Get to know Tyler, TX

The northeastern Texas city of Tyler is known as the Rose Capital of the World.  It began in 1846 when the first Texas Legislature created Smith county.  The centrally located area on a hilltop became the county seat and was named in honor of President John Tyler, who had helped admit Texas into the United States.  The city flourished with small industries and commerce driving the economy.  During the Civil War, Tyler was the site of the largest artillery plant in Texas for the Confederacy.  It also had Camp Ford, a Confederate prison camp, nearby.  Tyler saw steady growth following the Civil War.  The railroad came in 1877, quickly making the city a railroad center and leading to more growth.  By 1900 fruit orchards, in addition to cotton and corn, had become important crops for the area.  However, when a peach blight hit the fruit industry hard, many farmers turned to roses, which were perfectly suited to the Tyler climate and soil.  The rose industry became big business for the city, leading to the creation of the Texas Rose Festival in 1933.  By the 1940s Tyler and the surrounding area produced more than half the supply of rose bushes in the United States.  Tyler received an economic boom in the 1930s with the discovery of oil and many oil companies set up offices in Tyler.  Throughout the 20th century the petroleum industry continued to drive the economy, which diversified with the metal, fabricating, and food-processing industries contributing as well.  Some of the popular attractions in Tyler include the Texas Rose Festival which is held every October, the Azalea Trail, and the annual East Texas State Fair.  The rose-growing industry is still a major part of Tyler’s economy as is manufacturing.  The city is the headquarters of the Brookshire Grocery Company.  The top employers in Tyler are Trinity Mother Frances Health System, East Texas Medical Center, Brookshire Grocery Company, and the Tyler Independent School District.

Quick Facts

Population: 99,344

Median Household Income: $42,752

Median Property Value: $130,800