East Texas / Piney Woods
Upshur County, Texas
A porch-side guide to the county: the stories that give it a shape, practical local checks, and a few things worth knowing before they surprise you. Every note points to its source.
4 stories · 7 practical · 2 good to know
The practical part
Upshur County offices and deadlines
Appraisal district & tax office →
The Comptroller's official directory for Upshur 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
Upshur County · Local Tradition
Gilmer's East Texas Yamboree Has Roots in the 1930s
The East Texas Yamboree, a fall festival centered on the sweet potato harvest, was established in Gilmer in 1935 and is one of the county's most recognized annual events.
Upshur County · Economic History
Timber, Cotton, and Oil Shaped Upshur County's Economy
Upshur County's economy moved from cotton and timber in the 1800s to oil after a 1931 discovery that helped the county survive the Great Depression.
Upshur County · Water Supply
Many Rural Properties in Upshur County Rely on Private Wells
Homes outside city limits in Upshur County often use private water wells, which are tracked by the Texas Water Development Board.
All 13 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 13 notes.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Gilmer's East Texas Yamboree Has Roots in the 1930s The East Texas Yamboree, a fall festival centered on the sweet potato harvest, was established in Gilmer in 1935 and is one of the county's most recognized annual events.
- Practical Outdoors Free Public Boat Ramps Serve Lake O' the Pines The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates free public boat ramps at Lake O' the Pines, including the Lone Star ramp open year-round.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Timber, Cotton, and Oil Shaped Upshur County's Economy Upshur County's economy moved from cotton and timber in the 1800s to oil after a 1931 discovery that helped the county survive the Great Depression.
- Practical Outdoors Lake O' the Pines Offers Fishing on Upshur County's Edge Lake O' the Pines is a 19,780-acre reservoir on Big Cypress Creek that touches Upshur County and is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- Good to know Home & Property Check the FEMA Flood Map Before Buying in Upshur County East Texas gets significant rainfall, and low-lying land near creeks and streams in Upshur County can sit in a FEMA-designated flood zone.
- Stories & local character Home & Property Many Rural Properties in Upshur County Rely on Private Wells Homes outside city limits in Upshur County often use private water wells, which are tracked by the Texas Water Development Board.
- Practical Money & Taxes Agricultural Valuation Can Cut Land Tax Bills Significantly Land used for farming, timber, or wildlife management in Upshur County can qualify for a special lower tax value based on what the land produces, not what it would sell for.
- Stories & local character History & Culture Upshur County Was Created in 1846 and Named for a Cabinet Official Texas established Upshur County on April 27, 1846, naming it for Abel Parker Upshur, the U.S. Secretary of State who died in a cannon accident in 1844.
- Practical Money & Taxes Homestead Exemption Lowers Your School Tax Bill Texas law requires school districts to give homeowners a $140,000 exemption on their main home. This can lower the school part of your property tax bill.
- Good to know Outdoors Upshur County Sits on Two Major Drainage Divides The northern part of Upshur County drains toward the Mississippi River, while the southern part drains to the Gulf of Mexico through the Sabine River system.
- Practical Money & Taxes Multiple Taxing Entities Mean Multiple Tax Lines Upshur County property owners may owe taxes to several different groups at once: the county, a school district, a city, and special districts.
- Practical Money & Taxes Where to Handle Property Tax in Upshur County The Upshur Appraisal District in Gilmer sets property values and handles exemption applications for all taxing entities in the county.
- Practical Home & Property Upshur County Has a Long Oil and Gas History Oil was discovered in Upshur County in 1931, and the Railroad Commission of Texas (District 6, based in Henderson) regulates all oil and gas activity here today.
Nearby counties