Upshur County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Upshur County
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Upshur County Courthouse
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1846 |
| Named for | Abel P. Upshur |
| Seat | Gilmer |
| Largest city | Gladewater |
| Area | |
| • Total | 593 sq mi (1,540 km2) |
| • Land | 583 sq mi (1,510 km2) |
| • Water | 9.7 sq mi (25 km2) 1.6% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 40,892 |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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41,753 |
| • Density | 68.96/sq mi (26.625/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 1st, 4th |
Upshur County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,892. The county seat is Gilmer. The county is named for Abel P. Upshur, who was U.S. Secretary of State during President John Tyler's administration.
Upshur County is part of the Longview, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Longview–Marshall, TX Combined Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Humans have inhabited what is now Upshur county since at least 10,000 years ago. The Caddoan people lived in this area, but were driven out about 1750, probably due to losses from new infectious diseases carried chronically by Europeans.
Later some Cherokee migrated to the area from their territories in the Southeast - Georgia and Alabama. The Cherokee were driven out of here by European-American settlers in 1839, after having been removed from the Southeast.
The first European-American settler in Upshur county was probably Isaac Moody, who settled there in 1836. Upshur County was named for Abel Parker Upshur, Secretary of State under John Tyler.
Upshur County has the distinction of being the county that has the largest settlement in Texas organized by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1904 the Latter-day Saint South-western States Mission organized a colony at Kelsey, Texas.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 593 square miles (1,540 km2), of which 583 square miles (1,510 km2) is land and 9.7 square miles (25 km2) (1.6%) is water.
Major Highways
U.S. Highway 80
U.S. Highway 259
U.S. Highway 271
State Highway 154
State Highway 155
State Highway 300
Adjacent counties
- Camp County (north)
- Morris County (northeast)
- Marion County (east)
- Harrison County (southeast)
- Gregg County (south)
- Smith County (southwest)
- Wood County (west)
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 3,394 | — | |
| 1860 | 10,645 | 213.6% | |
| 1870 | 12,039 | 13.1% | |
| 1880 | 10,266 | −14.7% | |
| 1890 | 12,695 | 23.7% | |
| 1900 | 16,266 | 28.1% | |
| 1910 | 19,960 | 22.7% | |
| 1920 | 22,472 | 12.6% | |
| 1930 | 22,297 | −0.8% | |
| 1940 | 26,178 | 17.4% | |
| 1950 | 20,822 | −20.5% | |
| 1960 | 19,793 | −4.9% | |
| 1970 | 20,976 | 6.0% | |
| 1980 | 28,595 | 36.3% | |
| 1990 | 31,370 | 9.7% | |
| 2000 | 35,291 | 12.5% | |
| 2010 | 39,309 | 11.4% | |
| 2020 | 40,892 | 4.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White alone (NH) | 32,257 | 31,287 | 82.06% | 76.51% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,388 | 2,908 | 8.62% | 7.11% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 206 | 261 | 0.52% | 0.64% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 146 | 177 | 0.37% | 0.43% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 3 | 9 | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 35 | 150 | 0.09% | 0.37% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 661 | 2,114 | 1.68% | 5.17% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,613 | 3,986 | 6.65% | 9.75% |
| Total | 39,309 | 40,892 | 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.
Communities
Cities
- Clarksville City (mostly in Gregg County)
- East Mountain (small part in Gregg County)
- Gilmer (county seat)
- Gladewater (partly in Gregg County)
- Ore City
- Union Grove
- Warren City (mostly in Gregg County)
Town
Unincorporated communities
- Bettie
- Diana
- Enoch
- Kelsey
- Latch
- Pritchett
- Rhonesboro
- Simpsonville
In popular culture
- The singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked, who grew up in Gilmer, refers to Upshur County in several of her songs.
- Author Edward Hancock II sets many of his stories in and around Upshur County, Texas.
Education
These school districts serve Upshur County:
- Big Sandy ISD (partly in Wood County)
- Gilmer ISD (small portion in Camp County)
- Gladewater ISD (mostly in Gregg County, partly in Smith County)
- Harmony ISD (partly in Wood County)
- New Diana ISD (small portion in Harrison County)
- Ore City ISD (small portion in Harrison, Marion counties)
- Pittsburg ISD (mostly in Camp County, small portion in Wood County)
- Union Grove ISD
- Union Hill ISD (mostly in Upshur County, partly in Wood County)
Images for kids
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Upshur County Courthouse
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See also
In Spanish: Condado de Upshur (Texas) para niños
