Why visit Tatum
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 8 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Martin Creek Lake State Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 36°F.
Weather in Tatum
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Tatum
Tatum is a city in Rusk and Panola counties in Texas, United States. Its population was 1,342 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Tatum, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Martin Creek Lake State Park
Park · 3.3 mi
Park in Rusk County, Texas, United States of America
Restaurants and cafes8
La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican
130 S. Hill Street, Tatum
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.5 mi
820 North Hill Street, Tatum
Mo-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr 06:00-23:00; Sa 07:00-23:00; Su 07:00-22:00
Where to stay1
History
Tatum was settled in the 1840s by Albert Tatum and his second wife, Mary C. (Rippetoe) Tatum. In 1848, they built a large plantation there. In 1885, the Santa Fe Railway came through, and the town was divided into individual lots. One of their sons, Paul "Uncle Fox" Tatum, who studied architecture in New York, laid out the streets. He became the postmaster in 1886. The city of Tatum lies along Trammel's Trace, an old trade route; a marker at the south end of town commemorates it. In the city park stands the restored Santa Fe depot.
Albert Tatum was born on August 12, 1810, in Hancock County, Georgia, the son of William Tatum and Alice B. (Dent) Tatum. Albert Tatum first married Rebecca Elizabeth Ann Menefee about 1837 in Chambers County, Alabama. They were the parents of one son, William C. Tatum, who was born on June 25, 1838, in Chambers County, Alabama.
After the death of his first wife on December 31, 1840, in Chambers County, Albert Tatum married Mary C. Rippetoe on September 22, 1841, in Tallapoosa County, Alabama.
At one time, Albert Tatum owned over 4,000 acres (16 km2) of land around the current town of Tatum.
After the town's first bank was established in 1903, things got bad early in the 20th century, as a tornado destroyed part of the town in 1904. The next year, a fire destroyed almost all of the north side of town.
From the History section of Tatum, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries10
Healthcare2
Map of Tatum
34 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 36°F | 4.3 in | 0.2 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 40°F | 4.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 47°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 76°F | 54°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 83°F | 62°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 69°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 72°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 66°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 55°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 67°F | 45°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 59°F | 38°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Longview Wsmo 72247 (8 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
Panola County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-07-09: Hurricane Beryl (Hurricane)
- 2024-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 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)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
East Texas Regional Airport (GGG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Hallsville 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Marshall 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
- Longview 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
- Henderson 20 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Kilgore 21 mi west, about 33 min by car
- New London 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Liberty City 26 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Overton 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Jefferson 32 mi north, about 52 min by car
- Greenwood 34 mi east, about 54 min 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
- Martin Lake Power Plant Tatum Texas 2019, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.