Timeline of Tyler, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[1][2]
- 1848
- 1850
- 1851 – Tyler Telegraph newspaper begins publication.[6]
- 1863 – Camp Ford Confederate-run prisoner of war camp begins operating near town during the American Civil War.[7]
- 1870 – Bonner and Williams Bank in business.[7]
- 1871 – Bowdoin Literary Society founded.[8]
- 1874 – Houston & Great Northern Railroad begins operating.[1]
- 1877 – Tyler Tap Railroad built.[7]
- 1882 – "Public school system" organized.[7]
- 1888 – Tyler Electric Light and Power Co. in operation.[9]
- 1889 – Temple Beth El (synagogue) built.[10]
- 1890 – Population: 6,908.[5][2]
- 1894 – Texas College founded.[7]
- 1895
- Robert Henson Hillard (4 March 1869 – 29 October 1895), accused of raping and murdering 23-year-old Rebecca Bell (née Rebecca Kinsey; 1872–1895), wife of Leonard Bell (1870–1900), was lynched – burned alive for 50 minutes – while 7,000 to 12,000 spectators watched; he was initially identified as Jim King[11]
- Colored Methodist Episcopal church established.[2]
- 1898
- Daily Courier newspaper in publication.[6]
- Texas Federation of Women's Literary Clubs conference held in Tyler.[12]
- 1900 – Population: 8,069.[2]
20th century
- 1904 – Carnegie Public Library of Tyler opens.[13]
- 1907 – City of Tyler incorporated.[1][2]
- 1909 – Smith County Courthouse built.[7]
- 1910 – Population: 10,400.[5][2]
- 1915 – "Manager-commission form of government" adopted.[7]
- 1916 – East Texas Fair begins.[1]
- 1918 – Chamber of Commerce incorporated.[9]
- 1926 – Tyler Junior College founded.[1]
- 1929 – Tyler Morning Telegraph newspaper begins publication.[14]
- 1930
- East Texas Oil Field discovered in vicinity of Tyler; oil boom begins.[7]
- Liberty Theatre in business.[15]
- Population: 17,113.[5]
- 1931 – KGKB radio begins broadcasting.[16]
- 1933 – Texas Rose Festival begins.[1]
- 1935 – Bergfeld Park amphitheater built.[17]
- 1936 – Tyler Symphony Orchestra established.[18]
- 1938 – Tyler City Hall built.
- 1940 – Tyler Theater built (approximate date).[15]
- 1943 – U.S. military Camp Fannin begins operating near city during World War II.
- 1950 – Population: 38,968.[5]
- 1952 – Tyler Municipal Rose Garden opens.[19]
- 1953 – Caldwell Zoo established.[20]
- 1954
- Smith County Courthouse rebuilt.[1]
- KLTV (television) begins broadcasting.[21]
- 1955 – Green Acres Baptist Church (later megachurch) established.[22][23]
- 1959 – Smith County Historical Society founded.[24]
- 1971 – University of Texas at Tyler established.[1]
- 1975 – Broadway Square Mall in business.
- 1980 – Population: 70,508.[5]
- 1986 – Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler established.[25]
- 1988 – East Texas Islamic Society founded.[26]
- 1996 – City website online (approximate date).[27][28]
21st century
- 2005 – Louie Gohmert becomes U.S. representative for Texas's 1st congressional district.[29]
- 2007 – Sky Vue Drive-In cinema in business.[15]
- 2010 – Population: 96,900.[30]
- 2011 – Liberty Hall opens.
- 2014 – Martin Heines becomes mayor.[31]
- 2016 – Historic preservation city planning begins.[32]
- 2022 - Robert E. Lee High School and John Tyler High School renamed to Tyler Legacy High School and Tyler High School, respectively
