Arp Highlighted Before Smith County Commissioners

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners learned about the community of Arp during Tuesday’s commissioners’ court session. Mayor Terry Lowry, whose father also served as mayor, gave a brief presentation about the history of Arp, which was established in the 1860s. His grandfather, Cleve, was one of the founding fathers of Arp and owned about half of the town. After the nearby community of Omen rejected the railroad coming in, Arp became a railroad community and began to grow. According to Lowery, there are now 22 businesses in Arp, and about 1,000 students attending schools in the Arp School District. Mayor Lower told the commissioners, “We’ve got a good community. The school system, I will admit, is second to none.”

The city and school district began to grow in the early 1900s. In 1931, Guy V. Lewis drilled the first successful well in Arp. The following oil boom grew the town to a population of about 2,500, which dwindled after the start of World War II.

Smith County has 11 cities winthin its boundaries. Other city leaders will be invited to the commissioners court meeting to be recognized and give presentations about their city, as well as provide information about the state of each city and future plans.

In the picture is Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran and Mayor Terry Lowery.