Why visit Waskom
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 4 parks and trails and 5 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Gators and Friends.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 93°F; January lows average 37°F.
Weather in Waskom
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Waskom
Waskom is a city in the U.S. state of Texas with a 2020 census-tabulated population of 1,910, down from 2,160 residents in 2010. It is located in Harrison County and lies approximately 19 miles (31 km) east of the county seat, Marshall, on U.S. 80 and Interstate 20. Waskom forms part of Greater Marshall, which is also included in the Longview–Marshall combined statistical area in the Ark-La-Tex region. To the east are the cities of Greenwood and Shreveport, Louisiana.
From the Wikipedia article Waskom, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes5
Churches and places of worship6
First Assembly of God Church
Church · Assemblies Of God · 0.6 mi
185 Church Street, Waskom
First United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · 0.7 mi
1305 West Texas Avenue, Waskom
History
The city of Waskom was established in 1850 as Powell Town, presumably for Jonathan S. Powell, who owned a land grant in the area. It was founded as a midway point for an east-west (Dallas to Shreveport) cattle and cotton economic trail to the Red River in Louisiana.
From 1850 to 1872 it had a post office as Powellton. In 1872, it became a main railroad station between Dallas, Texarkana, and Shreveport. The city's named was changed to Waskom Station in 1872 and to Waskom in 1881 after J. M. Waskom, a director of the Southern Pacific Railroad.
In 2014 and 2015, Waskom High School won the 2 state title in football.
In June 2019, the city council voted to outlaw abortion in the city, declaring Waskom a "sanctuary city for the unborn" (the first such city to designate itself as such), as state governments elsewhere in the United States also were drafting abortion bans. There is currently no abortion clinic in the city. The Waskom ordinance has led other small cities in Texas (and, as of April 2021, in Nebraska) to vote in favor of becoming "sanctuary cities for the unborn." In May 2021, Lubbock became the largest Texas city to ban abortion following Waskom.
From the History section of Waskom, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare2
Map of Waskom
29 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 37°F | 4.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Feb | 60°F | 40°F | 4.5 in | 1.0 in |
| Mar | 68°F | 47°F | 5.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 75°F | 54°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 82°F | 63°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 70°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 73°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 73°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 87°F | 66°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 77°F | 55°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 45°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 57°F | 39°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Shreveport Wfo (13 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
Harrison County has had 22 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
Shreveport Regional Airport (SHV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Greenwood 7 mi southeast, about 11 min by car
- Blanchard 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- Shreveport 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- Marshall 17 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Stonewall 21 mi southeast, about 33 min by car
- Bossier City 24 mi east, about 39 min by car
- Benton 24 mi northeast, about 39 min by car
- Jefferson 26 mi northwest, about 42 min by car
- Red Chute 27 mi east, about 44 min by car
- Vivian 28 mi north, about 44 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
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Waskom TX Volunteer Fire Department IMG 0428, Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.