[2] The county is named for Isaac Van Zandt (1813–1847), a member of the Congress of the Republic of Texas.

One story of how the Free State of Van Zandt came to be originates with the county's formation.

[11] The event was seen as a rebellion by the nation, and when word reached General Sheridan, he dispatched a cavalry unit to quell it.

[10] The citizens of Van Zandt called an emergency meeting that ended with the delegates declaring war on the United States.

[11] The wooded landscape at the time made moving difficult for horses,[6] so the citizens of Van Zandt, familiar with the area, were able to ambush the unit, until they retreated.

[6][10] During their celebration, they were surrounded by Sheridan's troops, and were put in anklets and in a rough prison of wooden posts.

[10] A combination of the beginning of the rainy season [10] and a decreasing of the guard to one man [6] allowed the prisoners to easily escape.

[6] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 860 sq mi (2,200 km2), of which 17 square miles (44 km2) (2.0%) are covered by water.

Van Zandt County is referred to as the "Gateway to East Texas" due to its diverse topography.

Local media outlets are: KDFW-TV, KXAS-TV, WFAA-TV, KTVT-TV, KERA-TV, KTXA-TV, KDFI-TV, KDAF-TV, and KFWD-TV.

Other nearby stations that provide coverage for Van Zandt County come from the Tyler/Longview/Jacksonville market and they include: KLTV, KYTX-TV, KFXK-TV, KCEB-TV, and KETK-TV.