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Physical Features: Populous East Texas county of rolling hills, many timbered; Sabine, Neches rivers, other streams; Lake Palestine, Lake Tyler, Lake Tyler East; alluvial, gray, sandy loam, clay soils.

Economy: Medical facilities, education, government/services, agribusiness, petroleum production, manufacturing, distribution center, tourism.

History: Caddoes of area reduced by disease and other tribes in the 1790s. Cherokees settled in the 1820s; removed in 1839. In the late 1820s, first Anglo-American settlers arrived. Antebellum slaveholding area. County named for Texas Revolution Gen. James Smith; county created and organized in 1846 from Nacogdoches County.

Race/Ethnicity: (In percent) Anglo, 59.6; Black, 17.8; Hispanic, 19.6; Asian, 1.7; Other, 0.9; Two or more races, 1.8.

Vital Statistics, annual: Births, 3,109; deaths, 2,111; marriages, 1,781; divorces, 563.

Recreation: Activities on Palestine, Tyler lakes; Rose Garden; state park; Goodman Museum; Caldwell Zoo; collegiate events; Juneteenth celebration, Rose Festival in October, Azalea Trail, East Texas Fair in September/October.

Minerals: Oil, gas.

Agriculture: Horticultural crops and nurseries, beef cattle, forages, fruits and vegetables, horses, Christmas trees. Market value $76.8 million. Timber sales substantial.

TYLER (105,486) county seat; health services, education, retail center, varied manufacturing; University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler Junior College, Texas College, University of Texas Health Center; hospitals, nursing school; museums, Camp Ford historic park; styles itself, “City of Roses".

Other towns include: Arp (1,022) Strawberry Festival in April; Bullard (2,872, part in Cherokee County); Flint (2,500); Hideaway (2,986); Lindale (5,818) distribution center, foundry, varied manufacturing, Country Fest in October; New Chapel Hill (619); Noonday (777) Sweet Onion festival in June; Troup (1,980, part in Cherokee County) plastic manufacturing, motorcyle customization, Crawfish Boil in May; Whitehouse (8,371) commuters to Tyler, government/services, Yesteryear festival in June; Winona (605).

Part of Overton (2,500, mostly in Rusk County).

The East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. Photo by Robert Plocheck.