JACKSONVILLE TEXAS
Get to know Jacksonville
A new-comer's guide to the best places to visit, eat, and shop.
The Tomato Capital of the World!
A quick drive through town, you're going to see a lot of tomatoes. Concrete ones. Some painted in an eclectic array of colors. Why? Jacksonville grows some good tomatoes. In fact, the tomato industry was so robust that in 1934 Time Magazine covered the first Tomato Festival to promote the tomato industry in this small East Texas town. However, if you come to town looking for some of these world famous tomatoes, the plants that is, be prepared. Unlike Tyler where you can find roses for sale in every nursery, Jacksonville tomato plants are a different beast. It's not the plant that makes them famous. It's the soil.
Home of the World's Largest Bowl of Salsa
In June 2010, during the 25th Annual Jacksonville Tomato Fest, 20 volunteer choppers and Bob Blumer, host of Food Network Canada’s Glutton for Punishment, made a 2,672-pound bowl of salsa - setting the new world record for the Largest bowl of salsa.
There's More to Jacksonville
The city of Jacksonville may have a lot to offer, but the countryside surrounding it boasts a wide variety of terrain. Hills, trees, pasture and don't forget the lake. Some of the most beautiful countryside can be seen along our highways and back roads. FM 2138, FM 347 and Highway 84 are some of the best well paved, hilly and winding roads with a view perfect for motorcycle trips and Sunday driving.