov record low F  = 13
 | Dec record low F  = -4
 | year record low F = 
 | precipitation colour   = green
 | Jan precipitation inch = 3.76
 | Feb precipitation inch = 4.09
 | Mar precipitation inch = 4.22
 | Apr precipitation inch = 4.66
 | May precipitation inch = 4.49
 | Jun precipitation inch = 4.07
 | Jul precipitation inch = 3.05
 | Aug precipitation inch = 3.01
 | Sep precipitation inch = 3.68
 | Oct precipitation inch = 4.57
 | Nov precipitation inch = 3.81
 | Dec precipitation inch = 4.51
 | year precipitation inch = 47.92
 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
 | Jan precipitation days  = 7.9
 | Feb precipitation days  = 7.3
 | Mar precipitation days  = 7.9
 | Apr precipitation days  = 6.1
 | May precipitation days  = 7.7
 | Jun precipitation days  = 7.6
 | Jul precipitation days  = 5.0
 | Aug precipitation days  = 4.6
 | Sep precipitation days  = 5.5
 | Oct precipitation days  = 5.7
 | Nov precipitation days  = 6.9
 | Dec precipitation days  = 8.0
 | year precipitation days = 80.2
 | Jan snow inch = 0.6
 | Feb snow inch = 0.7
 | Mar snow inch = 0.2
 | Apr snow inch = 0.0
 | May snow inch = 0.0
 | Jun snow inch = 0.0
 | Jul snow inch = 0.0
 | Aug snow inch = 0.0
 | Sep snow inch = 0.0
 | Oct snow inch = 0.0
 | Nov snow inch = 0.0
 | Dec snow inch = 0.0
 | year snow inch = 1.5
 | unit snow days = 0.1 in
 | Jan snow days  = 0.2
 | Feb snow days  = 0.3
 | Mar snow days  = 0.1
 | Apr snow days  = 0.0
 | May snow days  = 0.0
 | Jun snow days  = 0.0
 | Jul snow days  = 0.0
 | Aug snow days  = 0.0
 | Sep snow days  = 0.0
 | Oct snow days  = 0.0
 | Nov snow days  = 0.0
 | Dec snow days  = 0.0
 | year snow days = 0.6
 | source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=shv
|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 2, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00413546&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 2, 2023}}</ref>
}}

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1880= 386
|1890= 591
|1910= 1484
|1920= 2268
|1930= 1963
|1940= 3138
|1950= 4096
|1960= 4312
|1970= 4196
|1980= 5167
|1990= 4822
|2000= 4799
|2010= 4905
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
|2020=4843}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Gilmer racial composition as of 2020'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4829564&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|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.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|3,241
|66.92%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|757
|15.63%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|18
|0.37%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|38
|0.78%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|4
|0.08%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|10
|0.21%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/multiracial]] (NH)
|261
|5.39%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|514
|10.61%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''4,843'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], 4,843 people, 1,778 households, and 987 families were residing in the city.

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, 4,799 people, 1,926 households, and 1,300 families resided in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,038.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The 2,214 housing units averaged 479.1 per mi<sup>2</sup> (185.0/km{{sup|2}}). The [[Race (U.S. Census)|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 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  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 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 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.4 males. For every 100 females 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.

==Arts and culture ==
[[Image:GILMERTX.JPG|thumb|US-271 is the main highway in Gilmer]]
[[Image:GILMERTX2.jpg|thumb|Downtown Gilmer]]

===Annual events===
The East Texas Yamboree is a celebration of the [[sweet potato]], locally known as the yam. Established in 1935, it is one of the oldest continuous festivals in Texas, attracting over 100,000 visitors each year.<ref name="yamboreecom">{{cite web |title=Home - East Texas Barn Dance - East Texas Yamboree |url=https://yamboree.com/ |accessdate=July 7, 2025}}</ref><ref name="facebook">{{cite web |title=East Texas Yamboree Association |website=[[Facebook]] |url=https://www.facebook.com/easttexasyamboree/ |accessdate=July 7, 2025}}</ref> Events include a pageant, carnival, parades, a dance, livestock shows, a car show, and contests.<ref name="yamboreecom"/><ref name="newsjournal">{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Jordan |title=It's yam time! What you need to know about Gilmer's upcoming East Texas Yamboree |work=Longview News-Journal |url=https://www.news-journal.com/news/local/its-yam-time-what-you-need-to-know-about-gilmers-upcoming-east-texas-yamboree/article_87a68860-7d07-11ef-9aec-0b0e03939d6b.html |date=October 7, 2024 |accessdate=July 7, 2025}}</ref>

The Upshur County [[Juneteenth]] celebration has featured a parade, live music, a car and tractor show, soul food contests, children's activities, vendor booths, and community unity programming.<ref name="gilmermirror2023">{{cite web |title=Upshur County Juneteenth – Saturday, June 17 |publisher=The Gilmer Mirror |date=June 17, 2023 |url=https://www.gilmermirror.com/2025/06/16/especially-texan-juneteenth-2/}}</ref><ref name="kltevents2023">{{cite web |title=Ways to celebrate Juneteeth this month |publisher=The East Texas Weekend |date=June 7, 2023 |url=https://www.theeasttexasweekend.com/2023/06/07/ways-celebrate-juneteeth-this-month/}}</ref>

==Education==
Gilmer is served by the [[Gilmer Independent School District]].

==Notable people==

=== Music ===
* [[Don Henley]], Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and founding member of the [[Eagles (band)|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 [[standard (music)|standards]] singer; [[Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award]]
* [[Jason Sellers]], country music singer-songwriter
* [[Michelle Shocked]], folk singer-songwriter<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1989/03/15/michelle-shocked-taking-stock/1e08762c-fa8d-4c95-ab34-a96024406453/ MICHELLE SHOCKED, TAKING STOCK – The Washington Post] Retrieved 2018-04-17.</ref>

=== Sports ===
* [[Kris Boyd (American football)|Kris Boyd]], football corner back for the [[New York Jets]]
* [[Curtis Brown (cornerback)|Curtis Brown]], former defensive back for the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] 
* [[Gus Johnson (American football)|Gus Johnson]], former NFL running back 
* [[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 (American football)|David Snow]], offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers
* [[Jeff Traylor]], head football coach [[the University of Texas at San Antonio|UTSA]]
* [[Louis Wright (American football)|Louis Wright]], former four-time first-team [[All-Pro]] cornerback for the [[Denver Broncos]]

=== Other ===
* [[Chilton Jennings]], [[lynched]] in Gilmer, Texas
* [[David Abner]], an African-American [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] state representative from 1874 to 1875, he was brought to Upshur County as a [[Slavery in the United States|slave]] from [[Selma, Alabama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fab06|title=David Abner, Sr.|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|author=Merline Pitre|access-date=October 30, 2013|author1-link=Merline Pitre}}</ref>
* [[Charlie Baird|Charles F. Baird]], a former justice of the [[Texas Court of Criminal Appeals]] and former judge, [[Travis County, Texas|Travis County]] District Court, he is the only judge in Texas history to preside over the exoneration of a deceased individual; he was longtime criminal-justice reform advocate.
* [[Robert N. McClelland]] was a [[surgeon]] for [[John F. Kennedy]] at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on the day of [[assassination of John F. Kennedy|his assassination]].
* [[Harold Moss]], the first African-American mayor of [[Tacoma, Washington]]
* [[Thomas F. Proctor]], a trainer of [[Thoroughbred]] racehorses, he won the 1994 edition of the [[Breeders' Cup Distaff]]
* [[Robert L. Stephens]], record-setting [[test pilot]]

==In popular culture==
* The [[Michelle Shocked]] song "Memories of East Texas" recalls her experiences growing up in Gilmer.<ref>[https://www.songlyrics.com/michelle-shocked/memories-of-east-texas-lyrics/ Michelle Shocked - Memories Of East Texas Lyrics] Retrieved 2022-10-11.</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{cite news |date= July 25, 1919|title= Texas mob hangs Negro|last=Herald Democrat|url=https://www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org/cgi-bin/colorado?a=d&d=THD19190725-01.2.13&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN--------0-|newspaper=[[The Herald Democrat]]|location=Leadville, Colorado |access-date= August 3, 2019 }}
*{{cite news |date= August 3, 1919|title= Four Held In Lynching|last=Richmond Times-Dispatch|author-link=Richmond Times-Dispatch|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045389/1919-08-03/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=08%2F03%2F1919&index=10&rows=20&sequence=1&date2=08%2F03%2F1919&words=&dateFilterType=range&page=1|newspaper=Richmond Times-Dispatch|publisher=Times Dispatch Pub. Co.|location=Richmond, Virginia|issn=2333-7761|oclc=9493729|pages=1–54|access-date= August 3, 2019 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Gilmer, Texas}}
* [http://gilmer-tx.com/ City of Gilmer official website.]

{{Geographic Location 
 | Center = Gilmer
 | North = [[Pittsburg, Texas|Pittsburg]]
 | Northeast = [[Ore City, Texas|Ore City]]
 | East = [[Diana, Texas|Diana]]
 | Southeast = [[Longview, Texas|Longview]]
 | South = [[Gladewater, Texas|Gladewater]]
 | Southwest = [[Big Sandy, Texas|Big Sandy]]
 | West = [[Quitman, Texas|Quitman]]
}}

{{Upshur County, Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Upshur County, Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]
[[Category:Longview metropolitan area, Texas]]