Smith County, Texas

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.

Not to be confused with Deaf Smith County, Texas.

Smith County
County
Smith County Courthouse in Tyler
Smith County Courthouse in Tyler
Official seal of Smith County
Seal
Map of Texas highlighting Smith County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°23′N 95°16′W
Country United States
State Texas
FoundedJuly 1846
SeatTyler
Largest cityTyler
Area
 • Total950 sq mi (2,500 km2)
 • Land921 sq mi (2,390 km2)
 • Water28 sq mi (70 km2)  3.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total233,479
 • Estimate 
(2021)
237,186
 • Density250/sq mi (95/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitewww.smith-county.com

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

Adjacent counties

Cities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18504,292—
186013,392212.0%
187016,53223.4%
188021,86332.2%
189028,32429.6%
190037,37031.9%
191041,74611.7%
192046,76912.0%
193053,12313.6%
194069,09030.1%
195074,7018.1%
196086,35015.6%
197097,09612.4%
1980128,36632.2%
1990151,30917.9%
2000174,70615.5%
2010209,71420.0%
2020233,47911.3%
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:

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

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

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.

32.38°N 95.27°W / 32.38; -95.27

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