Area Code 903

Where Is Area Code 903?

Area code 903 is the area code for a portion of Northeast Texas, which includes Tyler and Longview. Area code 903 is located in the Central Time Zone and covers 32 counties of Texas. Area code 903 was put into effect on November 4, 1990, and was created from a split of area code 214. On February 15, 2003, area code 903 was overlaid with area code 430.

Situated in East Texas, Tyler is the county seat of Smith County and is named for John Tyler, the tenth President of the United States. Tyler is the retail, economic, medical, and educational center of East Texas. Tyler is best known for being one of the leading rose producers in the world, which has earned it the nickname “Rose Capital of America.” Every year millions of roses are grown and an even greater number of rose bushes are processed in the city and shipped across the nation. It is quite obvious that Tyler would be home to the largest rose garden in the United States; the Tyler Rose Garden boasts over 38,000 rose bushes. A hidden gem in the city is the Tyler Azalea Trail, a ten-mile long trail that takes visitors through neighborhoods filled with historic homes and gardens populated with blooming azaleas and other flowers. Drawing thousands of tourists to Tyler every year to celebrate the rose-growing industry is the Texas Rose Festival. Points of interest in the city include the Caldwell Zoo, the Tyler State Park, the Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge, the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum, and the 1859 Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum.

Paris is a city in Northeast Texas and the county seat of Lamar County. Going back in history, settlers arrived in the area in the 1820s. In 1839, George W. Wright moved to the area because he had purchased around 1,000 acres of uninhabited land. Lamar County was organized in 1840 and by the following year, Wright’s general store was named Paris and turned into the local post office. In 1844, Paris became the county seat of Lamar County as a result of Wright offering to donate 50 acres for a town. A number of lynchings took place at the Paris Fairgrounds during the late 19th and early 20th centuries; it was common to see thousands of white spectators applauding as the black victims were tortured and then murdered. Paris had to undergo considerable rebuilding due to three different major fires; the 1916 fire was so extensive that half the city was destroyed. To pay homage to Paris, France, the city built a 65-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower in 1993 and placed a giant red cowboy hat atop the tower in 1998.

Paris was once a major cotton exchange however cotton is no longer a major part of the economy. Much of the economy is centered on the Paris Regional Medical Center, as it serves as the hub of healthcare for both Northeast Texas and Southeast Oklahoma. Kimberly-Clark and Campbell's Soup also play an important role in the economy, as they are among the largest employers in the city. Downtown Paris is a quaint place to visit as it is home to antique shops, boutiques, art galleries, parks, and restaurants. One of the biggest annual events in the city is Tour de Paris, the famous bicycle tour of Paris that boasts over 1,500 cyclists. The biggest tourist attraction in the city is the Eiffel Tower replica, which is the second largest replica in the United States.

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