About Edom


	About Edom

A history of Edom, Texas.

As settlers flowed westward, farms dotted the rolling countryside of East Texas. With the 1855 establishment of a post office a few hundred yards from the present downtown intersection of Farm Roads 314 and 279, Edom was officially a town. The historic Porters’ Bluff-Tyler Trail, a key east-west route, wound its way through Van Zandt County and through the main street of Edom. The town became a major stopover site for lumberjacks, freighters, traders and cattle drives. By the 1860s, its roads were lined with churches and saloons, as well as a wagon factory, sawmill, hotel, leather-goods shop, tannery, school and cemetery. Farming flourished as the community grew and by 1876 a Grange was formed. By 1914, the community had added four general stores and a cotton gin. In 1904, enrollment at Edom schools reached 130. Edom remained an independent school district until 1966, when it consolidated with Van.

The mid to latter twentieth century brought changes to rural areas. As family farms failed, people began seeking work elsewhere. Much of the land which had previously been home to thriving farms was now dedicated to raising cattle or lay dormant. Businesses closed their doors throughout East Texas rural communities. Edom was no exception. In 1971, a group of artists converged on Edom. They purchased several old buildings along the main street of town. Thus, began the Edom Arts Community. Eyed skeptically by locals, the “hippies” won the hearts of the community as they began hosting an arts and crafts fair. This tradition continues today in the Edom Festival of the Arts sponsored by the Edom Area Chamber of Commerce. The old school has been transformed into a community center which houses a community theatre and adjoins ball fields and a playground. The park’s skies are lit up at the annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration. Edom is home to regionally known garden centers, blueberry farms, goat farms, dairies, quaint shops and it boasts more restaurants per capita than any other town in the area. As its motto states, “Edom, A Great Place to Call Home.”