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Cherokee County, Texas

68 topographic sheets and 13 fire insurance atlases across 3 places.

Research this county

From the record

4 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Texas within the United States
Cherokee County within Texas

What the record shows

  • 3 places in this county were surveyed for fire insurance: Jacksonville, Alto, Rusk, between 1885 and 1949.
  • 13 fire insurance atlases survive for the county. Topographic coverage is national; fire insurance survey reached only incorporated places with something worth insuring.
  • 747 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 4 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 4 buildings.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 64 populated places in this county; 64 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Photographs

8 photographs, 1939

Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.

Lineup of school buses near Wells, Texas
Lineup of school buses near Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Sawmill and waste lumber pile being burned. Wells, Texas
Sawmill and waste lumber pile being burned. Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Sawmill. Wells, Texas
Sawmill. Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Sawmill and waste lumber pile being burned. Wells, Texas
Sawmill and waste lumber pile being burned. Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Burning pile of sawdust at sawmill at Wells, Texas
Burning pile of sawdust at sawmill at Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Burning pile of sawdust at sawmill at Wells, Texas
Burning pile of sawdust at sawmill at Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Lineup of school buses near Wells, Texas
Lineup of school buses near Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress
Lineup of school buses near Wells, Texas
Lineup of school buses near Wells, Texas
Lee, Russell, 1939. Library of Congress

Places on the National Register

4

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Aber and Haberle Housesbuilding198484001630
Jacksonville Post Officebuilding200403001417
William Walter Newton Housebuilding198282004496
James I. and Myrta Blake Perkins Housebuilding200202000823

Bird's-eye views and land ownership maps

1

Drawn when these were printed as single large sheets: the town seen from the air, and the county divided into its farms with every owner named. Each opens the original at the Library of Congress.

Land ownership map, 1879 - Map of Cherokee County, 1879
Land ownership map (1879) - Map of Cherokee County, 1879. Library of Congress.

Photographs from libraries nationwide

3 shown

Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 3 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.

Office of Ross S. Dorbandt, Boston Public Library - undated
Office of Ross S. Dorbandt. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
Trail'N Trailer Park, Boston Public Library - undated
Trail'N Trailer Park. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.
Cool and comfortable Gran-Dee, Jacksonville, Texas, Boston Public Library - undated
Cool and comfortable Gran-Dee, Jacksonville, Texas. Boston Public Library, via the Digital Public Library of America.

The county from the air

42 shown

Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 1,897 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 42 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.

U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1943-11-29, scale 1:27200
1943-11-29, scale 1:27200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1943-11-29, scale 1:27200
1943-11-29, scale 1:27200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1943-11-29, scale 1:27200
1943-11-29, scale 1:27200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1943-11-29, scale 1:27200
1943-11-29, scale 1:27200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1946-12-21, scale 1:23600
1946-12-21, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1946-12-21, scale 1:23600
1946-12-21, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1946-12-21, scale 1:23600
1946-12-21, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1946-12-21, scale 1:23600
1946-12-21, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-01-22, scale 1:23600
1947-01-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-01-22, scale 1:23600
1947-01-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-01-22, scale 1:23600
1947-01-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1947-01-22, scale 1:23600
1947-01-22, scale 1:23600. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1949-11-03, scale 1:70000
1949-11-03, scale 1:70000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1949-11-03, scale 1:70000
1949-11-03, scale 1:70000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1949-11-03, scale 1:70000
1949-11-03, scale 1:70000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1949-11-03, scale 1:70000
1949-11-03, scale 1:70000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-03, scale 1:69000
1953-01-03, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-03, scale 1:69000
1953-01-03, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-03, scale 1:69000
1953-01-03, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1953-01-03, scale 1:69000
1953-01-03, scale 1:69000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-30, scale 1:76000
1971-03-30, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-30, scale 1:76000
1971-03-30, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-30, scale 1:76000
1971-03-30, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1971-03-30, scale 1:76000
1971-03-30, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-12-22, scale 1:24000
1972-12-22, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-12-22, scale 1:24000
1972-12-22, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-12-22, scale 1:24000
1972-12-22, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1972-12-22, scale 1:24000
1972-12-22, scale 1:24000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-05-01, scale 1:76000
1974-05-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-05-01, scale 1:76000
1974-05-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-05-01, scale 1:76000
1974-05-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1974-05-01, scale 1:76000
1974-05-01, scale 1:76000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-29, scale 1:22000
1976-01-29, scale 1:22000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-29, scale 1:22000
1976-01-29, scale 1:22000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-29, scale 1:22000
1976-01-29, scale 1:22000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1976-01-29, scale 1:22000
1976-01-29, scale 1:22000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1977-12-14, scale 1:80000
1977-12-14, scale 1:80000. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-02-28, scale 1:65500
1980-02-28, scale 1:65500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-02-28, scale 1:65500
1980-02-28, scale 1:65500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-02-28, scale 1:65500
1980-02-28, scale 1:65500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1980-02-28, scale 1:65500
1980-02-28, scale 1:65500. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.
U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph, 1982-03-08, scale 1:64200
1982-03-08, scale 1:64200. U.S. Geological Survey aerial photograph.

Weather records

18 stations, 7 gages

The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.

The 1950 census, district by district

61 districts

Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.

  • 37-1Justice Precinct 1: Rusk town: Rusk town - That part Bounded by U.S. Hwy. 84, Town limits; Town limits; Town limits; U.S. Hwy. 69
  • 37-2Rusk town - That part Bounded by Town limits; U.S. Hwy. 84; 6th; Texas and Northern Railway
  • 37-3Rusk town - That part excluding Rusk State Hospital Bounded by Town; limits Texas and Northern Railway; U. S. Hwy. 84; Town limits
  • 37-4Rusk State Hospital (In Rusk town)
  • 37-5Rusk town - That part Bounded by U.S. Hwy. 84; Texas and Northern Railway, Barron Ave., Crockett, State Hwy. 23; Town limits; Town limits
  • 37-6Rusk town - That part Bounded by 6th; Main Ave.; St. Louis Southwestern Railway; Texas and Northern Railway
  • 37-7Rusk town - That part Bounded by 6th, U.S. Hwy. 84; U.S. Hwy. 69; City limits, St. Louis Southwestern Railway; Main Ave.
  • 37-8Rusk town - That part Bounded by St. Louis Southwestern Railway; Town limits; Town limits; State Hwy. 23, Crockett, Barron Ave.
  • 37-9Justice Precinct 1 - That part northwest of U.S. Hwy. 84 and southeast of State Hwy. 110, outside Rusk town
  • 37-10Justice Precinct 1 - That part west of State Hwy. 110, east of Rusk - Gallatin Rd. and north of State Hwy. 22, outside Rusk town
  • 37-11Justice Precinct 1 - That part south of State Hwy. 22, west of Rusk - Gallatin Rd. and east of U.S. Hwy. 69, outside Rusk town
  • 37-12Justice Precinct 1 - That part west of U.S. Hwy. 69 and north of U.S. Hwy. 84, outside Rusk town
  • 37-13Justice Precinct 1 - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 84 and west of Boxes Creek
  • 37-14Justice Precinct 1 - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 84, west of State Hwy. 23 and east of Boxes Creek, outside Rusk town
  • 37-15Justice Precinct 1 - That part west of the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, east of Boxes Creek and east of State Hwy. 23, outside Rusk town
  • 37-16Justice Precinct 1 - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 84 and east of St. Louis Southwestern Railway, outside Rusk town
  • 37-17Justice Precinct 2: Alto town: Alto town - That part north of The King's Hwy. and San Antonio Rd.
  • 37-18Alto town - That part south of The King's Hwy. and San Antonio Rd.
  • 37-19Justice Precinct 2 - That part north of State Hwy. 21 and east of Linwood - Central High School Rd.
  • 37-20Justice Precinct 2 - That part west of Linwood - Central High School Rd., north of State Hwy. 21 and east of St. Louis Southwestern Railway, outside Alto town
  • 37-21Justice Precinct 2 - That part west of St. Louis Southwestern Railway, outside Alto town
  • 37-22Justice Precinct 2 - That part south of State Hwy. 21 and east of St. Louis Southwestern Railway, outside Alto town
  • 37-23Justice Precinct 3: Jacksonville city: Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by City limits; City limits; International and Great Northern Railroad; N. Ragsdale, Cherokee, N. Jackson, Elberta
  • 37-24Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by City limits; Elberta, Lincoln, N. Bolton; E. Lawrence; St. Louis Southwestern Railway
  • 37-25Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by City limits; St. Louis Southwestern Railway; International and Great Northern Railroad, Texas and New Orleans Railroad; City limits
  • 37-26Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by E. Lawrence, N. Bolton, Lincoln; Elberta, N. Jackson, Cherokee, N. Ragsdale; International and Great Northern Railroad; St. Louis Southwestern Railway
  • 37-27Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by International and Great Northern Railroad; City limits; Fort Worth; Austin, Rusk, Neches
  • 37-28Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by International and Great Northern Railroad; Neches, Rusk, Austin; El Paso, S. Ragsdale; St. Louis Southwestern Railway
  • 37-29Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by International and Great Northern Railroad; St. Louis Southwestern Railway; City limits; Texas and New Orleans Railroad
  • 37-30Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by Texas and New Orleans Railroad; Burleson; City limits
  • 37-31Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by Burleson; College City limits; City limits
  • 37-32Jacksonville city - That part Hounded by Burleson; Texas and New Orleans Railroad; City limits; College
  • 37-33Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by El Paso; Austin, Canada, Austin, Tyler, Marshall, Howard, Beaumont, Howard, City limits; City limits; St. Louis Southwestern Railway, S. Ragsdale
  • 37-34Jacksonville city - That part Bounded by Fort Worth; City limits; Howard, Beaumont, Howard; Marshall, Tyler, Austin, Canada, Austin
  • 37-35Justice Precinct 3 - That part north and east of Jacksonville - Gallatin Rd. and east of International and Great Northern Railroad, outside Jacksonville city
  • 37-36Justice Precinct 3 - That part west of International and Great Northern Railroad and east of St. Louis Southwestern Railway, outside Jacksonville city
  • 37-37Justice Precinct 3 - That part west of St. Louis Southwestern Railway and northeast of the Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Jacksonville city
  • 37-38Justice Precinct 3 - That part southwest of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, north of International and Great Northern Railroad and east of Ironton - Reese Rd., outside Jacksonville city
  • 37-39Justice Precinct 3 - That part south of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, west of Ironton - Reese Rd. and north of International and Great Northern Railroad
  • 37-40Justice Precinct 3 - That part south of International and Great Northern Railroad, west of Tails Creek and northwest of Neches - New Hope Rd.
  • 37-41Justice Precinct 3 - That part south and southeast of Neches - New Hope Rd. and west of Tails Creek
  • 37-42Justice Precinct 3 - That part west of Maydelle - Jacksonville Rd., east of Tails Creek and south of International and Great Northern Railroad, outside Jacksonville city
  • 37-43Justice Precinct 3 - That part west of St. Louis Southwestern Railway and east of Maydelle - Jacksonville Rd., outside Jacksonville city
  • 37-44Justice Precinct 3 - That part southwest of Texas and New Orleans Railroad and east of St. Louis Southwestern Railway
  • 37-45Justice Precinct 3 - That part south and east of Jacksonville - Gallatin Rd. and northeast of Texas and New Orleans Railroad, outside Jacksonville city
  • 37-46Justice Precinct 4: Troup city - That part in Cherokee County, comprising part of Justice Precinct 4 (Remainder of Troup city is in Justice Precinct 3, Smith County)
  • 37-47Justice Precinct 4 - That part north of U.S. Hwy. 79 and east of Salem - Concord - Emmaus Rd.
  • 37-48Justice Precinct 4 - That part west of Salem - Concord - Emmaus Rd., north of an Unnamed road extending from State Hwy. 110 to Emmaus - Concord Rd. and east of State Hwy. 110, outside Troup city
  • 37-49Justice Precinct 4 - That part west of State Hwy. 110 and north of Caney Creek, outside Troup city
  • 37-50Justice Precinct 4 - That part south of Caney Creek, west of State Hwy. 110 and north of U.S. Hwy. 79
  • 37-51Justice Precinct 4 - That part south of Unnamed road extending eastward from State Hwy. 110 to Emmaus - Concord Rd., west of Concord - Emmaus Rd. north of U.S. Hwy. 79 and east of State Hwy. 110
  • 37-52Justice Precinct 4 - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 79 and southeast of Ponta - Lone Star - Emmaus Rd.
  • 37-53Justice Precinct 4 - That part south of U.S. Hwy. 79 and west of Ponta - Lone Star - Emmaus Rd.
  • 37-54Justice Precinct 5: Wells town
  • 37-55Justice Precinct 5 - That part east of U.S. Hwy. 69, outside Wells town
  • 37-56Justice Precinct 5 - That part west of U.S. Hwy. 69 and northeast of St. Louis Southwestern Railway, outside Wells town
  • 37-57Justice Precinct 5 - That part southwest of St. Louis Southwestern Railway, outside Wells town
  • 37-58Justice Precinct 6: Justice Precinct 6 - That part north of Mount Selman - Mixon - Troup Rd. and east of St. Louis Southwestern Railway
  • 37-59Justice Precinct 6 - That part west of St. Louis Southwestern Railway and north of Frankston - Mount Selman Rd.
  • 37-60Justice Precinct 6 - That part south of Frankston - Mount Selman Rd. and west of St. Louis Southwestern Railway
  • 37-61Justice Precinct 6 - That part south of Mount Selman - Mixon - Troup Rd. and east of St. Louis Southwestern Railway

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

3,204 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 3,204 of them, burning about 23,344 acres. 122 started naturally and 117 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning1893
Missing data/not specified/undetermined580
Equipment and vehicle use170
Natural122
Arson/incendiarism117
Power generation/transmission/distribution98
Smoking88
Railroad operations and maintenance43
Misuse of fire by a minor42
Recreation and ceremony40
Fireworks7
Other causes4

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Three of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
30 August 2011Natural2,314 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHENDERSON - 475
11 September 2011Arson/incendiarism1,783 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceDOTSON FIRE
3 April 1996Arson/incendiarism735 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
14 January 2009Debris and open burning275 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceCR 3703 (TARRANT)
28 July 2005Natural265 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceHENDERSON - 140
7 September 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined256 acresTexas A & M Forest Service1218 FIRE
28 July 1998Arson/incendiarism250 acresTexas A & M Forest Servicenot named
4 June 2009Debris and open burning243 acresTexas A & M Forest ServiceGRASS FIRE

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1953 to 2026

60 of 576 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 576 reports for this county, causing 3 deaths, 110 injuries and about $40,636,780 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind250
Hail199
Flash Flood67
Tornado45
Flood11
Lightning4

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
November 1987Tornado (F3)not stated2 killed, 75 hurt, $25,000,000no account filed
April 2019Tornado (EF3)Morrill1 killed, 20 hurt, $10,000,000An EF-3 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 160 mph that originally touched down in Houston County about 9 miles northeast of Crockett crossed the Neches River into Southwest Cherokee County, where it snapped and uprooted thousands of trees along its path. The tornado paralleled Highway 21 before reaching the city of Alto, where it severely damaged or destroyed approximately 20 homes. Included along the damage path southwest of Alto was the Caddo Mounds Sate Historic Site building, which had its roof torn off, nearly all of its exterior walls removed, and was left to only a few interior rooms in the building. Several people were outside running to get inside for safety when the building was destroyed, resulting in one fatality and a number of serious injuries. Multiple cars in the parking lot were thrown 150 yards into trees and across Highway 21. The tornado then went on to lift and destroy a double wide mobile home, throwing it 50 yards. As the tornado continued along Highway 21, its most significant damage was at a single family home and the St. Thomas Chapel which saw their roofs and exterior walls collapsed. Winds were estimated at 150 mph at this point. ||As the tornado neared Alto, it destroyed three homes along Highway 294 and Singletary Street, recording high end EF-3 damage as it wiped the lower level of a two story home off of its foundation and left the top story of the home 20 yards away from the foundation. This damage was reviewed by tornado damage experts from the National Weather Service (NWS) Southern Region Headquarters, NWS Norman, and the Warning Decision Training Division who all agreed it was high end EF-3 damage (with maximum estimated winds near 160 mph) based off how the home walls were separated from the bolts which anchored them to the foundation. Surrounding damage indicators also validated the EF-3 tornado determination. ||The storm then went on to destroy several homes and mobile homes at nearby Alto Elementary School and Alto High School. It also snapped a metal power pole before crossing Highway 69, where it went on to snap and debark several trees in rural Cherokee County north of Alto before crossing FM 343 and into extreme Northwest Nacogdoches County.
September 2012LightningJacksonville4 hurtFour people were taken to the hospital after lightning struck the Fred Douglass Elementary School parking lot in Jacksonville, Texas. Officials said the incident happened around 3:45 p.m. in the school pickup line. The school superintendent said that from what he understands, two teachers were helping students into cars. Another teacher and her daughter were walking to their car to go home. He said he believes lightening probably struck a puddle in the parking lot and electricity was conducted through the water.|The names of the victims have not been released by authorities, but they did confirm two of the victims were white female teachers, between the ages of 30 and 40, helping students into the vehicles. The others were a white teacher in her mid-20s and her five-to-six year old daughter. One of the ladies was holding an umbrella, and it went into her arm and she felt it go through her chest said a captain with the |Jacksonville Fire Department. Three were taken to Mother Frances Hospital Jacksonville and one to East Texas Medical Center Jacksonville. The injuries were said to be minor.
June 1990Thunderstorm Windnot stated4 hurtno account filed
June 1973Tornado (F3)not stated3 hurtno account filed
April 1991Tornado (F3)not stated1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
February 1965Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 2023Thunderstorm WindHenrys Chapel1 hurtA mobile home was rolled over on County Road 4623. A tree was also blown down onto a vehicle on County Road 4619, resulting in an injury to the occupant of the vehicle. Both reports occurred near the Henrys Chapel community.
November 1983Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 2016Tornado (EF2)Morrill$700,000An EF-2 tornado with winds estimated between 105-115 mph touched down along County Road 2807 just east of Farm To Market Road 220 South about 4.5 miles southwest of Alto, and lifted north of County Road 2438 about 3 miles north of Alto. Over 27 homes sustained damage, including two homes that completely lost their roofs. Several outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, and at least two travel trailers were destroyed. The total path length was 7.3 miles.
April 2019Tornado (EF2)Alto$600,000The same storm that produced an EF-2 tornado over Southern Cherokee County about 6 miles south southwest of Alto produced another EF-2 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 120 mph across the southern and western sections of the city of Alto, where it damaged structures along Highway 21, Blaton Street, and Putnam Avenue. Damage included shifting a single family home off of its foundation and significant roof damage to another home on Quincy Avenue. Several other homes sustained structural damage as the tornado tracked across the west side of Alto and then crossed Highway 69. The tornado then moved across the Alto Independent School District (ISD) and damaged its gymnasium and roofs to structures on the campus. It was near the Alto ISD where a second stronger tornado crossed paths with this tornado as it tore through the western and northern sections of Alto just over an hour later.
October 1993Tornado (F1)Neches to$500,000A tornado touched down at Neches, and then moved northeast for approximately five miles in Anderson County before reaching the Cherokee County line. Trailers were destroyed, mobile homes damaged, windows in a house were broken, and trees were blown down. The tornado moved into western Cherokee County at seven miles south of Cuney, and remained on the ground for approximately two miles before lifting at miles west of Jacksonville. In Cherokee County, mobile homes were damaged, and trees and power lines were down, causing several roads to be closed.
April 2015Tornado (EF2)Mixon$300,000AN EF-2 tornado first touched down 3.5 miles northeast of Mount Selman, Texas near Hwy. 177 and traveled a path length of 1.77 miles before lifting just north of Hwy. 135 or approximately 5.25 miles northeast of Mount Selman, Texas. The tornado uprooted trees along its path. The Mixon Community was hit the hardest with several homes receiving moderate to severe damage in the Gatewood Estates area of Mixon. One home was completely destroyed.
July 1996LightningRusk$300,000no account filed
September 2022LightningBullard$250,000Lightning struck a home on FM 2493 in Bullard, setting the house on fire. Unfortunately, the home was destroyed from the fire.
April 2019Tornado (EF2)Morrill$250,000An EF-2 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 120 mph touched down in a rural field approximately 2 miles north of the Neches River. It initially snapped several hundred hardwood and softwood trees at their trunks before destroying two single wide mobile homes and ripping the roof off of a single family home at the end of FM 220 near County Road 2806. There, winds were estimated to be at their strongest at approximately 120 mph. The tornado also tossed several antique vehicles near the home and then went on to snap another 20 trees before lifting along FM 220.
July 2007Flash FloodJacksonville$250,000Hwy. 79 was closed near Jacksonville, Texas due to high water. Nearly 20 homes suffered flood damage when Lake Jacksonville rose two feet above normal. The lake had to be closed as several secondary roadways leading into and around the lake were flooded.
April 1991Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
November 2025Tornado (EF1)Tucula$200,000An EF-1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 100 mph touched down just east of Highway 135 three miles northeast of Downtown Jacksonville, and three miles southwest of the Tecula community near its intersection with County Road 4212. Here, the tornado was at its strongest, where it destroyed a large barn next to a residential home. Metal roofing was thrown several hundred yards to the northeast while also puncturing a large tree trunk, and nearby trees were snapped and power lines were downed. Along County Road 4212, a carport was thrown on top of a garage and a neighboring manufactured home had its back porch blown off and thrown into the yard. Farther east along County Road 4212, numerous trees were uprooted and large branches were snapped. As County Road 4212 merged into County Road 4213, another barn was destroyed, and the roof of a carport was blown onto the driveway of a residence. Further north along County Road 4213, multiple large trees were uprooted and large branches were snapped. A nearby manufactured home also displayed significant roof damage, before the tornado lifted within a field near the railroad tracks that run north back to Highway 135.
December 2017Tornado (EF2)Circle$120,000An EF-2 tornado with maximum estimated winds near 115 mph touched down along County Road 1857 southwest of Rusk, where it snapped numerous trees and bent a power pole about 45-50 degrees above the ground. One home on County Road 2210 had its roof ripped off. The tornado crossed County Road 2211 where it snapped the tops of several trees, before it tracked across an open field before crossing FM 23. Numerous trees were either snapped or uprooted along FM 23, with portions of a metal roof and shingles beneath it ripped off of a home and thrown into a open field behind the home. A nearby metal outbuilding was also lofted and destroyed. The tornado continued northeast across FM 752 an intensified where it snapped additional trees and broke/bent 5 concrete poles and cracked an additional 2 poles. The tornado lifted shortly thereafter just east of FM 752 south of the city of Rusk.
January 2020Tornado (EF1)North Rusk$105,000An EF-1 tornado, with estimated maximum winds near 105 mph, touched down on a farm off of County Road 1619, uprooting several trees. It also broke windows and partially damaged the roof of a home before it destroyed a shed and damaged the roofs of two more homes. The tornado crossed Highway 69 and continued to uproot trees and damage the roofs of two homes before lifting along County Road 1501.
April 2011Tornado (EF1)Forest$100,000A high end EF1 tornado began in extreme southeast Cherokee County, Texas just north of the Neches River where it caused roof damage to a home along CR 2829 and blew down several trees. The tornado continued east southeast into Angelina County where it snapped or uprooted dozens of trees and blew down powerlines along FM 1819 around the CR 13 intersection. Several homes in this area also suffered roof damage and a few outbuildings were destroyed. The tornado crossed Choppin Road near Winter Lane where dozens of more trees were snapped or uprooted and additional homes and out buildings suffered damage. Turning more northeast, the tornado continued blowing down numerous trees as it moved over Cheeseland Road and Shirley Lane. The tornado lifted on the west side of Pollock just before crossing Hwy. 69. Winds were estimated near 110 mph.
May 2009Thunderstorm WindAtoy$100,000Several trees were snapped and uprooted. Minor damage was observed to a the roofs of a few homes. Winds were estimated to be near 80 mph.
July 2005LightningRusk$100,000Lightning struck a home and set in on fire along Hwy 84 near Rusk.
March 2021Tornado (EF2)Circle$75,000An EF2 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 120 mph touched down just southwest of Russell Cemetery off of FM 23 south-southwest of the city of Rusk in Cherokee County. The tornado tracked northeast where it crossed Highway 69 with intermittent damage along County Road 1101. The tornado crossed FM 343 and intensified and widened significantly to approximately 500 yards, where several hundred trees were snapped continuously along County Road 1211 and County Road 1209. The tornado then weakened and produced more intermittent damage as it crossed over into extreme Northwest Nacogdoches County just west of the Sacul community.
June 2005Thunderstorm WindBullard$70,000Several trees were downed as well as numerous powerpoles. 2 barns were blown down.
October 2009Thunderstorm WindBullard$60,000Several trees were downed near the Bullard community including trees down on a home with the tree destroying a garage. Fences were also downed with the winds.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$60,000Large trees downed including some across a few automobiles. No injuries reported.
July 2024Tornado (EF1)Alto$50,000An EF-1 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 105 mph touched down along Highway 294 about 1.5 miles west of Alto, where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. A single family home along Highway 294 had its metal roof peeled off, with numerous adjacent trees snapped and uprooted. The tornado then lifted shortly thereafter in an open pasture near CR 2328.
February 2012Thunderstorm WindHenrys Chapel$50,000Two 100 foot tall pine trees fell on a home in Troup, Texas, destroying two of the home's bedrooms.
December 2006Tornado (F0)Jacksonville$50,000The National Weather Service conducted a storm survey in Northwest Cherokee County, Texas. It was concluded that a supercell thunderstorm produced a Tornado approximately 13 miles northwest of the town of Jacksonville, Texas. Several trees were uprooted and snapped off a mid trunk along FM 346. One large tree fell on top of a mobile home in the Shady Brook Mobile Home Community.
October 1994Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$50,000Trees were blown down by high winds. Numerous county roads were closed by fallen trees.
April 1993Thunderstorm WindRusk$50,000Two mobile homes were blown over by thunderstorm winds.
November 1996Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$50,000no account filed
November 2000Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$40,000Wind damage reported to a jail house and numerous trees down.
March 2022Tornado (EF2)Alto$35,000An EF-2 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 125 mph touched down in a field just north of Highway 21 in Southern Cherokee County a couple miles east-northeast of Alto, where it downed large limbs in a convergent pattern. As the tornado crossed Highway 241, it uprooted trees, and damaged two metal outbuildings just off of County Road 2525. The tornado continued to uproot and snap trees in more rural areas unreachable by vehicles, before crossing over into Northwest Nacogdoches County. The damage across Southern Cherokee County was consistent with EF-1 tornado winds up to 100 mph, although the tornado strengthened to an EF-2 shortly after crossing over into Northwest Nacogdoches County.
February 2013Thunderstorm WindForest$30,000Trees and powerlines were downed west of Wells, Texas. These trees damaged a residence and a nearby barn on FM. 1911 and near the intersection with FM. 1247.
June 2016Flash FloodNorth Rusk$25,000Highway 60 was closed in Rusk, Texas. Some businesses reported to have had water in them as well.
March 2008Thunderstorm WindCraft$25,000Along U.S. Hwy. 69, south of Jacksonville, Texas, several trees and a power line sustained damage. Damage also occured at a greenhouse on the west side of U.S. Hwy. 69. NWS survey concluded straight line winds caused this damage.
March 1983Tornado (F0)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1980Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 1961Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
May 2015Thunderstorm WindHume$20,000Several trees were downed southwest of Jacksonville, including a tree on a home along CR 3208 and 3209.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindBullard$20,000A report of a two foot diameter tree fell into a carport in Bullard, Texas. The tree damaged a car in the carport as well.
April 2007Thunderstorm WindRusk$20,000A few trees were downed including one that fell across an 18-Wheeler in Maydelle.
April 2016Tornado (EF1)Reklaw$15,000An EF-1 tornado with estimated winds between 95-105 mph touched down in a wooded area southwest of the Reklaw community, and moved northeast through a cluster of new chicken coops before lifting.
October 2010Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$15,000A metal roof was blown off a house in the community of Cove Springs along CR. 3406 northeast of Jacksonville, Texas.
April 1999Tornado (F2)Maydelle$15,000Abandoned chicken coop collapsed, large oaks (3 feet in diameter) uprooted otherwise minor damage to vehicles and about 10 homes.
January 2020Thunderstorm WindWells$10,000A downburst snapped two cedar trees, partially damaged a small outbuilding, and removed a few shingles from a roof of a single family home along FM 1911 just northeast of County Road 2628.
October 2010Thunderstorm WindHenrys Chapel$10,000A roof was taken off a barn south of Troup, Texas.
July 2007Flash FloodJacksonville$10,000Moderate flooding was reported in the areas surrounding Jacksonville, Texas. Local law enforcement closed some city streets. One vehicle was seen floating down a flooded roadway. Stretches of Hwy 69 and 79 near town were flooded as well.
July 2007Flash FloodRusk$10,000Hwy. 84 near Rusk was closed due to high water. Numerous areas flooded and the Texas State Railroad track between Maydelle and Rusk sustained serious flood damage as an embankment washed out near county road 2108.
April 2000Thunderstorm WindGallatin$10,000Numerous trees down in town including one through the roof a local church.
June 2021Tornado (EF0)Reklaw$5,000An EF-0 tornado with estimated maximum winds near 80 mph briefly touched down at the Ramey Plant Farm. It collapsed the metal lining structure of two greenhouses before breaking several large branches on a mature hardwood tree. The tornado lifted as it crossed Highway 204. At the Reklaw City Hall, intense ear pressure was experienced by one of the city workers as the tornado passed nearby.
April 1997Thunderstorm WindRusk$5,000Numerous reports of trees and powerlines toppled. Some homes and businesses damaged from the fallen trees. A 5-ton air conditioning unit was blown off a school building.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindAlto$5,000A few trees were blown down by high winds.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$5,000Trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$5,000Trees and power lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindAlto$5,000Trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.
May 1994Thunderstorm WindJacksonville$5,000Trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds.

Mines and quarries

22 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 22 workings inside this county. 10 still produce and 12 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Iron10
Ball Clay7
Clay2
Kaolin, Bentonite1
Bentonite1
Silica1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Durham & PolkBentoniteUnknown
Padreco-Alto SandsSilicaUnknown
Troup PitKaolin, BentoniteProducerSedimentary
TroupeClayProducer
Unnamed PitClayProducerSedimentary
A D Green PitBall ClayPast Producer
Henderson Clay Products Pit EastBall ClayProducer
Henderson Clay Products Pit WestBall ClayProducer
Reliance Clay Products PitBall ClayProducer
Reliance Clay Products PitBall ClayPast Producer
Southern Clay Products PitBall ClayPast Producer
W.A. White No.1 & No.2 PitsBall ClayUnknown
Banks and CherokeeIronUnknown
Citizens State BankIronUnknown
Hassell MountainIronUnknown
Hawes TractIronUnknown
Hudson Pit & PlantIronProducer
J. P. AckerIronProducer
Mount HavenIronProducer
Mount SelmanIronProducer
Prior MountainIronUnknown
Rusk DepositsIronPast ProducerGoethite, Hematite

Every populated place in the county

64

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 3 places that were also surveyed for fire insurance come first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.

Recorded here

Jacksonville, Texas

10 topographic sheets and 9 fire insurance atlases, 1885 to 1949

Alto, Texas

10 topographic sheets and 2 fire insurance atlases, 1925 to 1934

Rusk, Texas

11 topographic sheets and 2 fire insurance atlases, 1926 to 1949

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.