Jacksboro is a central Texas agricultural center
Jacksboro offers homebuyers acreage and outdoor recreation, plus a cozy downtown with local businesses. Open plains first attracted ranchers to what became Jacksboro in the 1850s, and when Fort Richardson was built in 1867, more people followed. But it was the railroad, which first arrived in 1898, that drove modern growth and transformed the small ranching crossroads into the agricultural epicenter of Jack County. The railroad was followed by new houses, businesses and highways. “It’s a very appealing community,” says Anne Land, a Springtown real estate agent who’s worked in the area for 25 years. “They have some big, beautiful ranches on mostly 5- to 10-acre tracts.” While the railroad is no longer in use, Fort Richardson has been transformed into a state park and has become its own historic attraction.
Family-owned restaurants and historic shops
Most shops and restaurants are on the east side along the main highways. Neri’s Firehouse Restaurant is housed in a former fire station and serves favorites like cheesesteak and deep-fried steak sandwiches. Trevino’s Craft Smokehouse was established in 2020 and smokes black angus brisket, pork belly burnt ends and house-made picadillo sausage. JR’s Chophouse is an old world-style bed and breakfast, with a restaurant that serves burgers, fried seafood and Tex-Mex. City Drug has been in the community for over 100 years and has a gift shop and soda fountain. There are also a few chain restaurants, floral shops and boutique stores. Grocery stores include Lowe’s Market, Dollar General and The Market at Tandy Hall.
Ranch properties built on acreage
City blocks are filled with older homes across various architectural styles, including ranch-style, traditional and Craftsman houses. Many small fixer-uppers from the 1920s and 1940s have mature trees and up to quarter-acre lots with prices ranging from $50,000 to $90,000. Dirt and gravel roads lead to one-story homes with half-acre lots that are $100,000 to $425,000. As houses grow from 3,000 to 5,000 square feet, lots also increase from five to 60 acres, costing $600,000 to $975,000. Large ranch properties with barns and cattle pens can have more than 200 acres and are between $1 and $2.5 million.
Camping and kayaking at Fort Richardson State Park
Hiking, biking and horseback riding are popular activities across Fort Richardson State Park’s 12 miles of trails. There are also self-guided tours through the historic site, plus cabins and campsites with RV hookups. Lake Jacksboro is northeast of the community and has swimming, kayaking and fishing. Little League games take place at the Swan Lake Field to the northwest.
Jacksboro Golf Course offers nine public holes, and the Jacksboro Community Pool is open from June through August.
New classrooms and facilities at Jacksboro ISD
Jacksboro Independent School District, which has a B rating on Niche, recently completed $20 million in repairs to its elementary and high school campuses in the wake of 2022's EF-3 tornado. Jacksboro Elementary, which has a C-plus on Niche, got new classrooms and a storm shelter. Jacksboro Middle School, which has a B on Niche, was not substantially harmed in the storm, but Jacksboro High, which also has a B, opened its new gym in 2024. True to Texas culture, Land says, "Football is very important. Everybody has to be at the game on Friday nights.” Families pack the high school stadium in the fall to cheer on the JHS Tigers.
Fireworks, barbecue cookoffs and community events
There are a few special occasions that Jacksboro residents look forward to every year. The TNT Fest is a summer celebration with fireworks, games and a barbecue cookoff on the last Saturday of every June. Many more smaller events dot Jacksboro’s calendar throughout the year, including a baby picture contest, pickleball and cornhole tournaments and a tug-of-war contest.
Interconnected highways between Fort Worth and Wichita Falls
Jacksboro's downtown is the nexus of important North Central Plains highways, including U.S. Highways 281 and 380 and Texas State Highways 114 and 119. “It’s a great location as far as going to Graham and Possum Kingdom Lake,” Land remarks. “It’s real close to Wichita Falls, and you’re only 20 minutes from Springtown and Decatur.” Faith Community Hospital is located near the high school and is open 24 hours a day.
