Gilmer, Texas

History

Founded in 1846, the city's namesake is former 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 about 1,000 White residents.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 mi2 (12.0 km2), all land.

Gilmer is part of a larger area known as the East Texas Piney Woods.

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.

| 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 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 = |access-date = November 2, 2023}}{{cite web |access-date = November 2, 2023}}

Demographics

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 of 2000, 4,799 people, 1,926 households, and 1,300 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,038.5 PD/sqmi. The 2,214 housing units averaged 479.1 per mi2 (185.0/km). 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 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

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. Events include a pageant, carnival, parades, a dance, livestock shows, a car show, and contests.

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.

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
• 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
• Michelle Shocked, folk singer-songwriter

Sports

• Kris Boyd, football corner back for the New York Jets
• Curtis Brown, former defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers
• 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, offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills and Pittsburgh Steelers
• Jeff Traylor, head football coach of UTSA
• 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 state representative from 1874 to 1875, he was brought to Upshur County as a slave from Selma, Alabama.
• Charles F. Baird, a former justice of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and former judge, 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 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.

Notes

References

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. {{GNIS. 2410590
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. (February 14, 2018). "Lynching of Chilton Jennings". Texas After Violence Project.
6. McWhirter, Clayborne. (2011). "Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America". Journal of American History.
7. [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]
8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
9. "Explore Census Data".
10. https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific. (August 2022)
11. "About the Hispanic Population and its Origin".
12. "Home - East Texas Barn Dance - East Texas Yamboree".
13. "East Texas Yamboree Association".
14. (October 7, 2024). "It's yam time! What you need to know about Gilmer's upcoming East Texas Yamboree". Longview News-Journal.
15. (June 17, 2023). "Upshur County Juneteenth – Saturday, June 17". The Gilmer Mirror.
16. (June 7, 2023). "Ways to celebrate Juneteeth this month". The East Texas Weekend.
17. [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.
18. Merline Pitre. "David Abner, Sr.". Texas State Historical Association.
19. [https://www.songlyrics.com/michelle-shocked/memories-of-east-texas-lyrics/ Michelle Shocked - Memories Of East Texas Lyrics] Retrieved 2022-10-11.