Settlement of the Lamar County area began in the 1820’s. Lamar County was officially organized in 1841 and named for Mirabeau B. Lamar, President of the Republic of Texas. Lamar County spans some 894 square miles between the Red River to the north and the Sulphur River to the south.
Located in Northeast Texas, the climate is characterized by mild winters and warm, humid summers. Spring and fall are characterized by warm days and cool nights. Mean annual precipitation is 45.32 inches. The growing season averages 228 days. The average date of the last freeze in spring is March 26 and the first freeze in fall, November.
Through the years, Paris, the county seat, has been a railhead, farming center, and a military center. Today, the community stands strong with a diverse industrial base including manufacturing, agriculture, medical, education, tourism, and business and retail activity. Major employers include Campbell’s Soup Company, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Sara Lee Co., Paris Regional Medical Center, and several others.
Major agricultural enterprises in the county include beef cattle (cow/calf & stockers), forages and hay, dairy, soybeans, wheat, corn, grain sorghum and cotton. Estimated gross receipts from agricultural enterprises reach well over $85 million annually.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Mission and Scope
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is a part of the Texas A&M University System. Through field based faculty, Extension provides to citizens unbiased, research-based information, educational programs, and technical assistance in the following core service areas: Agriculture; Community Development; Environmental Stewardship; Individual and Family Capacity; Nutrition, Diet, & Health; Youth Development. Extension values and promotes citizen and community involvement, scientifically-based education, lifelong learning and volunteerism. It provides access to citizens in all 254 counties in Texas.
