Texas Porch

History / Economy

A WWII military complex in Bowie County is now one of the largest industrial parks in the Americas

The Red River Army Depot and Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant, built on nearly 40,000 acres in Bowie County starting in 1941, shaped the county's growth and now operate in part as TexAmericas Center, a large industrial redevelopment.

Bowie County History & Culture

In 1941, the U.S. Army built two large installations in Bowie County side by side: the Red River Army Depot (RRAD) and the Lone Star Army Ammunition Plant (LSAAP). The depot repaired and stored military vehicles. The ammunition plant made munitions. Together they covered nearly 40,000 acres and changed the county's economy for good.

The Red River Army Depot is still an active military base today. It serves as the Army's Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for ground combat vehicle repair — including Bradley Fighting Vehicles, HMMWVs, and other systems. The Lone Star plant closed after the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.

Starting in 2007, the former Lone Star land was redeveloped under a Master Reuse Plan. It is now TexAmericas Center, a state-sanctioned special-purpose district with industrial and commercial space near New Boston. About 30 companies operate there, employing more than 1,000 people. Learn more at texamericascenter.com or through the Army's official RRAD history.

Source to confirm: U.S. Army: Red River Army Depot — 84th Anniversary

More Bowie County notes

Property tax

Texas raised the school-district homestead exemption to $140,000

Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment in November 2025 that raised the mandatory school-district homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, retroactive to January 1, 2025.

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Property tax

You can protest your property appraisal every year in Bowie County

Texas law gives every property owner the right to challenge their appraisal each year by filing a protest with the Appraisal Review Board before the deadline.

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Agricultural valuation

Timber and farm land can be taxed on productivity value, not market value

Under Texas law, land actively used for farming, ranching, or timber production can qualify for special appraisal — meaning it is taxed based on what it produces, not what it would sell for.

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Property tax

Two separate offices handle appraisal and tax collection in Bowie County

The Bowie Central Appraisal District sets property values, while a separate Tax Assessor-Collector handles billing — knowing which office to call saves confusion.

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