Eli Bib, one of the first European-American settlers, ran a store from his cabin, selling staples, whiskey, persimmon beer, and slabs of ginger cake.

To serve the growing population, commodities began to be brought in from nearby Jefferson.

In 1854, Wortham had bought the ‘’Texas Star’’ press and moved to Sulphur Springs.

In the same year, James Harvey "Cyclone" Davis, a Populist (People's Party) US congressman, founded the ‘’Alliance Vindicator’’; it was published until 1901.

Eventually, all these newspapers were merged into the ‘’Sulphur Springs News-Telegram’’ and the ‘’Hopkins County Echo’’, both of which still operate.

The Sulphur Springs District Conference High School began in 1877, established on Bright Star University land on College Street.

It was later renamed Eastman College and Conservatory of Music and Art under a new charter and after the leading professor.

During the Civil War, the town had lost its charter and had to be incorporated again by the state legislature.

In 1868, federal troops moved into Sulphur Springs and occupied the city for two years during Reconstruction, in an effort to protect freedmen after emancipation.

Settlers were drawn by tales of the healing powers of the city’s sulfur baths.

The St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas Railroad (Cotton Belt) was built through Sulphur Springs in 1887 on its way to Commerce and Sherman.

The next year, the line was completed to Fort Worth, connecting the city to a major market.

In 1891, the bankrupt railroad was sold to Jay Gould interests and renamed the St. Louis Southwestern Railway.

Large industries in the area today include Pinnacle, Ocean Spray, Grocery Supply, Jeld-Wen, Clayton Home Mfg., Flowserve, and others.

For several months in 2012, Hopkins County enjoyed a very low unemployment rate of around 4.5% and over 500 jobs were added.

[citation needed] Sulphur Springs is at the center of Hopkins County, roughly halfway between Dallas and Texarkana.

Texas State Highway 154 runs through the center of Sulphur Springs as Gilmer Street and Church Street, leading north 21 miles (34 km) to Cooper and south 27 miles (43 km) to Quitman.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,941 people, 6,054 households, and 3,906 families residing in the city.

Texas A&M University–Commerce, a major university of over 12,000 students, has a campus in Commerce, 20 miles (32 km) west of Sulphur Springs.

Northeast Texas Connector, based in Sulphur Springs, also provides rail access to the town and interchanges with Union Pacific and CPKC.