Tyler

Tyler, city (1990 pop. 75,450), seat of Smith co., E Tex.; inc. 1850. In the heart of the rich East Texas oil field, Tyler has refineries and other oil-based industries. The administrative headquarters of various oil companies are there, and the city has diverse manufacturing. Although its once-famous rose-growing industry has greatly declined, it still features a huge municipal rose garden and an annual fall rose festival. Tyler is the seat of a Univ. of Texas campus and Texas College. In the city, which has a symphony orchestra and a civic theater, are a museum of art and a planetarium. Nearby are a number of small lakes as well as a state park.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.