DFW / North Texas
Grayson County, Texas
A local guide to the county: the stories that give it a shape, practical checks, and a few things worth knowing before they surprise you. Every note points to its source.
13 stories · 11 practical · 4 good to know
The practical part
Grayson County offices and deadlines
Appraisal district & tax office →
The Comptroller's official directory for Grayson County: who sets your value and who sends the bill.
Homestead exemption →
File Form 50-114 with the appraisal district. It is free. The regular deadline is April 30, and late filing is allowed for up to two years.
Protest your appraisal →
The usual deadline is May 15, or 30 days after your notice arrives, whichever is later.
Estimate a tax bill →
Model a bill from local rates, the homestead exemption, and the appraisal cap.
Start here
A little of what makes this place itself
Denison · City Trails
Waterloo Lake Gives Denison Both Paved Walks and Sandy Trails
Denison's 211-acre Waterloo Lake Regional Park gathers a 52-acre lake, paved walking, sandy trails, a fishing pier, and boat access at one city address.
Grayson County · Wildlife Refuge
At Hagerman, Lake Texoma Meets Marsh and Cross Timbers
The 11,320-acre refuge on Big Mineral Arm holds marshes, hardwood bottoms, grasslands, farm fields, and Cross Timbers oaks in one Grayson County landscape.
Grayson County · Water History
Denison Dam Turned a Red River Reach Into Lake Texoma
Authorized in 1938 and completed in 1944, Denison Dam remade the Red River northwest of Denison for flood control, water conservation, recreation, and hydropower.
Practical Lake Texoma Has a Special Fishing License That Covers Both States Because Lake Texoma straddles the Texas-Oklahoma border, a special low-cost license lets you fish the whole lake without needing two state licenses. Practical Zebra Mussels in Lake Texoma Mean You Must Drain Your Boat Before Leaving Lake Texoma has established zebra mussels, an invasive species, so state law requires boaters to drain all water from boats, livewells, and bait buckets before leaving. Good to know The Red River Forms Grayson County's Northern Border with Oklahoma The Red River runs along the top of Grayson County, marking the state line with Oklahoma, and Lake Texoma sits on that border.
All 28 local notes
The full county shelf is mixed so stories and useful checks travel together. Use the filters when you need one kind.
Showing all 28 notes.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Waterloo Lake Gives Denison Both Paved Walks and Sandy Trails Denison's 211-acre Waterloo Lake Regional Park gathers a 52-acre lake, paved walking, sandy trails, a fishing pier, and boat access at one city address. Denison
- Practical Outdoors Lake Texoma Has a Special Fishing License That Covers Both States Because Lake Texoma straddles the Texas-Oklahoma border, a special low-cost license lets you fish the whole lake without needing two state licenses.
- Stories & local character Outdoors At Hagerman, Lake Texoma Meets Marsh and Cross Timbers The 11,320-acre refuge on Big Mineral Arm holds marshes, hardwood bottoms, grasslands, farm fields, and Cross Timbers oaks in one Grayson County landscape.
- Practical Outdoors Zebra Mussels in Lake Texoma Mean You Must Drain Your Boat Before Leaving Lake Texoma has established zebra mussels, an invasive species, so state law requires boaters to drain all water from boats, livewells, and bait buckets before leaving.
- Good to know Home & Property The Red River Forms Grayson County's Northern Border with Oklahoma The Red River runs along the top of Grayson County, marking the state line with Oklahoma, and Lake Texoma sits on that border.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Denison Dam Turned a Red River Reach Into Lake Texoma Authorized in 1938 and completed in 1944, Denison Dam remade the Red River northwest of Denison for flood control, water conservation, recreation, and hydropower.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Used Lake Texoma boat paperwork runs on TPWD rules Used boat, motor, and trailer paperwork split different ways, so Lake Texoma buyers should sort the TPWD title papers before money changes hands.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Eisenhower State Park Sits on Lake Texoma's Rocky Northern Shore Eisenhower State Park near Denison offers camping, fishing, hiking, and water access on Lake Texoma, about an hour north of Dallas.
- Practical Cars & Driving Just Moved to Grayson County? Two Clocks Start Ticking New Texas residents get 30 days to register a vehicle and 90 days to swap to a Texas driver license, and those two errands run through two different agencies.
- Good to know Home & Property Sherman Has a Floodplain Management Program for City Properties The City of Sherman manages local floodplain information and works with FEMA flood maps to help property owners understand their flood risk.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Lake Texoma Has Multiple Public Access Points in Grayson County Besides Eisenhower State Park, several other public parks and boat ramps give access to Lake Texoma from the Texas side.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Rural Grayson projects can still need county sign-offs Much of unincorporated Grayson County has no zoning, but new addresses, culverts, septic systems, and floodplain work still run through county rules.
- Stories & local character Outdoors Lake Texoma Has One of the Few Self-Sustaining Striped Bass Populations in the U.S. Lake Texoma's striped bass reproduce on their own in the Red River inlet, making it a well-known destination for freshwater striped bass fishing.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Burning Brush in Rural Grayson County Starts With a Phone Call In rural Grayson County, call 903-813-4411 the day you plan to burn. That call checks the address and the day's rules before anything gets lit.
- Good to know Home & Property Grayson County Got New FEMA Flood Maps in 2022 Updated flood maps for Grayson County took effect in September 2022, so your property's flood risk zone may be different than it was before.
- Stories & local character History & Culture The 1930 Sherman Riot Destroyed the Courthouse and Left a Mark on Local History On May 9-10, 1930, a mob attacked the Grayson County courthouse, burned it, and lynched a Black man awaiting trial, one of the most violent racial incidents in Texas during that era.
- Practical Cars & Driving Buy a Used Car in a Private Sale? Title It Within 30 Days A private vehicle sale isn't finished when the cash changes hands. The buyer has 30 days from the date of sale to put the title in their own name.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Sherman Is the County Seat and Largest City in Grayson County Sherman serves as the county seat of Grayson County, where county government offices, courts, and the appraisal district are located.
- Practical Cars & Driving Many Grayson County renewals dropped the safety-inspection step Noncommercial Grayson County vehicles no longer need a safety inspection before registration, and Grayson is outside the emissions-test county list.
- Good to know Home & Property Grayson County Is in Tornado and Severe Storm Country The National Weather Service keeps a Grayson County tornado record, and its severe-weather guidance treats hail, wind, and tornado warnings as shelter-now events.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Eisenhower Was Born in a Railroad Family's Denison Rental Dwight Eisenhower's 1890 birthplace was a rented frame house near Denison's railroad yards, and the community made it a hometown landmark before he became president.
- Practical Cars & Driving Where to Get a Disabled Parking Placard in Grayson County Disabled parking placards and plates are a state program, but you file the paperwork right here at the Grayson County Tax Office in Sherman.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Perrin Field Went From Basic Trainers to Jets The 1941 training base closed in 1971, but its name and aviation footprint remain at North Texas Regional Airport/Perrin Field.
- Practical Money & Taxes Two Different Offices Handle Your Property Taxes Grayson County splits property tax duties between two offices, and knowing which one to call saves you time.
- Stories & local character History & Culture The Railroad Arrived in 1872 and Transformed Grayson County When two railroads reached Grayson County in 1872, the region's population and economy expanded rapidly over the next decade.
- Practical Rules & Licenses Grayson County's Farm Economy Centers on Cattle, Wheat, and Nurseries Grayson County is still a farming county. Beef cattle, wheat, and nursery products are among its top farm outputs.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Grayson County Was Created in 1846 from Fannin County Grayson County was established by the Texas legislature in 1846 and named for Peter W. Grayson, an attorney general of the Republic of Texas.
- Stories & local character Rules & Licenses Grayson County Has a History of Oil and Gas Production Oil and gas production has been part of Grayson County's economy. The Railroad Commission of Texas regulates all oil and gas activity in the state.
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