Tyler

City and administrative headquarters of Smith County, east Texas, USA; population (2000) 83,700. It lies midway between Dallas, to the west, and Shreveport, Louisiana. Industries include oil, roses, vegetables, furniture, plastics, heating and cooling equipment, prefabricated houses, and ceramics. Tyler is famed for its flower industry. It is one of the world's largest rose producers; municipal gardens show many varieties, and the city hosts an annual Rose Festival and the East Texas Agricultural Fair. It is Home to Texas College (1894), Tyler Junior College (1926), and the University of Texas at Tyler (1971).

Settled in 1840, Tyler provided munitions to the Confederacy during the Civil War, and Camp Ford held up to 6,000 Union prisoners. An agricultural and rail centre when the East Texas Oilfield was discovered in 1930, it became headquarters to many oil companies.