Jefferson, Texas
Jefferson is a city of 2,131 people in Marion County, Texas, founded in 1841.
Why visit Jefferson
Townapedia lists 53 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Old United States Post Office and Courts Building, Freeman Plantation and Port Jefferson History & Nature Center.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Jefferson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Jefferson
Jefferson is a city and county seat of Marion County, Texas, in Northeast Texas. It had a population of 1,875 as of the 2020 United States census.
From the Wikipedia article Jefferson, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks53
Old United States Post Office and Courts Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Courthouse in Jefferson, Texas, United States
Freeman Plantation
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic place in Jefferson, Marion County, Texas
Jefferson Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Jefferson, Marion County, Texas
Jefferson Ordnance Magazine
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic place in Jefferson, Marion County, Texas
The Grove
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic place in Jefferson, Marion County, Texas
41 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
.jpg){kind=link}
Restaurants and cafes8
Bakery Cafe
Restaurant · Regional · 0.6 mi
201 West Austin Street, Jefferson
Mo-Fr 07:00-14:00; Sa-Su 07:00-17:00
Still Water Inn
Restaurant · French
203 E Broadway St, Jefferson
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich
201 South Walcott Street, Jefferson
Mo-We 08:30-21:30; Th-Fr 08:30-22:00; Sa-Su 09:00-21:30
History
Almost every commercial building and house on the main arterial road in Jefferson has a historic marker.
Early records indicate that Jefferson was founded around 1841 on land ceded from the Caddo Indians. At that time, a log jam more than 100 miles long existed on the Red River north of present Natchitoches, Louisiana. The Indians said that this log jam, known as the Great Red River Raft, had always existed.
The Red River Raft (or Great Raft) acted as a dam on the river and raised the level of Caddo Lake and the Red River several feet. This rise of Caddo Lake and the corresponding rise in the Big Cypress Bayou at Jefferson permitted commercial riverboat travel to Jefferson from ports such as St. Louis and New Orleans via the Mississippi and Red Rivers.
Jefferson was one of the most important ports in Texas between 1845 and 1872. The town reached its peak population just a few years after the Civil War and is reported to have exceeded 30,000. During this time, Jefferson was the sixth-largest town in Texas.
From the History section of Jefferson, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
The Excelsior House Hotel
Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi
211 West Austin Street, Jefferson
Churches and places of worship6
Presbyterian Manse
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Map of Jefferson
86 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 34°F | 4.1 in | 0.5 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 37°F | 4.2 in | 0.7 in |
| Mar | 69°F | 44°F | 4.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 77°F | 52°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 83°F | 61°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 69°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 72°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 2.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 89°F | 64°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 79°F | 52°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 67°F | 42°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 59°F | 35°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Jefferson (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Marion County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-07-09: Hurricane Beryl (Hurricane)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-08-24: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Harrison County Airport (ASL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Marshall 16 mi south, about 25 min by car
- Hallsville 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Vivian 22 mi east, about 36 min by car
- Hughes Springs 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
- Longview 29 mi southwest, about 47 min by car
- Daingerfield 29 mi northwest, about 46 min by car
- Blanchard 29 mi east, about 47 min by car
- Greenwood 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
- Shreveport 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Kilgore 39 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- PostofficeJefferson2, Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Post Office Museum- Jefferson, Texas, Jay Carriker ( User:JCarriker ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Jeffordnance, Mitchel23 at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- Presbyterian Manse, Jefferson, Texas, Harry L. Starnes, Public domain
- Freeman Plantation House, Jefferson, Texas, Clarence Bulger, Public domain
- StilleyYoungHouse1 (1 of 1), Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alice Emmert Home, Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Vernon Dalhart Historical Marker, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Kahn Saloon Historical Marker, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Excelsior House, Jefferson, Texas Historical Marker (7277211840), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
- Historical Marker of Captain William Perry, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Historical Marker-Texas Statesman Charles Allen Culberson, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Marion County Courthouse, Jefferson, Texas Historical Marker (7311057252), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
- Murphy Building Historical Marker, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Jefferson C.S.A., Jefferson, Texas Historical Marker (7304796194), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
- Historical Marker-Jay Gould Railroad Car, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Early Lodge Building, Jefferson, Texas Historical Marker (7274483568), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
- Jefferson Turn Basin, Jefferson, Texas Historical Marker (7264749508), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
- 1897 Howe Truss Train Trestle Historical Marker, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Site of First Ice Factory in Texas, Jefferson, Texas Historical Marker (7174458300), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
- Marion County Roadside Park Historical Marker, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- John M. Vines Texas Historical Marker vicinity (28676969691), QuesterMark from Where the West Begins, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Historical Marker-Site of Home of Captain George T. Todd, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Home of Capt. Charles G. Graham Historical Marker, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Historical Marker of the 1865 Plantation House, HominyGrits007, CC0
- First National Bank of Jefferson, Jefferson, Texas Historical Marker (7321866044), Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.