Emerald Bay: A Hidden Gem in Smith County, Texas

Published: February 17, 2005

Updated: September 22, 2023

Emerald Bay is a community located off Farm Road 344 about fifteen miles southwest of Tyler in the southwestern corner of Smith County. Emerald Bay began as a lakeshore residential development sometime in the 1970s after the completion of Lake Palestine. No businesses operated in the area, but the community, situated west of Farm Road 344 on a peninsula jutting into Saline Bay, had a golf course and other recreational amenities. In 2000 the population was 616.

Places:

Communities

The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry.

Laurie E. Jasinski, “Emerald Bay, TX,” Handbook of Texas Online, accessed May 19, 2026, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/emerald-bay-tx.

TID: HLE36

Original Publication Date:: February 17, 2005
Most Recent Revision Date:: September 22, 2023

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Place

Emerald Bay

Currently Exists

Yes

Place Type

Town

USGS ID

2586927

Town Fields

Has post office: No
Is Incorporated: No

Belongs to

Smith County

Coordinates

Latitude: 32.16004970°
Longitude: -95.43799800°

Population Counts

People	Year
1,047	2010
1,069	2019
1,146	2020
1,292	2021

Commemorating 250 years of American independence through the stories, people, and places that shaped Texas and the nation.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, Texans have a unique opportunity to reflect on the state’s role in the American story. Through exhibitions, programs, educational initiatives, and community events across Texas, Texas America250 encourages celebration, reflection, and commemoration at both local and statewide levels. At the Texas State Historical Association, we are proud to support this important moment through our mission-driven work in history education and public engagement, including Texas History Day, and we invite students, educators, and communities to explore this milestone in meaningful ways.

“

On July 4, 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the greatest nation in the history of the world. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Long may these ideals live in the heart of every Texan and every American. May God bless all who have defended our freedoms that we enjoy each day. And God bless the United States of America.

Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas

Emerald Bay: A Hidden Gem in Smith County, Texas

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Commemorating 250 years of American independence through the stories, people, and places that shaped Texas and the nation.

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Commemorating 250 years of American independence through the stories, people, and places that shaped Texas and the nation.

Commemorating 250 years of American independence through the stories, people, and places that shaped Texas and the nation.

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