Gladewater Texas

We love to visit Gladewater, just a quick drive north of Tyler on U.S. Highway 271. It's a great place for exploring East Texas history, and is known for its large number of antique stores, antique malls, and festivals.

Gladewater, located on US 271 and US 80, is 105 east of Dallas, and ffounded by the Texas and Pacific (T&P) Railway Company in 1873 . Today, it is the antique capital of East Texas, a Texas Main Street and a National Main Street city. It also features a number of restaurants and bed and breakfast inns. Well known festivals include the East Texas Gusher Days in April, the Roundup Rodeo in June and the Arts and Crafts Festival in September.

Shown below are a few photos we shot in Gladewater in 2007.

First Franchised Motor Bus Line in Texas
The W. E. Nunnelee Bus Lines began passenger service from Tyler
to Gladewater and Mt. Pleasant in March 1925
Later added buses from Tyler to Henderson and Nacogdoches

Snavely #1 - The Gladewater Discovery Oil Well
On April 7, 1931, this wildcat well drilled by Selby Oil and Gas Company
of Tulsa, OK, came-in. It was located in the Sabine River bottom
one mile south of Gladewater
It connected Gladewater to the vast East Texas oil field stretching from
Longview's Lathrop Well to Kilgore's Crim well

 

Downtown Gladewater Texas, located on U.S. Highway 80