For a number of years prior to 1935, farmers of Upshur county and the
adjoining counties, had turned their attention to the cultivation and
improvement of the sweet potato. The yam, so extensively grown and so
popular in East Texas, was found to be of superior quality. To further
encourage the cultivation of this excellent product, and to further
advertise and popularize the modest East Texas yam, the “East Texas
Yamboree” was inaugurated. It was not to represent Gilmer and Upshur
county only, but all East Texas, hence—“The East Texas Yamboree.”
It seems that the idea of the Yamboree originated with J. A. Brogoitti,
who was acting manager of the Gilmer Chamber of Commerce at that time,
and J. L. Sowell, vocational teacher in the Gilmer high school. They
were assisted by W. D. Seals, who was serving as county agent for Upshur
county at that time, and Miss Lorene Stephens, then county Home
Demonstration agent. The idea was very popular and every public official
and individual citizen assisted when they could. W. C. Barnwell and J.
R. Penn, two outstanding potato raisers of the county, gave their moral
and financial support to the new enterprise.
The East Texas Yamboree was organized in the fall of 1935, with W. C.
Barnwell president, and J. A. Brogoitti, manager. It was a modest
beginning, but it continued to grow until it became quite an extensive
Fair, with a number of other exhibits than the yam. About forty counties
of East Texas took part in the exhibits, and it continued to grow in
interest and popularity, until it became one of the outstanding events
of East Texas. It was also a great social event. The schools and other
enterprises of the county, and of the surrounding towns and counties,
took part in the parades with their brass bands and decorated floats.
Traveling shows and carnivals added their attractions to the occasions.
Fiddlers’ contests, and the old-time square dance, with its called sets
were held on the paved street adjoining the courthouse square, in the
evenings. Crowds gathered from all over the state, until it seemed that
Gilmer could not hold all the people.
Because of the war conditions, the East Texas Yamboree was discontinued
in 1941. It is scheduled to be opened up again, however, in the Fall of
1946, in a celebration of unusual importance, to be known as “The East
Texas Victory Yamboree.”