The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Tyler, Texas, USA.
19th century
1846 – Tyler founded as seat of newly created Smith County. 1848 William Bartlett elected mayor. First Baptist Church founded. 1850 Town of Tyler incorporated. Population: 1,024 (estimate). 1851 – Tyler Telegraph newspaper begins publication. 1863 – Camp Ford Confederate-run prisoner of war camp begins operating near town during the American Civil War. 1870 – Bonner and Williams Bank in business. 1871 – Bowdoin Literary Society founded. 1874 – Houston & Great Northern Railroad begins operating. 1877 – Tyler Tap Railroad built. 1882 – "Public school system" organized. 1888 – Tyler Electric Light and Power Co. in operation. 1889 – Temple Beth El (synagogue) built. 1890 – Population: 6,908. 1894 – Texas College founded. 1895
Colored Methodist Episcopal church established. 1898 Daily Courier newspaper in publication. Texas Federation of Women's Literary Clubs conference held in Tyler. 1900 – Population: 8,069.
20th century
1904 – Carnegie Public Library of Tyler opens. 1907 – City of Tyler incorporated. 1909 – Smith County Courthouse built. 1910 – Population: 10,400. 1915 – "Manager-commission form of government" adopted. 1916 – East Texas Fair begins. 1918 – Chamber of Commerce incorporated. 1926 – Tyler Junior College founded. 1929 – Tyler Morning Telegraph newspaper begins publication. 1930 East Texas Oil Field discovered in vicinity of Tyler; oil boom begins. Liberty Theatre in business. Population: 17,113. 1931 – KGKB radio begins broadcasting. 1933 – Texas Rose Festival begins. 1935 – Bergfeld Park amphitheater built. 1936 – Tyler Symphony Orchestra established. 1938 – Tyler City Hall built. 1940 – Tyler Theater built (approximate date). 1943 – U.S. military Camp Fannin begins operating near city during World War II. 1950 – Population: 38,968. 1952 – Tyler Municipal Rose Garden opens. 1953 – Caldwell Zoo established. 1954 Smith County Courthouse rebuilt. KLTV (television) begins broadcasting. 1955 – Green Acres Baptist Church (later megachurch) established. 1959 – Smith County Historical Society founded. 1971 – University of Texas at Tyler established. 1975 – Broadway Square Mall in business. 1980 – Population: 70,508. 1986 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler established. 1988 – East Texas Islamic Society founded. 1996 – City website online (approximate date).
21st century
2005 – Louie Gohmert becomes U.S. representative for Texas's 1st congressional district. 2007 – Sky Vue Drive-In cinema in business. 2010 – Population: 96,900. 2011 – Liberty Hall opens. 2014 – Martin Heines becomes mayor. 2016 – Historic preservation city planning begins. 2022 - Robert E. Lee High School and John Tyler High School renamed to Tyler Legacy High School and Tyler High School, respectively
See also List of mayors of Tyler, Texas Smith County history National Register of Historic Places listings in Smith County, Texas
References
Bibliography
<li> <li> <li> <li> <li> <li> Gladys Peters Austin, Along the Century Trail: Early History of Tyler, Texas (Dallas: Avalon Press, 1946). <li> <li> . 1962- (Index) <li> <li> Donald W. Whisenhunt, comp., Chronological History of Smith County (Tyler, Texas: Smith County Historical Society, 1983). <li> <li> <li>
External links
Items related to Tyler, Texas, various dates (via Digital Public Library of America)