East Texas City
Gilmer, Texas
One of East Texas' Oldest Festivals
Home Of The Yamboree
Red-brick streets and old-fashioned shops invite a leisurely stroll around the square of Gilmer, located on the site of a former Cherokee Indian village. Enjoy a wide-ranging collection of county memorabilia in the Historic Upshur Museum, which occupies the former 1925 post office. Exhibits include a 20th-century photographic record of the area and a history of the region’s industries and agriculture. Farmers lost their market for yams, an important cash crop, when sweet potato weevils invaded in 1930, and officials imposed a five-year shipping quarantine. When the quarantine lifted in 1935, a celebration called the East Texas Yamboree was held at harvest time. Now about 100,000 people gather each October to attend the Yamboree, one of Texas’ oldest continuous festivals.
Scenic Drive:
Take Texas 155 north, 6 miles to Barnwell Mountain roadside park and overlook. Most roads in the area offer a mixture of pine and hardwood forests, along with pastures, rich in fall color and spring wildflowers.
Looking For Something To Do?
Texas Forest Trail Partners
Gilmer Area Chamber of Commerce
903-843-2413
www.gilmerareachamber.com
Historic Upshur Museum
903-843-5483
www.historicupshurmuseum.com
150 Years Of Texas History In The Starr Family Home In Marshall
Nestled in the heart of Marshall’s museums and cultural activities, Starr Family Home State Historic Site is composed of several elegant structures. Period furnishings, clothing, and antiques trace the transition of the buildings through four generations of the Starr family in Texas history. Click here to read more.