The town of Commerce was formed when two merchants named William Jernigan and Josiah Jackson established a trading post and mercantile store where the present-day downtown area is.

The town was established in 1872 and named "Commerce" due to the thriving economic activity among the cotton fields and ideal farm and ranch lands between the Middle and South Sulphur rivers on the rich, black gumbo prairie in northeast Hunt County.

Two years later, a railroad was built through Commerce to transport merchandise from Fort Worth, and nine years later, William L. Mayo, a college educator, moved East Texas Normal College from the northeast Texas town of Cooper to Commerce after the original school in Cooper was destroyed in a fire.

Mayo continued as president of the college, now known as East Texas A&M University, until his death in 1917 and is buried on the campus grounds.

Held every September, the annual Bois d'Arc Bash pays homage to the native trees which played a vital part in the frontier days, providing foundations, fences and weapons of the Native Americans.

The Bash celebrates with arts & crafts vendors, food, parade, kids' game area, pageant, wine, musical entertainment, 5K run, and car & truck show.

Commerce has hot, humid and dry summers, typical of much of Texas, and above average spring temperatures.

During the spring is the strongest part of the storm season as thunderstorms are very common and tornadoes have been known to form in and around the area.

Due to being a rural college town with proximity to Dallas, Commerce has an economy that remained steady for years, with gradual increases with new businesses opening and others being renovated.

Commerce-Norris High School (defunct) won the state championship for basketball in 1964.

The East Texas A&M Lions compete in NCAA Division I FCS and are a member of the Southland Conference.

The East Texas A&M Lions have earned numerous conference titles in nearly every sport that they compete in.

Commerce is served by the Dallas/Fort Worth Television Stations on local cable and also regular programming.

Many school districts from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and the Northeast Texas area visit the museum.

Public transit called "The Connection" serves Commerce and all of Hunt County.

[19] The most notable landmark of the city of Commerce is Samuel H. Whitley Hall, a 12-story building on the East Texas A&M campus.

[20] The building is named in honor of former university president Samuel Whitley, who served from 1924 to 1946.