The simple life in East Texas's Gilmer
Gilmer, a small town of about 5,000 people near Longview and Tyler, is classic East Texas: horse farms, hay meadows and an off-road park for dirt bikes and UTVs. People move here to spread out on land. "Everybody wants 5 to 10 acres, and we have it," says lifelong resident and Realtor Wendy West with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. She says Gilmer's seen some growth in recent years and has put in some subdivisions, but for the most part, the community's maintained its rural atmosphere and small-town charm. "It's just all country with lots of trees and pretty hay meadows," she says. "You'll see a tractor going down the road, and you'll say, 'Yep, that's Upshur County,' because they're going to the next hay meadow."
Horse farms, hay meadows and subdivisions
Buyers can pick between homes in subdivisions and acreage properties. "Everybody rides horses," West says. "There's a ton of farms here. Usually, if they have a bunch of horses, it's 20 or 25 acres." Ranch-style, farmhouse and New Traditional architecture are common. Most homes sell for prices between $100,000 and $500,000. Homes over $500,000 are typically new builds on acreage. Residential streets in town often have sidewalks and curbs.
Dual credit, JROTC and FFA at Gilmer High School
Gilmer Independent School District gets an overall B-plus grade from Niche. Gilmer Elementary and Gilmer Intermediate get Bs, and Bruce Junior High and Gilmer High School get B-pluses. Gilmer High School offers dual credit through Kilgore College and UT Austin OnRamps, an Air Force JROTC program and one of Texas's top 20 largest FFA programs.
Parks, Lake Gilmer and Barnwell Mountain
Gilmer has several small community parks, including Quain Run Park, Roosevelt Park and Abney Street Park. Gilmer Starplex is an indoor roller-skating rink. Lake Gilmer has boat ramps, walking trails, a playground and a picnic pavilion. Barnwell Mountain Recreational Area is an off-road park for dirt bikes, UTVs and OHVs. The park also has primitive campsites, RV spaces, cabins and bunkhouses. The Gilmer Country Club is open to the public and has a golf course and pickleball courts.
Local restaurants, fast food and groceries
Bubba's Fat Burgers and James Brown BBQ is a local restaurant serving American fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Local Mexican restaurants like La Finca and La Carreta attract patrons with large plates of food and frozen margaritas. Doc's Hot Links is a longtime local business serving spicy beef sausage. Chain restaurants include Whataburger, Jack in the Box and Dairy Queen. Groceries are available at Walmart and Brookshire's.
East Texas Yamboree
Each October, the East Texas Yamboree, an over 80-year tradition, is a four-day festival celebrating the yam, a former cash crop in Gilmer. The festival includes the Queen's Coronation Pageant, a carnival, two parades, a barn dance, livestock shows and more.
Hospitals and East Texas Regional Airport
Several state and U.S. highways intersect in Gilmer, connecting it to nearby communities like Longview and Tyler. Gilmer has an urgent care in town, Healthfast Medical, but its closest hospitals are UT Health Pittsburg, 22 miles north, and Longview Regional Medical Center, 22 miles southeast. About 30 miles away, East Texas Regional Airport offers flights to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
