Gladewater, Texas
Oil built it. Antiques keep it interesting.
Gladewater is a city in Gregg County, Texas, in East Texas, about 12 miles west of Longview as the crow flies, with a population of about 6,307. Parts of Gladewater also extend into Upshur County.
Median home $174,000 · Median rent $1,060/mo · Household income $58,810/yr Cost of living →
Updated October 2026 · Population: U.S. Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2024. Land area (11.6 sq mi) and coordinates: U.S. Census Bureau. · Gladewater on Wikipedia
Coming up near Gladewater
All events →- Nov6Winnsboro Art & Wine Festival
Winnsboro · ~35 mi · Nov 6 – Nov 7
- Nov11REEL East Texas Film Festival
Kilgore · ~11 mi · Nov 11 – Nov 14
- Nov14Heritage Syrup Festival
Henderson · ~28 mi · Sat, Nov 14
- Dec3Jefferson Candlelight Tour of Homes
Jefferson · ~38 mi · Dec 3 – Dec 5
- Dec10Jefferson Candlelight Tour of Homes
Jefferson · ~38 mi · Dec 10 – Dec 12
Dates confirmed on each organizer's site. Check the link before you drive.
Gladewater from our research
What we've verified about Gladewater, one line per topic. Each links to the full page and its sources.
- History
- A railroad town founded in 1873, transformed by the 1931 East Texas oil boom, and reborn as the 'Antique Capital of East Texas.' Details →
- Dining
- 17 verified places to eat and drink; most common: Mexican & Tex-Mex · Burgers & American · Pizza & Italian; 1 has a full bar. Details → Source: Texas Comptroller sales-tax permit records, checked place by place
- Schools
- 37 public schools within 12 miles, across 13 districts and charters, mainly Pine Tree ISD, Gladewater ISD and White Oak ISD. Details → Source: Texas Education Agency AskTED directory — open campuses, enrollment as of Oct 2025
- Utilities
- SWEPCO electricity (regulated, no plan shopping), CenterPoint gas, City of Gladewater water, Republic Services trash, and internet options. Details →
- Outdoors
- Nearest state parks: Tyler (20 mi), Martin Creek Lake (29 mi), Daingerfield (36 mi). Nearest lakes: Lake Gladewater (3 mi), Lake Hawkins (19 mi). Details → Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department — park locations
- Contractors
- 7 licensed plumbers, 11 licensed HVAC contractors and 15 licensed electricians serve Gladewater. Details → Source: TSBPE and TDLR license records, checked business by business
Gladewater City Limits
The official city boundary and the major highways through Gladewater.
Major roads: Hwy 271 · US Hwy 271 · State Hwy 135 · State Loop 485 · US Hwy 80
Boundary & roads: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line).
Gladewater sits where U.S. highways 80 and 271 cross, about thirteen miles west of Longview, and it straddles the Gregg–Upshur county line, per the Handbook of Texas. It isn't on I-20. The Census Bureau counted 6,134 residents in 2020, down from 6,441 in 2010. The Texas and Pacific Railway founded the town in 1873, and the name probably comes from nearby Glade Creek. Everything changed on April 7, 1931, when the first oil well blew in a mile outside town in the Sabine River bottom. During the 1930s boom the population swelled from about 500 to roughly 8,000. A replica of that gusher, the Old Snavely No. 1 derrick, stands downtown today. In the 1990s the town reinvented itself around antiques. A 1995 Texas House resolution named it "the Antique Capital of East Texas" and counted more than 150 antique and antique-related dealers at the time. Longview is about 12 miles and 20 minutes away by road, and Tyler is about 26 miles and half an hour.
The Antique Capital Title
The title is official. House Resolution 789 of the 74th Texas Legislature (1995) recognized Gladewater as "the Antique Capital of East Texas." The resolution said the town then housed more than 150 antique and antique-related dealers, which filled most of the available retail storefronts. The Handbook of Texas also dates Gladewater's rise as an antiques destination to the 1990s. That 150-dealer count is from 1995, so treat it as history, not a current tally.
Oil Boom History You Can Still See
The first well came in on April 7, 1931, one mile outside town, and the Texas Historical Commission's travel site calls Gladewater the onetime "hub of the east Texas oil field." The Old Snavely No. 1 derrick downtown is a replica; the commission's site notes the actual gusher was about a mile down the road.
The Gladewater Museum at 116 W. Pacific Street holds memorabilia from the town's pioneer days through the oil boom. Its exhibits include material on Elvis's performances in the area.
Annual Events
East Texas Gusher Days, held each April, celebrates the 1931 oil discovery. KLTV covered the 40th annual festival on April 18–19, 2025, with a carnival, an Easter egg hunt and more than 114 vendors.
The Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo runs each June. KLTV covered the 87th annual rodeo in June 2024, and its proceeds fund college scholarships for local high school students.
Lake Gladewater
Lake Gladewater, off FM 2685, was completed in 1952 according to the Handbook of Texas. The Texas Historical Commission's travel site lists a bass fishing tournament on the lake among the town's events.
FAQ: Gladewater, Texas
The Texas House gave it that title in a 1995 resolution (HR 789, 74th Legislature). At the time the town had more than 150 antique and antique-related dealers filling most of its retail storefronts.
The Handbook of Texas puts Longview thirteen miles east. By road it's about 12 miles, roughly 20 minutes. Tyler is about 26 miles, around 30 minutes without traffic.
Both Gregg and Upshur. The city straddles the county line.
April 7, 1931, when the first well blew in a mile outside town in the Sabine River bottom. The population went from about 500 to roughly 8,000 during the boom, and East Texas Gusher Days still celebrates the discovery every April.
The biggest are East Texas Gusher Days in April and the Gladewater Round-Up Rodeo in June. The rodeo marked its 87th year in 2024, and its proceeds fund local scholarships.
Sources
- Handbook of Texas (TSHA) — Gladewater, TX
- Texas Legislature — H.R. No. 789, 74th Legislature (Antique Capital of East Texas)
- Texas Historical Commission (Texas Time Travel) — Gladewater
- Texas Historical Commission (Texas Time Travel) — Gladewater Museum
- KLTV — Gladewater presents 40th annual Gusher Days (2025)
- KLTV — 87th Annual Gladewater Roundup Rodeo (2024)
- KLTV — Gladewater celebrates its 150th anniversary (2023)
- OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap data) — drive times to Longview, Tyler
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Gladewater in context — where to go, what things cost, and how people actually live here.
Moving to East Texas: What You Need to Know
Thinking about moving to East Texas? A fact-checked guide to healthcare, schools, getting around, weather, and daily life in Tyler, Jacksonville, and the towns around them.
Read Guide →Things to Do in East Texas
What to do in East Texas, checked against official sources: Tyler's Rose Garden and Caldwell Zoo, Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas State Railroad, state parks, museums and festivals.
Read Guide →Cost of Living in East Texas
What it costs to live in East Texas, using Census figures: home values and rents in Tyler, Jacksonville and Athens compared with Texas and the big metros, plus taxes, utilities, healthcare and driving.
Read Guide →Retiring in East Texas: Why Retirees Love It Here
Retiring in East Texas: Tyler's trauma-designated hospitals, Texas 65+ school-tax exemptions, lake towns like Gun Barrel City and Hideaway, and sourced drive times and weather.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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