Harrison County, Texas
13 local notes for Harrison County — practical, plain-English, and pointed at the official source to confirm. East Texas / Piney Woods.
Money & Taxes
Property Tax Basics
How Property Taxes Work in Harrison County
Two separate offices handle your property taxes in Harrison County — the appraisal district sets your value, and the tax office collects the bill.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead Exemption Can Lower Your Tax Bill
If your home in Harrison County is your main residence, you can apply for a homestead exemption that reduces how much of its value is taxed.
Agricultural Valuation
Ag and Timber Valuation Can Cut Rural Land Taxes
Rural landowners in Harrison County may qualify for a special appraisal based on what the land produces — not what it would sell for — which can greatly reduce property taxes.
Home & Property
Septic / OSSF
Septic Systems in Harrison County Require a Permit
If your Harrison County property has no public sewer, you need a permitted on-site sewage system. You must get a permit before you install or repair one.
Mineral Rights
Mineral Rights and Oil Production in Harrison County
Harrison County has a history of oil and gas production, and in Texas the mineral estate and surface estate are often owned by different people.
Cars & Driving
Outdoors
State Park
Caddo Lake State Park: Fishing, Paddling, and Cabins
Caddo Lake State Park, near Karnack in Harrison County, offers camping, historic cabins, boat rentals, and access to a 26,810-acre lake known for largemouth bass and crappie.
Freshwater Fishing
Fishing Caddo Lake: Species, Rules, and a Mercury Advisory
Caddo Lake offers good fishing for bass, crappie, and catfish, but a health advisory says limit how much largemouth bass you eat because of mercury.
Wildlife Management Area
Caddo Lake WMA: Public Hunting in the Cypress Swamp
The Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area covers 8,124 acres across Harrison and Marion counties. It is open to licensed hunters who have the right permits.
Lake Health
Invasive Plants Threaten Caddo Lake
Caddo Lake faces ongoing threats from invasive aquatic plants — including giant salvinia and water hyacinth — that can block boat access and harm the ecosystem.
History & Culture
County History
How Harrison County Got Its Name and County Seat
Harrison County was created in 1839 by the Republic of Texas and named for Jonas Harrison, a leader in the Texas independence movement.
Civil War History
Railroads and the Civil War Shaped Marshall
Marshall was a major railroad town and a Confederate military center during the Civil War. That history still shapes the town today.
Higher Education
Wiley College: A Historic HBCU in Marshall
Wiley College was founded in Marshall in 1873. It is one of the oldest historically Black colleges west of the Mississippi River.