Quitman, Texas
Wood County's seat, where Jim Hogg got his start, next door to Lake Fork
Quitman is a small town in Wood County, Texas, in East Texas, about 32 miles north of Tyler as the crow flies, with a population of about 2,043.
Median home $192,100 · Median rent $1,154/mo · Household income $64,493/yr Cost of living →
Updated October 2026 · Population: U.S. Census Bureau estimate for July 1, 2024. Land area (1.9 sq mi) and coordinates: U.S. Census Bureau. · Quitman on Wikipedia
Coming up near Quitman
All events →- Oct29First Monday Trade Days
Canton · ~29 mi · Oct 29 – Nov 1
- Nov6Winnsboro Art & Wine Festival
Winnsboro · ~14 mi · Nov 6 – Nov 7
- Dec3First Monday Trade Days
Canton · ~29 mi · Dec 3 – Dec 6
- Apr16East Texas Gusher Days
Gladewater · ~34 mi · Apr 16 – Apr 17
Dates confirmed on each organizer's site. Check the link before you drive.
Quitman from our research
What we've verified about Quitman, one line per topic. Each links to the full page and its sources.
- History
- Founded in 1850 as the seat of Wood County, named for John A. Quitman, and the early home of James Stephen Hogg, Texas's first native governor. Details →
- Dining
- 10 verified places to eat and drink; most common: Burgers & American · Coffee, Sweets & Bakery · Breakfast & Diner; 2 have a full bar. Details → Source: Texas Comptroller sales-tax permit records, checked place by place
- Schools
- 11 public schools within 12 miles, across 4 districts and charters, mainly Mineola ISD, Quitman ISD and Alba-Golden ISD. Details → Source: Texas Education Agency AskTED directory — open campuses, enrollment as of Oct 2025
- Utilities
- Wood County Electric Cooperative power (no plan shopping for most addresses), Atmos gas, city water and trash, and fiber internet. Details →
- Outdoors
- Nearest state parks: Tyler (24 mi), Lake Bob Sandlin (27 mi), Lake Tawakoni (32 mi). Nearest lakes: Lake Quitman (5 mi), Lake Holbrook (9 mi). Details → Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department — park locations
- Contractors
- 3 licensed plumbers, 7 licensed HVAC contractors and 9 licensed electricians serve Quitman. Details → Source: TSBPE and TDLR license records, checked business by business
Quitman City Limits
The official city boundary and the major highways through Quitman.
Major roads: Hwy 154 · Hwy 37 · State Hwy 37 · State Hwy 154
Boundary & roads: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line).
Quitman is the county seat of Wood County. It sits in the west-central part of the county where State Highways 154 and 37 cross, about 10 miles north of Mineola. The Census Bureau counted 1,942 people here in 2020, up from 1,809 in 2010. Two things put Quitman on the map for visitors. The first is Lake Fork. Texas Parks and Wildlife places the lake 5 miles northwest of town and calls it one of the country's premier trophy bass lakes. The second is the Hogg family. James Stephen Hogg, who became Texas' first native-born governor, married Sallie Stinson in a house that still stands in Quitman's city park. Their early home stands in the park too. Tyler is roughly 39 road miles away, about 45 minutes to an hour by car.
A County Seat That Lost the Railroad
According to the Handbook of Texas, Quitman was founded in 1850 as the seat of the newly organized Wood County. It was named for John A. Quitman, a Mississippi governor and Mexican War figure. By 1870 it had 320 residents.
In 1872 the Texas and Pacific Railway asked Wood County for a $100,000 bond subsidy. A young James Stephen Hogg led the fight against it. The county refused, and the depot went instead to Sodom, the town later renamed Mineola. Quitman stayed small. It had 368 residents in 1904, and about 950 residents and 35 businesses by 1930.
Oil was discovered nearby in 1941. Reservoirs built around the area from the late 1950s brought more growth. The population reached 1,893 in 1980 and 2,030 in 2000. The Handbook counted 253 businesses in 2020. Quitman is also the hometown of actress Sissy Spacek, and Will Hogg, the governor's son, was born here.
Governor Jim Hogg City Park and Its Museums
The town's main attraction is Governor Jim Hogg City Park on SH 37 South, a former state park. Texas Parks and Wildlife transferred the Governor Hogg Shrine site to the City of Quitman in 1998. The Handbook of Texas notes the park is also home to the Quitman Arboretum and Botanical Gardens.
The Texas Historical Commission lists three museums in the park:
- Stinson House (1869). Built for Col. James A. Stinson. On April 22, 1874, his daughter Sallie married James Stephen Hogg in its parlor. The Stinson House Quilters work there on special occasions.
- Honeymoon Cottage. The early home of Jim and Sallie Hogg, with original furnishings.
- Ima Hogg Museum. Northeast Texas and Hogg family memorabilia.
Lake Fork
Texas Parks and Wildlife places Lake Fork on the Sabine River system in Hopkins, Rains and Wood counties, 5 miles northwest of Quitman. The 27,264-acre reservoir was impounded in 1980.
TPWD calls it one of the premier trophy bass lakes in the country. More than 65% of the Texas Top 50 largest largemouth bass came from Lake Fork, including the state record. So did more than half of all ShareLunker entries.
Old Settlers Reunion and Town Celebrations
The Old Settlers Reunion is Quitman's longest-running tradition. According to a Texas Historical Commission marker, the Old Settlers of Wood County Association was organized around 1899. In 1902, J. H. Jones donated the reunion grounds, and homecomings have been held there every year since, except briefly during World War I. The grounds are now part of Governor Jim Hogg City Park.
The reunion runs Thursday through Saturday in early August at the park. The Wood County Monitor covered it starting Thursday, Aug. 1 in 2024 and running Aug. 4–6 in 2022. Check local listings for this year's dates.
A 2007 Texas House resolution also names the Dogwood Fiesta among the town's annual celebrations.
Practical Notes
- Schools: Public schools are run by Quitman ISD, which competes in UIL class 3A.
- Library: The Quitman Public Library is at 202 E. Goode St., one block east of the Wood County Courthouse. It was chartered in 1975.
- Driving: Tyler is roughly 39 road miles away, about 45 minutes to an hour. Mineola is about 10 miles south.
FAQ: Quitman, Texas
Wood County. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 place-by-county list places all of Quitman in Wood County.
Texas Parks and Wildlife places Lake Fork 5 miles northwest of Quitman. The 27,264-acre reservoir is one of the country's top trophy bass lakes. More than 65% of the Texas Top 50 largest bass came from it, including the state record.
The park has three museums. The Stinson House (1869) is where James Stephen Hogg married Sallie Stinson in 1874. The Honeymoon Cottage was the couple's early home and keeps its original furnishings. The Ima Hogg Museum holds Northeast Texas and Hogg family memorabilia. The park is also home to the Quitman Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and the Old Settlers Reunion grounds.
It runs Thursday through Saturday in early August at Governor Jim Hogg City Park. In 2024 it started Thursday, Aug. 1. The reunion grounds were donated in 1902, and homecomings have been held there nearly every year since.
Quitman ISD, which competes in UIL class 3A.
About 39 road miles, or roughly 45 minutes to an hour by car. Mineola is about 10 miles south of Quitman.
Sources
- Handbook of Texas — Quitman, TX
- Wikipedia — Quitman, Texas (2010/2020 census, Quitman ISD, library)
- TPWD — Lake Fork
- THC Atlas — J. H. Jones and the Old Settlers Reunion Grounds marker
- THC Atlas — Col. James A. Stinson Home marker
- Texas Time Travel (THC) — Quitman
- TPWD Commission 2007 agenda item 16 — Governor Hogg Shrine transfer
- Wood County Monitor — Old Settlers Reunion ready to roll (2024)
- Wood County Monitor — Old Settlers Reunion prepares (2022)
- Texas House HCR 157 (80th Leg., 2007) — Quitman
- OSRM public router — drive distances/times
East Texas guides
Region-wide guides that put Quitman 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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