Overton, Texas

200px|right|thumb|Overton City Hall

200px|right|thumb|A portion of downtown Overton

200px|right|thumb|The abandoned Overton Theater

200px|right|thumb|The First Baptist Church of Overton

Overton is a city in Rusk and Smith counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Overton lies in two counties as well as two metropolitan areas. The Rusk County portion of the city is part of the Longview Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Smith County portion is part of the Tyler Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The population was 2,275 at the 2020 census.

History

It was known to the Choctaws, Chickasaws, and Creeks who lived in the area as Tiyuk Hekia (Standing Pine); many years later, when it was incorporated, it became known as Overton.

The town was named after Major Frank Overton, an early settler and landowner who donated some of his land for the town site. It was platted in 1873 and a post office was granted that year.

Overton was originally intended to be a crossroads for two railroads. In 1875, the Henderson and Overton Branch Railroad, long, was completed and was later joined by the International-Great Northern. When the nearby communities of Bellview, Jamestown, Rocky Mount, and Salem were all bypassed by the railroad, Overton gained the businesses and people who wanted to benefit from the railroad lines. The town offered lots for businesses to relocate, and many took the offer.

The Masons and Odd Fellows built the first school, and a church was constructed in 1875. By 1888 the population had increased to 500 and had all essential businesses, including a newspaper. Overton prospered as an agricultural community, and in 1904 the population had reached 568.

Oklahoman wildcatter C. M. "Dad" Joiner was drilling his third well in 1930, and the town of Overton helped raise the funds he needed to drill. When the well came in, Overton shared in Joiner's success, as churches, schools, and a refinery were built. Hubbard College was founded during this time as well. The town's once agrarian-based economy suddenly revolved entirely around the production of oil.

Overton's population skyrocketed from 426 in 1931 to 3,000 in 1933. By 1936 it was up to 4,500 and the town went through the Great Depression relatively unscathed. But by the end of World War II the population had declined by half—reaching just 2,000 in the 1950s and remaining at that level through the 1970s. In the 1980s Overton was Rusk County's "second city" with a population of 2,430 in 1983. By the 1990s Overton extended into neighboring Smith County.

Overton has a historical voting base consisting primarily of older, Republican-leaning voters.

"Republic of Texas" secessionist movement

In 2003, the City of Overton became home to the headquarters of only surviving faction of the Texan secessionist group, the Republic of Texas led by Daniel Miller. The group was founded on the belief that the United States never legally annexed the Republic of Texas and that Texas is therefore an independent nation, repudiating the Texas State Government and the federal government of the United States' authority over Texas.

The group was considered controversial by the residents of Overton, especially with the group's checkered past, which includes a week-long hostage situation after the incarceration of two members (leading to one death after the siege) with the hostages being called "prisoners of war". Another event occurred involving the arrest and conviction of two members who planned to assassinate then President, Bill Clinton, and other high-ranking officials. Both events are listen in the group's Terrorist Organization Profile. This led to the group leaving Overton and rebranding as the Texas Nationalist Movement.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.5 km), of which 6.7 square miles (17.4 km) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1 km) (0.59%) is water. Most of the city lies in Rusk County, with a small portion extending into Smith County.

Major highways

20px State Highway 135
20px State Highway 323

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Overton had a population of 2,275. The median age was 37.9 years. 25.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.6 males age 18 and over.

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 884 households in Overton, of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 44.6% were married-couple households, 16.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The 2020 census counted 580 families residing in the city. The Arp Independent School District includes all of Overton in Smith County, and West Rusk ISD includes a small portion of Overton in Rusk County.

Media

Newspaper

Overton Press (Closed in June 2011)
Overton News
Henderson Daily News

Notable people

Jerry L. Buchmeyer, United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas
Robert Lee Howze, major general who received the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars
Michael "Bo" Kelly, is a former American football fullback in the Arena Football League.
Clyde Lee, served as head coach at Overton High School
Earle Bradford Mayfield, was a lawyer and politician who served in both the Texas Senate and United States Senate
Julie V. Philley, president of the University of Texas at Tyler

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Overton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

References

External links

Texas Escapes Online Magazine
USA Cities Online
City of Overton Texas
City-Data.com
Overton in the Handbook of Texas