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Gladewater is a small East Texas city that sits astride the line between Gregg and Upshur counties, in the piney woods of the upper Sabine River basin roughly between the larger cities of Longview and Tyler. It began in the late 19th century as a farming and rail-side settlement, but its defining chapter came in the early 1930s, when the discovery of oil in the East Texas field turned it almost overnight into a boom town. A community of a few hundred people swelled toward 8,000 as workers, derricks, and pump jacks crowded in, and the oil money that followed paid for the schools, streets, and civic buildings that still shape the city today. When the boom subsided, Gladewater reoriented itself. In 1995 the Texas Legislature proclaimed it the "Antique Capital of East Texas," and its compact downtown became a Texas Main Street and National Main Street district, drawing visitors to a concentration of antique shops. Lake Gladewater, completed on Glade Creek in 1954, provides a recreational anchor within the city limits. Residents describe Gladewater as a friendly, unhurried small town with a strong sense of its own history. The oil field remains visible in the working landscape around town, but the community's identity now rests on its historic downtown, its lakeside setting, and its schools. U.S. Highway 80 and U.S. Highway 271 cross the city, with Interstate 20 passing nearby, keeping employment, shopping, and medical care in Longview and Tyler within an easy drive while the city itself holds to a quieter, small-town rhythm. Today Gladewater's roughly 6,100 residents live across both counties, giving the community a split-county civic character shared by few places in the region.

Population 6,141

County Gregg County, Upshur County

Active Listings 149

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Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Gladewater in?

Gladewater straddles the line between Gregg County and Upshur County in East Texas. The city's residents and territory are split between the two counties, with Gladewater Independent School District drawing students from both.

What is Gladewater known for?

Gladewater is known as the Antique Capital of East Texas, a designation proclaimed by the Texas Legislature in 1995. The city's walkable downtown is a Texas Main Street and National Main Street district lined with antique shops, and it grew rapidly as an oil boom town in the 1930s.

What school district serves Gladewater?

Gladewater Independent School District serves the city and surrounding area, with students attending campuses that carry the Gladewater Bears name. The district draws from both Gregg and Upshur counties in East Texas.

Does Gladewater have a lake?

Yes. Lake Gladewater was constructed on Glade Creek in 1954 and sits within the city limits, where it provides fishing, boating, and other outdoor recreation for local residents and visitors alike.

How far is Gladewater from Longview and Tyler?

Gladewater sits between the two larger East Texas cities, with Longview a short drive to the east and Tyler to the southwest. Interstate 20 and U.S. highways keep both within easy commuting distance.

City Guide

About Gladewater

Real Estate & Housing

Gladewater's housing stock reflects its layered history. Early-20th-century homes, many dating to the oil-boom years, sit on the tree-lined streets near downtown, while mid-century ranch and brick homes fill the neighborhoods that grew in the decades after World War II. Newer construction and manufactured homes are common on the city's edges, where lots tend to be larger. Across the Gregg and Upshur county line, the area offers a mix of in-town properties and rural acreage on the outskirts, with housing costs that remain comparatively low for the region.

Neighborhoods

Gladewater's neighborhoods are woven around its historic downtown, where the Main Street antique district and its early commercial buildings form the civic heart. Older residential streets with early-20th-century homes fan out from the center, while newer subdivisions and larger-lot properties spread toward the city's edges and the shoreline of Lake Gladewater. Because the city straddles the Gregg and Upshur county line, its residential areas sit within two different county systems, and rural acreage properties begin just beyond the city limits in all directions.

Lifestyle in Gladewater

The antique trade defines Gladewater's public identity: its walkable downtown is lined with the antique shops that earned the city its state designation, and the district hosts festivals and events through the year. Lake Gladewater adds a quieter, outdoors-oriented side to local life, with fishing and boating close at hand. Friday-night football and school activities carry strong community support, and residents enjoy the contrast of a small-town pace with quick access to the restaurants, shopping, and medical facilities of Longview and Tyler.

Schools & Education

Gladewater Independent School District serves the city and much of the surrounding area, with campuses that carry the Gladewater Bears name. The district draws from both Gregg and Upshur counties, reflecting the city's split-county geography. Neighboring districts serve the communities around Longview and Gilmer, and higher education is within commuting distance at Kilgore College and the University of Texas at Tyler.

Getting Around

Gladewater sits along U.S. Highway 80 and U.S. Highway 271, with Interstate 20 passing just south of the city to connect residents eastward to Longview and westward toward Dallas, while Tyler lies to the southwest. The city's rail heritage remains visible in the lines that first carried its boom-town growth, and regional air service is available at East Texas Regional Airport near Longview.

Parks & Recreation

Lake Gladewater, completed on Glade Creek in 1954, sits within the city and offers fishing and boating close to home. The surrounding piney woods and the nearby Sabine River provide additional hunting, fishing, and outdoor access, and city parks serve neighborhood recreation. The downtown antique district is itself a destination, and Gladewater's calendar includes community festivals and seasonal events centered on Main Street.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

The Market at a Glance

How homes have been selling here over the last 90 days.

home_work New This Week 2

Went Under Contract 0

trending_down Price Reductions 0

payments Median Sale Price $274,500 -15.5%

square_foot Price per Sq Ft $129

schedule Avg Days on Market 39

sell Homes Sold 4

percent Sale-to-List Ratio 100.0%

inventory_2 Months of Inventory 68.7

Price & Sales History

Market data reflects closed sales over the last 90 days and is provided for informational purposes.

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