As a Brit ,I find this fascinating. I've always wanted to have a look at small town America.Youre doing exactly what I've always wanted to do. Good luck to you and thanks!
"Tenaha, Timpson, BoBo and Blair" was the name of an OLD Tex Ritter Song my dear Mother-in-law would sing every time we went to my Husband's Grandmother's house near Timpson. Those were train stops back in the 20's & 30's and how most traveled between small farming towns back then. In 1976, when my husband and I married, we lived with my inlaws out of Shelbyville, in a small community called Huxley. It was just 2 miles from the Huxley Bay Marina on Toledo Bend. He drove a chicken hauling truck as his job at the time. WOW!! Thanks for the Happy Memories this one brought back to me. My husband passed away very unexpectedly 4 years ago.
Oldest Town In Texas, here. Great video. Love driving the rural roads from Nacogdoches to Tyler and Longview. All around East Texas, really. Thank you for all your time and knowledge that you share with others.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Good to hear! Nacogdoches is a beautiful town. It's not far from Center, home to the still-functioning Rio Theatre, conveniently located on the square, and home to a really neat historical courthouse.
@@tastyenchilada Center was so named, because it is in the center of Shelby County. The "square" has had a MAJOR upgrade, be sure to check out older pics of stores around the square, and the old jail, so near what was the original school campus.
Hey Piney Woods neighbor! I lived in Nac for just over 20 years! Worked at Etech for about 10 years and saw the Harlem Globe Trotters at SFA and did Christmas shopping at the Lufkin mall with Rudolph the Red Nosed Pumping Unit lol I miss Nac. Hope you're doing well!
Thank you for visiting our small town. I know it seems like nothing is going on in Overton but we are just getting started. We have started a non profit group called the Overton Heritage Foundation to help revitalize and grow our small community. I think you will see much progress a few years from now. I grew up in Orlando and have come to love east Texas, especially Overton. Can't beat small town country life.
I have done business in Overton over the last 25 or so years. I live about 40 miles north. Ocerton needs a family friendly bar & grill like in Cushing.
During y'alls revitalization efforts, please work to avoid building "stroads" at all costs. My hometown in GA makes similar revitalization claims but all they've managed to do for decades is pack an already overcrowded highway with cheap fast food driving our local wages lower, our youth out of the area, and me out of my mind with traffic congestion. This is a small town that bulldozed most of the original historical architecture in our downtown square to make room for the incredible profit making abilities of....parking lots. 🙄
After spending several years living in central Texas east Texas is by far my favorite part of the state. They actually get rain and have green grass and trees.
The New London School Memorial is worth checking out. Back in the 1930s the New London school exploded, killing over 300. It was due to a gas leak. Odorless natural gas leaked and collected in the basement and ignited, resulting an explosion. Because of this, odors are now required to be put in natural gas and engineers are required to be licensed to make sure leaks can be detected and for better practice in designing public buildings.
@@danawisinger7961 no skip! He just did not know about it. Great big Country with LOTSA stories like this. Not everyone knows about EVERY STORY! Please. Cut Spoda some slack!!!
I was judging a field trial. At lunch my wife and I sit at a picnic table. 2 men sit down with us. One older man was from New London. I asked him if he knew anybody that was in the school when it blew up. He said he did, the other man said the older man was in the school that day. He was one of 6 people still living that was in the school when it blew up. He was interesting to talk to.
My first teaching job was in Tenaha in 1967. I was the senior class sponsor for 12 graduates. This is the first time I’ve seen the town since the night of high school graduation in 1967. Thanks for letting me see it once again.
East Texas is beautiful. We drove through on our way to Florida. East Texas culturally is much more "Old South" than the Central / Western part of the state which is more "Midwestern" in nature. Scenery-wise, East Texas reminded me a lot of the Deep South except the trees were about 8-10 ft. taller.
I was raised and currently live in Schulenburg which is right on the edge of central and south TX and it feels very southern in nature to me. But maybe that’s because I’ve never lived anywhere more east than Houston
Overton always brings back wonderfully warm memories of my youth!In late 40’s early 50s the town was really alive and growing! I was borne in Henderson TX. So it wasn’t a problem visiting friends in Overton. The buildings were full of businesses. East Texas was magical place to grow up.
Miss those big old pine trees , I was born in Lufkin in 1951 and then my parents moved to Tyler and I loved living in east Texas, it's so beautiful ❤️ . I wish I could move back there . P.S. love to all my Doggett relatives are 💖
FYI, there's still a passenger train that runs between Rusk and Palestine. Kind of fun and touristy. I rode it as a child with my parents way back in the '80s. Wow, these videos bring back memories from my childhood. Especially in the Piney Woods region of the state. Nice! Thanks for the content.
Should have mentioned that the Carthage High School football team has won about 10 state titles in the last 15 years and will probably win another one this year. I almost married a girl from Carthage and used to run the fried chicken store there.
Your first stop in Overton, TX triggered something in my mind. I never heard of the town until now even though I live less than two hours away in Plano. Yet Overton rung a bell, and I didn't know why. Then it came to me. It was an episode of Rod Serling's original TV show "The Twilight Zone." The episode was called "Walking Distance." It was about this guy going to the small town he grew up in. He needed relief from the big town job pressures he was enduring and so he wanted to see old time reminders, places and reminiscence of the once easy and simple life. Just before he got to his boyhood hometown he decided to park the car at a distance and walk the rest of the way into the town; hence the title of the episode. When he arrived into town he realized he had walked into the past! His past, at a time when he was about ten! The small town looked like the one you're in except it was alive and without decay. There were soda jerks at the drug store where he had a malt (like they used to make them-the "old fashion" way), and there was a park, and a carnival with a merry-go round! Then he met his father! But this was after he first met his younger self! Confused? Ha, ha! Anyway, the father (his father) gives him some advice; basically he tells him he's better off in his own time and he didn't belong here (the past). "Is it so bad where you come from?" the father asks. Note: I haven't seen the episode in decades so my quote may not be spot on. I still couldn't figure out what the Overton angle was to me when you were walking around. Then the credits rolled. IT HIT! The father in this episode was played by Frank OVERTON. I guess somewhere in my mind I remembered that name and when you went there walking around the old town the scenery, the name and situation and everything came back to the Twilight Zone even though it wasn't obvious to me at first. I guess it was like the town of Carthage ringing in your mind before you remembered "Bernie." Thanx again for the trip.
My wife's daddy was born in Henderson. His daddy was Houston Brookshire, one of the founders of Brookshire Brothers grocery stores. That's an interesting story in itself!
Brookshires stayed in the downtown area in my family's East Texas town. My mom could still drive and shop into her late 80s. Probably wouldn't have been able to if she had to do the highway.
These small downtowns are relics of another time. The modern “downtowns” are the Valero, Wal Mart and chain restaurants. You’re a lucky man to do what you do.
We use to drive from Houston to Texarkana and went through all these little towns on Hey 59. When they built loops around them they started to die. What a shame.
I been a trucker over 40 yrs. I can tell you the best place in this country, the worst, where you want to be and why.Cost of that part of America and anything else you need to know!!!!
I was born in Henderson, moved to Bullard when I was two. The majority of my mom's family is spread out between Lindale and Houston, and mostly concentrated in Tyler. I remember tiny Troup's 7th grade football team having just enough players (12) to take the field. We were told to try not to hurt any of their players, as they'd have to forfeit their season if they lost a player to injury. Lots of celebrities, especially athletes, born in East Texas. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Whitehouse, Coach Lovie Smith from Big Sandy, quarterbacks Josh and Luke McCown from Jacksonville, Larry Centers from Longview, Earl Campbell from Tyler...
I live in Bullard(moved here from League City just over a year ago, have a lot of family in Bullard) and work for the City of Tyler. I love Bullard, the town itself has such a homey feel to it. This past week a game was called off due to injuries to the other team, and Tuesday Bullard has called for all the students to wear the other team's color in support of them. Doesn't get more sportsmanship-ly than that.
All from supporting our towns. If only other folks see what we all accomplished by buying local. Piggly Wiggly gone but brookshire brothers still hanging on.
I love the old buildings and think of how they could be restored and brought back to life. How wonderful it would be if people could appreciate what was once a thing of beauty
Hey Joe, you told about the goal to have a UA-cam video about every small city in the us. You actually helped me whit that. I am from the Netherlands and I will go to Little Rock in February for work. That’s how I found your channel.
Just up the road from Rusk, is a town called Reklaw. It is actually Walker, spelled backwards. Just down the road from there is Sacul. It's actually Lucas, spelled backwards. When the Walker matriarch, Mary Walker, decided to claim the town, she was told she couldn't name it Walker, as there was already a Walker, Texas. She said no problem, we'll just spell it backwards, hence Reklaw. Down the road, in Sacul, same thing. There was already a Lucas,Texas, so the Lucas family decided to name it backwards, following the Walker's lead. Reklaw has a city limits sign that says "Reklaw- Walker spelled backwards! Stop and ask a local about it!" 🤠👌
REO Speedwagon`s drummer lives in East Texas right across the Sabine River from Logansport, La in Joaquin, Tx. We saw him occasionally in the grocery store. I lived in Logansport for over a decade. Horrible place. Dirt cheap drugs and thieves. How I survived it I don`t know. I sold my property for a loss and hitched a ride out after they stole everything I had including my truck. It was that or start hurting people. I remember the terrible feeling of darkness and despair beyond belief when the sun went down there. It hurt worse than anything I`ve ever felt.
One of the reasons I enjoy your videos beside they are well done and you make me feel like I've been there, is the fact you are an admirer of architecture. As I am I like the older buildings and homes. I guess that's why I live in a 130 year old home. Thanks for the great videos. I look forward to them.
Thanks for filming my backyard. I’m a transplant from rural Oklahoma but have lived in East Texas for more than 50 years. All of these locations are home. It’s a wonderful place to rear children. Ya’all come back now.
Your channel popped up in my feed and absolutely love it! I love taking my 81 yo mom on Texas road trips and we’ve been to quite a few. Including some on this video. Nacogdoches has to be my top 5 in East Texas. Thanks again and keep them videos coming. We certainly appreciate them. 👍🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for the kind words, hc, and thank you for watching. BTW, we will be visiting Nacogdoches within the next few months. I've had many requests for that city. :)
And Bigfoot from what I’ve heard, but what would I know I only owned a farm and restaurant and bar in the same Houston national forest several Bigfoot hunters came in for a brew and a pie
Good evening Sir, my respect, what you want to do is a really big target, cause the US is most a rual nation.I will follow you with joy. Greatings from your German fan 👍 🇺🇸 🇩🇪.
Many parts of East Texas Hill Country is absolutely gorgeous! Btw, back in Carthage where you saw Jesus carrying the older man, that inspiration comes from the last line in Footprints In The Sand that reads, He Whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you!”
This region of Texas is called The Piney Woods. Yes there are hills but The Hill Country of Texas is more towards the center of the state. Not a big deal. Not as bad as the opening of one of my favorite TV shows. "Young Sheldon" is set in East Texas but in the opening they show the family with mountains in the background. Totally not East Texas!
I grew up outside of Palestine, Texas which is some 30 miles west of Rusk on US 84. The railroad mural you saw is representing the Texas State Railroad which runs parallel to 84 from Rusk to Palestine. It’s a tourist attraction and you can ride the train either round trip or one way. I’m not sure if it survived the pandemic, but it was a popular draw for both Rusk and Palestine. The town of Maydelle is ten miles west of Rusk, and like most of these little towns, has dwindled to almost nothing. Maydelle had its own school where I attended along with my siblings. Sadly it closed 35 years ago although the buildings remain. The Cherokee Theater was where I saw my first movie at the age of 5 or 6. I believe it was “North To Alaska” which starred John Wayne. I’m glad the building still stands. Thank you for the tour and the chance to relive old times 😊
Hell, we sound like cousins. Old school is a tourist cite and the train , I still take my Mrs at Christmas. Athens, home of the hamburger though Connecticut says they invented it, pfffff, that's like giving them founder of chili too😂, but Athens rodeo is my weekends.
@@bornstandin you realize that the early 90s was 30 years ago right? I have lived all over East Texas and I guarantee there aren't any sun down towns anymore.
I LOVED this video! I love all your videos! It’s so funny, you visited East Texas! My mom is from there! She grew up in Tenaha! We loved going to my grandmother’s house when we were little, mostly in the 70s! I’m very familiar with Rusk, Timpson, BoBo, Blair, Carthage, Henderson! Thanks for this great walk down MEMORY LANE! Spent some of the best Christmas’ here. Love the smell of pine trees to this day!🥰🙏🏽
I'm from Nederland, TX and I have seen many of these places. I love passing through lesser known small towns while on the road. I live in Chicago now, and I miss driving through these areas. I'm having a lot of fun watching your series, thanks!
There was a Dollar General spotted not only in Teneha but also, at the video's very outset, in Overton. A lovely gazebo in Rusk's central park and another one (may have been in Tempsen) with a canvas covered line of folding chairs facing it. Likely there was or shall be an outdoor country concert in the gazebo. In Overton, the Sexton and Coolidge buildings, both built in the early 1930's, as you reported, though separated, had their facades built of the same kind of beautiful tan-colored brick. Lastly, we all applaud your laudable albeit ambitious goal of videoing every landed space of sparsely populated rural America. Wonderful idea! Your loyal followers will stick with you and I expect and hope you'll get many more.
It's unfortunate what Dollar General is doing, they supply more unhealthy food & this seems to be cutting into the amount of money that would be made by a true grocery store, now if they offered the full line of products that the small guy did then it wouldn't be a big deal but Dollar General is kind of a throw away store if you ask me they aren't providing the community anything it didn't already have. When possible I realize this fact and shop at the small guy regardless of the price because if the small guy goes away entirely then the town will have lost the better service. Dollar General is way too small and limited to give people the basic things that they need.
My hometown is Carthage, TX....Just keep on this road & you can't miss it. Most of my folks are from Gary, population 303. We're pretty proud to be from East Texas. Absolutely LOVE your channel. If I'd known you were going to be in the area, I'd have made you a good meal, or 2. Let me know if you come back this way again. And I'm not joking. As a 60 yrs old granny, I just live to feed people. 🙂☺☺🥞🍗🥪 It's a shame you missed the Syrup Festival in Henderson. It's on the 2nd weekend of Nov. Maybe you'll make it one year. I sure wish you had talked about Carthage being the home town of Jim Reeves, Linda Davis, & Randy Ritter instead of Bernie....but alas, we have too much history to document in one little segment. LOL
My grandparents are from "Taneja" the HS football stadium is named after my grandfather. There's a time capsule that's buried in the center of the town. It's kind of interesting, it was buried in 1980, and is scheduled for removal in 2030. That failed gas station used to have a man selling produce out of his pick-up. I used to walk the train tracks that ran up the town across from the HS when visiting family.
What a beautiful statue outside of Carthage. When you said New London was just a wide spot in the road, Sandy Duncan must have been born in the only house there. My fraternity president was born in Tenaha. He said it was a small town, and I never thought I’d see it. It is, and thank you for showing it. Keep up the good work!
In some of these dead and dying towns, while walking around it might be interesting to talk with any locals you see, and ask them about their impressions of the town. Like maybe at the open shop in Overton (at 5:18) or at the barbershop (at 6:03).
These aren't dead and dying towns. They aren't going anywhere. Lol People from Texas acknowledge those towns on almost a daily basis. We drive through them on a daily basis.
Overton has more than that on the end of town lol there are eating places, a grocery store, etc. Henderson also has a strip with a bunch of stores. These videos aren't even showing the popular areas of town. 😂
Ahhh, love this my family live in Carthage, DeBerry, Waskom and Elysian Fields. We have some of the best hunting there sitting on some prime, mostly untouched, land and we LIVE it. The kids STILL spend all summer in these towns mostly DeBerry or Waskom since they're still reactively small (but growing). Sent this to my family in Bethany
Awesome to see you in East Texas. My ancestors have lived in the East Texas region since before Texas was Texas. They fought, bled, and died in the Texas Revolution. Mostly from the Palestine area. My grandpa was an 8 time golden glove boxing champion from Palestine. God Bless and safe travels. Edit: A little fun fact, a band called Whiskey Myers is from the Palestine/East Texas Region. Great music if your into the Southern Rock genre, and, even if your not. But they reference a lot of the East Texas areas in some of their music.
Then you know where Oakwood, Keechi, and Buffalo is. We would drive to Palestine to get the big bill of groceries, go to Penny's and Mc Cory's not spelled right, downtown. Love the Christmas lights and music in downtown. On and to walk by and smell the bake goods at the bakery.
Greetings in the video you went to numerous East Texas towns. In Jacksonville, you might have thought to mention the basket factory here you can purchase the old style weaved "peach / tomato" baskets. We were there and bought a couple of baskets to use as trash cans in the bedrooms. Plus, you were right about the crazy layout of the city. In your travels have you gone to: Manvel, Alvin, Angleton, Danbury, Rosharon?
When I was a little kid I always watched a TV show called on the road the host was Charles Curalt he traveled in an RV or at least they made it appear as such. He did as you are searching the backroads of America for good stories to show the viewers of course he had a fairly good production budget i think so he was able to do in depth interviews of people and places. If you haven’t seen any of his shows you may find them interesting. One of my bucket list items is to go to some places he went to observe the progress since his visits.
Also you were super close to New London Texas where in 1937 a shop teacher turned on a tool ,the tool threw a spark and the whole school blew up "The Day a Generation Died" 🥺 I actually graduated from that school in 2002 there is a neat museum in New London about the explosion. The school explosion is why there is a smell in natural gas today because if the teacher could have smelled that there was a gas leak then nothing would have been turned on. Every year on March 18th there is a ceremony well there use to be, there is a monument in the middle of the little town of New London in honor of all who lost there lives that day. Even Hilter sent a condolence letter to the school offering condolences.
Maybe a bit more notable than Sandy Duncan, though I didn’t know New London was her birthplace. Also, this disaster remains the 3rd worst fatality disaster in the history of the State of Texas.
@@michaelhasten4882 I thought it would have been mentioned but 🤷🏻♀️... Yes it was terrible my Boyfriend's grandfather always had problems after that happened of course he was a young boy when he attended but his story was ;he really liked this girl who sat two seats over from him and the day of the explosion he asked a young lady to switch seats with him so he could be closer to the girl he liked and had he not switched seats that day he would have died instead of the girl who did... He told that story all the way up til he died and a couple of days before he passed away he said he hopes he sees that young lady in heaven to tell her he is very sorry for switching seats with her!!! 🥺🥺
@@haleyoneil9172 that story is in the museum, and I have no doubt he carried guilt with him his entire life. My father in law’s family lived in the area when that happened. Some families lost all of their children that day 😢
I've always thought the Palestine, Rusk and Athens area had beautiful countryside. We would visit our cousins around Alto and Wells. We lived in Newton which is about 15 miles from the Louisiana line.
I’m from Longview, grandpa is from ore city. The best people and the best living there is. Close to Shreveport, and 2 hours from Dallas. Overton has a prison and Henderson has the State prison. There was a movie made from Carthage about the undertaker . And I can just go on. And the food is awesome, and some of the best bass fishing at Lake O The pines.
This is jus AWESOME, I've been wanting to do this exact traveling expoditions, in these small Texas towns but without enogh resources, it's just undoable😭😭 I'm glad your doing this, I love LEE ANN WOMACK, NICE TO SEE, SHE WAS BORN THERE, WOWWW!!! THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH ME 😁☺️👍 MORE PLEASE. 👋👍
Seeing the cats is always great. That must been a wild one or a lost pet. Most of these towns are on or near highway 59. Some neat towns with the busy through traffic.
I lived in Jacksonville in the late 90's right on Lake Jacksonville I felt like I was in heaven walking around the dam and back to my house. It's changed a lot they cut down hardwood trees and added fancier houses...I miss the way it was out at my dark side of the moon cabin.
I had a friend who lived in Tyler Texas. I was down there in 2011 for 10 days and we went to New Orleans and Biloxie Mississippi. It was a nice holiday.
My Mama's side of the family is from East Texas. My great grandparents was born near Jacksonville and my grandpa and his brothers and sisters were born close to Jacksonville in a small community called Larissa which is on highway 175. You can see the houses they and my great grandma grew up in from the highway. At one point back in 2008 my great grandmama was the oldest person alive in Jacksonville and the surrounding area. She passed away at the age of 109 years old. We had her funeral at the big church in Jacksonville, I forgot the name of it. I love East Texas and seeing all the trees and the landscape. I live in the Lubbock area, and we have nothing but cotton farms and a lot of dirt lol
thank you for these videos... i wanted to move to texas, i have family there.. and you have given me alot of information and sad and some beautiful views as well
Overton, like just about the whole of Rusk County was really built off the oil industry during the 30’s and beyond. That was really the hay days there, more so than the railroad. The RR was an important factor in Overtons early life but the oil boom is what put Rusk county on the map. You should have stopped at the museum and moratorium in NewLondon about the school explosion during the 1930’s
TEXAS my favorite State, where I was BIG and famous in Radio broadcast out of Houston in the 90's to 105 Cities Nationwide on the Q-morning Zoo! Hung out with all the Rock Stars, Movie and TV Stars. I've visited EVERY State in America. Charming, Quaint, back-roads of East Texas - sorry you missed the most important City, Nacogdoches, The oldest Town in Texas, College of SFA.-where I got my BA, Nacogdoches, it is mentioned in 2 John Wayne movies as, Big Jake - he says to a bad guy "you must be from Nacogdoches". I did take an old train ride in Rusk back in 85 with a girlfriend, Thanks for the Charming videos, I LOVE old movie theaters too, I managed one with 3 pictures houses built in the 1930's in Wharton Texas, downtown square, where I went to Jr. College, cute town. Now Im in Florida, and I really dont know why - this makes me want to move back to TEXAS!
My dad was raised in Garrison, TX and moved to a bunch of places even after getting married, before finally settling down around New Caney. Both towns are suffering tbh -- while Garrison seems to be yet another of those dead and dying towns, New Caney is quickly being swallowed up by Valley Ranch (the area around the junction of I-69/US 59 and the Grand Parkway)...
I used to drive through Henderson whenever I traveled from Houston to Longview and back for college. They have a great Whataburger at 630 US-79 N that's filled with guitars, surfboards, and has a cool 50's theme!
I've lived in five states but when I got to East Texas I stayed. I have tried to get off the interstate and explore if I have time on a cross country trip. Before GPS I got lost a couple times in rural East Texas and it was rewarding. One thing that always gets my attention is the variety of homes people live in. Drive through my town and you will see nice well kept homes next to overgrown raggedy homes with junk all around. Full disclosure -I live in a what I call an "immobile home". It's a converted railcar wirh junk outside. It's out of public view in the woods by the Sabine River. Being a metal shell it has survived to annual severe storms. Unlike a "mobile home" I doubt that a tornado could budge it but I don't want to find out!😅
as someone that's lived in Jacksonville for years, I completely agree about the downtown. it's a weird area- a mishmash of abandoned buildings from the 1800s, brick buildings from the 1920's that got turned into beauty shops and salons, tacky 70's buildings that got turned into all manner of different stores and offices, and the occasional brand-new building that sticks out like a sore thumb. none of it really fits together, it's all very incoherent and strange-looking (especially when you have the extremely busy, modern and crowded main street going down the middle, with a bunch of uncharacteristically nice franchises like chick-fil-a and starbucks only a few blocks down the road from run-down abandoned churches and run-down auto repair places. part of the reason Jacksonville feels so weird is that there isn't really a "downtown". the area that would normally fulfill that purpose is relatively empty, and nearly all the traffic (be it foot traffic or car traffic) is along highway 69. it's where all the shops, restaurants, grocery stores, outlets, hotels, entertainment and shopping centers are, where all the people usually are. for all intents and purposes, it *is* the downtown. of course, having it all cramped together along one road means it's always clogged up, congested and filled with cars even at 2AM on week nights. if you've ever heard of a "stroad", that is essentially what Jacksonville's downtown is. a super-sized stroad. if you want what is essentially just a better version of the Jacksonville system, go to Palestine. they have it as a loop with spokes rather than a straight line, instantly making it way better for getting around and spreading the psuedo-downtown area out while also making it less hideous.
The East Texas novices need to understand Cherokee County's seat and courthouse are in Rusk, not Jacksonville, which is the reason Jacksonville has no courthouse square to provide a starting point for downtown development. Jacksonville is larger and thrives with a small, historic Bible college, tomatoes, baskets and - the big one - its proximity to Tyler which is exploding in size. I grew up in Palestine and Tyler and love life behind the Pine Curtain.
@@countrysister700 you don't have to have a courthouse square to have a devent downtown area in a mid-sized town like jacksonville also, you just named a bunch of good stuff in jacksonville, but that has nothing to do with what we're actually talking about
@@samwolfenstein5239 just adding my 2 cents so folks new or just visiting here online would be aware - the county seat issue hadn't been mentioned and Jacksonville has a lot going for it. The restaurants on the highway are a sign Jacksonville is growing toward being a "Tyler south" - maybe good for its economy and can get city leadership to help with the "old town" center city issues you've seen.
I was raised in Panola County Tx it is a great place to raise a family or to just live the simple life. I saw the old pet groomers (old shack in Carthage) in the video and it brought back memories. Thanks for the video.
One thing I noticed about all of these Texas small towns is how spread out and spacious they really are! If you have lived in the northeast like I have you would appreciate the spaciousness and the ease of finding a parking space! Whatever "Personality" Jacksonville may lack in its buildings and businesses it sure makes up for it in that high school football stadium! That high school stadium looks fancier and more stylish than all of the college football stadiums that I have ever been to, including the one at the college that I went to! I really love the look and style of that stadium!
We folks pay well for sports programs. Very poor and depression in these towns as interstate 45 created a new way to travel mile marker 1 in Galveston up to Oklahoma.
I've been there. I was lucky to have been with 2 women that lived in East Texas. The one that got away lived in Winnsboro TX. Her name Jessica Leigh Hobbs. Things didn't work out and I met another East Texas girl from Diana TX named Carrie Louise Frey. I never got over Jessica Hobbs and I divorced Carrie but there's something about East Texas that has a piece of my heart. From Jefferson Texas, Van, Hawkins, Diana, Tyler, and good ole Winnsboro. I live in Denton and it's nothing like East Texas. I'm actually from South TX by Padre Island but I felt like home in East Texas. If you ever go to Hawkins or Winnsboro look up Dr Jill Hobbs that's Jessica's mom and she's the best veterinarian in the area.
@@amybobamie7366 Nice to meet you, my name is Ivan and still live here in Denton. I still like East Texas but more for the scenery and the calmness of the outdoors. I don't think much about the past anymore because I want to find new places to seek and new memories before I get too old. Like I mentioned I grew up in South TX by Padre Island and Denton is another place I've known as home. What do you like about Denton?
Well..there are these Americana towns from Maine to California..we had lotsa fun driving around too. You would be wise to visit the local coffee watering holes..and get some local gossip! Your followers would skyrocket.thinking of doing it ourselves in r rv! Have fun!
Found your video because UA-cam suggested it. Loved it. I have been thinking about moving E TX for a while. Your videos contain a lot of great info plus you go around the downtowns. Most youtubers miss that because they only show pictures. Also, you show houses around. Subscribed. Keep up the great work PS. I'm sick with the flu so I'm going to binge on your videos today. 🙂😉
I have lived in E Tex all my life. Thanks for the video. I have never visited many of these towns. I loved it. I’m from more NW of Tyler. I subscribed, and look forward to your next adventure.
I used to run 911 as a Paramedic in Henderson. Lovely town. I lived in Tyler and of all the smaller towns in East TX, Henderson was one of my favorites.
In his book "Bringing Columbia Home" Mike Leinbach (former space shuttle launch director and a key leader in the Colubmia search and recovery effort) couldn't say enough great things about the people of east Texas, the inhabitants of that area you're exploring. I hope to spend some more time there some day.
Hi Lord Spoda A good trip in rural Texas. It's a wonder. As you enter a different state you see a distinctly different architecture. Many of the houses in rural small towns are brightly colored. It's a difficult and hard job filming those odd places. Appreciate your tenacity. Thank you for these informative and entertaining videos.
I think that last town saved all of its personality for it's football stadium. Love the brick enterence way ...seems like a warm and cozy place to spend a fall friday night.
As a Brit ,I find this fascinating. I've always wanted to have a look at small town America.Youre doing exactly what I've always wanted to do. Good luck to you and thanks!
Me too, from the town of "old" London. I'm never going to visit a place like this in real life, so very interesting.
As an American, I’ve always to visit the UK and see castles and all the other beautiful old architecture and structures!
@@rogermoreno1152 You,d be made very Welcome.Go to the Welsh border and Wales itself to see some Awsome castles.plenty here to see,😁👍👍
@@rogermoreno1152 You can always swap guys :D
If your ever in Tx I’ll take you around where I grew up which was needville Tx and Rockdale Tx
"Tenaha, Timpson, BoBo and Blair" was the name of an OLD Tex Ritter Song my dear Mother-in-law would sing every time we went to my Husband's Grandmother's house near Timpson. Those were train stops back in the 20's & 30's and how most traveled between small farming towns back then. In 1976, when my husband and I married, we lived with my inlaws out of Shelbyville, in a small community called Huxley. It was just 2 miles from the Huxley Bay Marina on Toledo Bend. He drove a chicken hauling truck as his job at the time. WOW!! Thanks for the Happy Memories this one brought back to me. My husband passed away very unexpectedly 4 years ago.
Hello Dear
How are you doing today?
I cross every part of Sabine River. Louisiana got us beat on visitors center. Coming back, we got old motels and DPS to greet us home🤣😁
I’m about 12 mi out of Nac, near Woden. Love life in the woods!!!
My husband would sing that too!
Ma’am there is a version Spotify
If you're reading this have a wonderful week!
Same to you!
Only a week? How about forever?
WWG1WGA!!
I'm a month late to this comment does it still apply?
What if I synthesized it?
Oldest Town In Texas, here. Great video. Love driving the rural roads from Nacogdoches to Tyler and Longview. All around East Texas, really. Thank you for all your time and knowledge that you share with others.
Awesome, thank you Jinx. We'll be heading towards Nacogdoches sometime in the next few months.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Good to hear! Nacogdoches is a beautiful town. It's not far from Center, home to the still-functioning Rio Theatre, conveniently located on the square, and home to a really neat historical courthouse.
@@tastyenchilada Center was so named, because it is in the center of Shelby County. The "square" has had a MAJOR upgrade, be sure to check out older pics of stores around the square, and the old jail, so near what was the original school campus.
Hey Texas fam. I'm originally from nacogdoches.
Hey Piney Woods neighbor! I lived in Nac for just over 20 years! Worked at Etech for about 10 years and saw the Harlem Globe Trotters at SFA and did Christmas shopping at the Lufkin mall with Rudolph the Red Nosed Pumping Unit lol I miss Nac. Hope you're doing well!
Thank you for visiting our small town. I know it seems like nothing is going on in Overton but we are just getting started. We have started a non profit group called the Overton Heritage Foundation to help revitalize and grow our small community. I think you will see much progress a few years from now. I grew up in Orlando and have come to love east Texas, especially Overton. Can't beat small town country life.
I talked to a gentlemen there who is on the city council. He said thy e same thing - big plans for the town.
I have done business in Overton over the last 25 or so years. I live about 40 miles north. Ocerton needs a family friendly bar & grill like in Cushing.
During y'alls revitalization efforts, please work to avoid building "stroads" at all costs. My hometown in GA makes similar revitalization claims but all they've managed to do for decades is pack an already overcrowded highway with cheap fast food driving our local wages lower, our youth out of the area, and me out of my mind with traffic congestion. This is a small town that bulldozed most of the original historical architecture in our downtown square to make room for the incredible profit making abilities of....parking lots. 🙄
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip Hope so. People are leaving the overcrowded and crime infested cities.
Im in Orlando, and went to College at SFA, wish I never left East Texas!
After spending several years living in central Texas east Texas is by far my favorite part of the state. They actually get rain and have green grass and trees.
Lots of hail storms. Hurricane warning for Houston. No water workbreaks in TX.
At the moment, it's sprinkling here near Athens. It's been raining for the last 2 days, filling up the lakes.
The theater in Overton was the first movie theater I went to as a child. It was an Art Deco masterpiece!
It is a beauty.
Wow I grew up there and as a kid it was long abandoned, I ALWAYS wanted to go in or for Overton to fix it up.
The New London School Memorial is worth checking out. Back in the 1930s the New London school exploded, killing over 300. It was due to a gas leak. Odorless natural gas leaked and collected in the basement and ignited, resulting an explosion. Because of this, odors are now required to be put in natural gas and engineers are required to be licensed to make sure leaks can be detected and for better practice in designing public buildings.
Yea he skipped right over that.
@@danawisinger7961 no skip! He just did not know about it. Great big Country with LOTSA stories like this. Not everyone knows about EVERY STORY! Please. Cut Spoda some slack!!!
I was judging a field trial. At lunch my wife and I sit at a picnic table. 2 men sit down with us. One older man was from New London. I asked him if he knew anybody that was in the school when it blew up. He said he did, the other man said the older man was in the school that day. He was one of 6 people still living that was in the school when it blew up. He was interesting to talk to.
This is my backyard…great little part of the state.
Overton was built on oil during the Kilgore, East Texas Oil Boom
Greetings from Switzerland. USA is a beautiful country. Love watching your videos. Lovely towns and villages, each with their own character.
Wow, coming from you that says a whole lot. Thank you so much for your comment about Texas.
as a texan thank you, switzerland is absolutely breathtaking
My first teaching job was in Tenaha in 1967. I was the senior class sponsor for 12 graduates. This is the first time I’ve seen the town since the night of high school graduation in 1967. Thanks for letting me see it once again.
Lol..I graduated in 1968 from Bellaire High School (Bellaire/Houston) class with 888 people.
East Texas is beautiful. We drove through on our way to Florida. East Texas culturally is much more "Old South" than the Central / Western part of the state which is more "Midwestern" in nature. Scenery-wise, East Texas reminded me a lot of the Deep South except the trees were about 8-10 ft. taller.
I was raised and currently live in Schulenburg which is right on the edge of central and south TX and it feels very southern in nature to me. But maybe that’s because I’ve never lived anywhere more east than Houston
Central Texas is not "Midwestern" at all.
@@TheKevinNewsomyeah I've lived in San Angelo since the 70s, dude mine as well say we're "more Andromeda Metropolitan Space-port"
Texas isn’t Midwestern. It is a mix of the South and Southwest. East Texas is the South
@@brileyvandyke5792 - i have always said Texas is where the deep south and the wild west come together; slowly but surely...
Overton always brings back wonderfully warm memories of my youth!In late 40’s early 50s the town was really alive and growing! I was borne in Henderson TX. So it wasn’t a problem visiting friends in Overton. The buildings were full of
businesses. East Texas was magical place to grow up.
Miss those big old pine trees , I was born in Lufkin in 1951 and then my parents moved to Tyler and I loved living in east Texas, it's so beautiful ❤️ . I wish I could move back there .
P.S. love to all my Doggett relatives are 💖
I’m going to miss it so much. I plan on moving away when I’m older but there is really nothing like it anywhere else ❤️
FYI, there's still a passenger train that runs between Rusk and Palestine. Kind of fun and touristy. I rode it as a child with my parents way back in the '80s. Wow, these videos bring back memories from my childhood. Especially in the Piney Woods region of the state. Nice! Thanks for the content.
My family rode that train in the 80s too. I still love trains. I seem to live next to the tracks wherever I move.
My family back in Texas while we were a country, 1835. Welcome to my world. Thank You. Timpson High School football is undefeated this year…🎉
As a daingerfieldite I say congrats wish yall the best moving forward!
Should have mentioned that the Carthage High School football team has won about 10 state titles in the last 15 years and will probably win another one this year. I almost married a girl from Carthage and used to run the fried chicken store there.
that’s cool, just found out my ancestors where belgian farmers that had settled in texas but somehow moved more east!
Your first stop in Overton, TX triggered something in my mind. I never heard of the town until now even though I live less than two hours away in Plano. Yet Overton rung a bell, and I didn't know why. Then it came to me. It was an episode of Rod Serling's original TV show "The Twilight Zone." The episode was called "Walking Distance." It was about this guy going to the small town he grew up in. He needed relief from the big town job pressures he was enduring and so he wanted to see old time reminders, places and reminiscence of the once easy and simple life. Just before he got to his boyhood hometown he decided to park the car at a distance and walk the rest of the way into the town; hence the title of the episode. When he arrived into town he realized he had walked into the past! His past, at a time when he was about ten! The small town looked like the one you're in except it was alive and without decay. There were soda jerks at the drug store where he had a malt (like they used to make them-the "old fashion" way), and there was a park, and a carnival with a merry-go round! Then he met his father! But this was after he first met his younger self! Confused? Ha, ha! Anyway, the father (his father) gives him some advice; basically he tells him he's better off in his own time and he didn't belong here (the past). "Is it so bad where you come from?" the father asks. Note: I haven't seen the episode in decades so my quote may not be spot on.
I still couldn't figure out what the Overton angle was to me when you were walking around. Then the credits rolled. IT HIT! The father in this episode was played by Frank OVERTON. I guess somewhere in my mind I remembered that name and when you went there walking around the old town the scenery, the name and situation and everything came back to the Twilight Zone even though it wasn't obvious to me at first. I guess it was like the town of Carthage ringing in your mind before you remembered "Bernie." Thanx again for the trip.
Fascinating. Great comment!
I remember that episode! I love the Twilight zone! I've seen them all. Great comment I enjoyed reading.
WOW...I remember that episode.
Really enjoyed the comment also. Thanks.
Wow that’s effing random.
My wife's daddy was born in Henderson. His daddy was Houston Brookshire, one of the founders of Brookshire Brothers grocery stores. That's an interesting story in itself!
They have a Brookshire brothers here in DeRidder Louisiana
I like Brooks hire stores..but I am in San Antonio..which has none
There’s one 1/2 mile from my house in Lake Charles, LA.
Brookshires stayed in the downtown area in my family's East Texas town. My mom could still drive and shop into her late 80s. Probably wouldn't have been able to if she had to do the highway.
Brookshire Brothers was Good Parteners with Transylvania Pennsylvania Ditzo and Watson American Beef Warehouse
These small downtowns are relics of another time. The modern “downtowns” are the Valero, Wal Mart and chain restaurants. You’re a lucky man to do what you do.
We use to drive from Houston to Texarkana and went through all these little towns on Hey 59. When they built loops around them they started to die. What a shame.
I been a trucker over 40 yrs. I can tell you the best place in this country, the worst, where you want to be and why.Cost of that part of America and anything else you need to know!!!!
I was born in Henderson, moved to Bullard when I was two. The majority of my mom's family is spread out between Lindale and Houston, and mostly concentrated in Tyler.
I remember tiny Troup's 7th grade football team having just enough players (12) to take the field. We were told to try not to hurt any of their players, as they'd have to forfeit their season if they lost a player to injury.
Lots of celebrities, especially athletes, born in East Texas. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Whitehouse, Coach Lovie Smith from Big Sandy, quarterbacks Josh and Luke McCown from Jacksonville, Larry Centers from Longview, Earl Campbell from Tyler...
Don’t forget about Adrian Peterson from Palestine Tx and Dez Bryant from Lukfin
Jeremy lane tyler
Trent Williams Longview
Matt Flynn tyler
Greg ward tyler
This bowser tyler
I live in Bullard(moved here from League City just over a year ago, have a lot of family in Bullard) and work for the City of Tyler. I love Bullard, the town itself has such a homey feel to it. This past week a game was called off due to injuries to the other team, and Tuesday Bullard has called for all the students to wear the other team's color in support of them. Doesn't get more sportsmanship-ly than that.
All from supporting our towns. If only other folks see what we all accomplished by buying local. Piggly Wiggly gone but brookshire brothers still hanging on.
Robert Newhouse - Hallsville/Longview
I love the old buildings and think of how they could be restored and brought back to life. How wonderful it would be if people could appreciate what was once a thing of beauty
Hello Victoria
How are you doing today?
I absolutely love your plan for your channel! What a treasure you’re building! Thank you! 😊
Wow, thank you for that, Jennifer!!
Yes! Someday these videos will be like a priceless time capsule!
Hey Joe, you told about the goal to have a UA-cam video about every small city in the us. You actually helped me whit that. I am from the Netherlands and I will go to Little Rock in February for work. That’s how I found your channel.
Just up the road from Rusk, is a town called Reklaw. It is actually Walker, spelled backwards. Just down the road from there is Sacul. It's actually Lucas, spelled backwards. When the Walker matriarch, Mary Walker, decided to claim the town, she was told she couldn't name it Walker, as there was already a Walker, Texas. She said no problem, we'll just spell it backwards, hence Reklaw. Down the road, in Sacul, same thing. There was already a Lucas,Texas, so the Lucas family decided to name it backwards, following the Walker's lead. Reklaw has a city limits sign that says "Reklaw- Walker spelled backwards! Stop and ask a local about it!" 🤠👌
Cool! Thank you for that info.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip You're most welcome, sir!
My parents had a farm in Reklaw just a few miles from the power plant. Dad passed and mom sold the farm and cattle
I live on a street named Samoht... The developer of the neighborhood was supposedly named "Thomas."
Being from Nacogdoches, we had a lease in Sacul, and I LOVE that part of the country
REO Speedwagon`s drummer lives in East Texas right across the Sabine River from Logansport, La in Joaquin, Tx. We saw him occasionally in the grocery store. I lived in Logansport for over a decade. Horrible place. Dirt cheap drugs and thieves. How I survived it I don`t know. I sold my property for a loss and hitched a ride out after they stole everything I had including my truck. It was that or start hurting people. I remember the terrible feeling of darkness and despair beyond belief when the sun went down there. It hurt worse than anything I`ve ever felt.
Interesting. Thank you for the comment.
Damn, that’s so sad…and scary.
I have a friend who lives up right near Joaquin in the closest thing approaching a town in Shelby County. He hates Logansport too
Sounds like crapifornia these days.
Glad you made it out. Hope you’re thriving where you are now. ✌🏾
One of the reasons I enjoy your videos beside they are well done and you make me feel like I've been there, is the fact you are an admirer of architecture. As I am I like the older buildings and homes. I guess that's why I live in a 130 year old home. Thanks for the great videos. I look forward to them.
Thank you, RR. We are definitely on the same page. :)
Thanks for filming my backyard. I’m a transplant from rural Oklahoma but have lived in East Texas for more than 50 years. All of these locations are home. It’s a wonderful place to rear children. Ya’all come back now.
Your channel popped up in my feed and absolutely love it! I love taking my 81 yo mom on Texas road trips and we’ve been to quite a few. Including some on this video. Nacogdoches has to be my top 5 in East Texas. Thanks again and keep them videos coming. We certainly appreciate them. 👍🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for the kind words, hc, and thank you for watching. BTW, we will be visiting Nacogdoches within the next few months. I've had many requests for that city. :)
Wow God is good. I literally was praying to be able to see different cities in this area to be able to decide on my next move. 🙏 God bless you sir!
East Texas Piney Woods is gorgeous, loaded with wildlife & huge trees!
And Bigfoot from what I’ve heard, but what would I know I only owned a farm and restaurant and bar in the same Houston national forest several Bigfoot hunters came in for a brew and a pie
Good evening Sir, my respect, what you want to do is a really big target, cause the US is most a rual nation.I will follow you with joy. Greatings from your German fan 👍 🇺🇸 🇩🇪.
Thank you, Uwe!
Rusk was my favorite. So much history in all of these towns
Many parts of East Texas Hill Country is absolutely gorgeous!
Btw, back in Carthage where you saw Jesus carrying the older man, that inspiration comes from the last line in Footprints In The Sand that reads,
He Whispered,
“My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you!”
I hope it isn’t on public property or paid for with tax dollars.
This region of Texas is called The Piney Woods. Yes there are hills but The Hill Country of Texas is more towards the center of the state.
Not a big deal. Not as bad as the opening of one of my favorite TV shows. "Young Sheldon" is set in East Texas but in the opening they show the family with mountains in the background. Totally not East Texas!
Love your videos its lovely to see the other side of America , the buildings have no character all of then are like boxes .
I grew up outside of Palestine, Texas which is some 30 miles west of Rusk on US 84. The railroad mural you saw is representing the Texas State Railroad which runs parallel to 84 from Rusk to Palestine. It’s a tourist attraction and you can ride the train either round trip or one way. I’m not sure if it survived the pandemic, but it was a popular draw for both Rusk and Palestine. The town of Maydelle is ten miles west of Rusk, and like most of these little towns, has dwindled to almost nothing. Maydelle had its own school where I attended along with my siblings. Sadly it closed 35 years ago although the buildings remain.
The Cherokee Theater was where I saw my first movie at the age of 5 or 6. I believe it was “North To Alaska” which starred John Wayne. I’m glad the building still stands. Thank you for the tour and the chance to relive old times 😊
I grew up off 84 further West of you. But spent a lot of time near Rusk, Good memories. Take care
Grow up In Tennessee Colony
Hell, we sound like cousins. Old school is a tourist cite and the train , I still take my Mrs at Christmas. Athens, home of the hamburger though Connecticut says they invented it, pfffff, that's like giving them founder of chili too😂, but Athens rodeo is my weekends.
@@joey8567bro I live in Athens tx
@@killshot-dr5jf I'm always at the boathouse restaurant or log cabin corner store for a burger.
I loved this one - never been to rural parts of East Texas and found these places really charming. Saved to my favorites 😊
Awesome, Veruca!
@@bornstandin you realize that the early 90s was 30 years ago right? I have lived all over East Texas and I guarantee there aren't any sun down towns anymore.
What is a sundown town please. I'm from NZ and haven't heard of that term. Thank you
@@sandydouglas3799 black people aren't allowed in that town after the sun goes down
@@JuarezDerrick Thank you for your reply. That's astonishing. Surely not these days?
I LOVED this video! I love all your videos! It’s so funny, you visited East Texas! My mom is from there! She grew up in Tenaha! We loved going to my grandmother’s house when we were little, mostly in the 70s! I’m very familiar with Rusk, Timpson, BoBo, Blair, Carthage, Henderson! Thanks for this great walk down MEMORY LANE! Spent some of the best Christmas’ here. Love the smell of pine trees to this day!🥰🙏🏽
I'm from Nederland, TX and I have seen many of these places. I love passing through lesser known small towns while on the road. I live in Chicago now, and I miss driving through these areas. I'm having a lot of fun watching your series, thanks!
An art deco theater is an aestheticly indestructible thing.
Miss the beautiful pine trees.
I grew up in the Jacksonville rusk and troup area. Its cool to see someone exploring my old home area.
There was a Dollar General spotted not only in Teneha but also, at the video's very outset, in Overton. A lovely gazebo in Rusk's central park and another one (may have been in Tempsen) with a canvas covered line of folding chairs facing it. Likely there was or shall be an outdoor country concert in the gazebo. In Overton, the Sexton and Coolidge buildings, both built in the early 1930's, as you reported, though separated, had their facades built of the same kind of beautiful tan-colored brick. Lastly, we all applaud your laudable albeit ambitious goal of videoing every landed space of sparsely populated rural America. Wonderful idea! Your loyal followers will stick with you and I expect and hope you'll get many more.
Thank you for that, David.
I worked in Tenaha back in 1980, before I moved to Houston.
It's unfortunate what Dollar General is doing, they supply more unhealthy food & this seems to be cutting into the amount of money that would be made by a true grocery store, now if they offered the full line of products that the small guy did then it wouldn't be a big deal but Dollar General is kind of a throw away store if you ask me they aren't providing the community anything it didn't already have. When possible I realize this fact and shop at the small guy regardless of the price because if the small guy goes away entirely then the town will have lost the better service. Dollar General is way too small and limited to give people the basic things that they need.
The Rusk train😎. Especially at Christmas.
Though I wished he'd have walked in one of our German shops. I visit family out in Riverside and cut across through Trinity.
My hometown is Carthage, TX....Just keep on this road & you can't miss it. Most of my folks are from Gary, population 303. We're pretty proud to be from East Texas. Absolutely LOVE your channel. If I'd known you were going to be in the area, I'd have made you a good meal, or 2. Let me know if you come back this way again. And I'm not joking. As a 60 yrs old granny, I just live to feed people. 🙂☺☺🥞🍗🥪 It's a shame you missed the Syrup Festival in Henderson. It's on the 2nd weekend of Nov. Maybe you'll make it one year. I sure wish you had talked about Carthage being the home town of Jim Reeves, Linda Davis, & Randy Ritter instead of Bernie....but alas, we have too much history to document in one little segment. LOL
My grandparents are from "Taneja" the HS football stadium is named after my grandfather. There's a time capsule that's buried in the center of the town. It's kind of interesting, it was buried in 1980, and is scheduled for removal in 2030. That failed gas station used to have a man selling produce out of his pick-up. I used to walk the train tracks that ran up the town across from the HS when visiting family.
I knew your grandfather, I’m from there myself
What a beautiful statue outside of Carthage. When you said New London was just a wide spot in the road, Sandy Duncan must have been born in the only house there. My fraternity president was born in Tenaha. He said it was a small town, and I never thought I’d see it. It is, and thank you for showing it. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for uploading such an illuminating and revealing content 🎉. Love to move texas from UK 🇬🇧
In some of these dead and dying towns, while walking around it might be interesting to talk with any locals you see, and ask them about their impressions of the town. Like maybe at the open shop in Overton (at 5:18) or at the barbershop (at 6:03).
We just started a revitalization process in Overton. It's gonna take a minute.
i hunt near some of htese towns theyll just tell you its always been quiet
would love some street interiews
These aren't dead and dying towns. They aren't going anywhere. Lol People from Texas acknowledge those towns on almost a daily basis. We drive through them on a daily basis.
Overton has more than that on the end of town lol there are eating places, a grocery store, etc.
Henderson also has a strip with a bunch of stores. These videos aren't even showing the popular areas of town. 😂
Ahhh, love this my family live in Carthage, DeBerry, Waskom and Elysian Fields. We have some of the best hunting there sitting on some prime, mostly untouched, land and we LIVE it. The kids STILL spend all summer in these towns mostly DeBerry or Waskom since they're still reactively small (but growing). Sent this to my family in Bethany
I'm somewhat confused as to whether Bethany is a TX town or an LA town. It's literally right on the state line 😜
Awesome to see you in East Texas. My ancestors have lived in the East Texas region since before Texas was Texas. They fought, bled, and died in the Texas Revolution. Mostly from the Palestine area. My grandpa was an 8 time golden glove boxing champion from Palestine. God Bless and safe travels.
Edit: A little fun fact, a band called Whiskey Myers is from the Palestine/East Texas Region. Great music if your into the Southern Rock genre, and, even if your not. But they reference a lot of the East Texas areas in some of their music.
Cool. We will be visiting Palestine soon.
Adrian Peterson is from Palestine too
Then you know where Oakwood, Keechi, and Buffalo is. We would drive to Palestine to get the big bill of groceries, go to Penny's and Mc Cory's not spelled right, downtown. Love the Christmas lights and music in downtown. On and to walk by and smell the bake goods at the bakery.
A couple of Whiskey Meyers members are from Neches, between Jacksonville and Palestine 😁 💕
Greetings in the video you went to numerous East Texas towns. In Jacksonville, you might have thought to mention the basket factory here you can purchase the old style weaved "peach / tomato" baskets. We were there and bought a couple of baskets to use as trash cans in the bedrooms. Plus, you were right about the crazy layout of the city. In your travels have you gone to: Manvel, Alvin, Angleton, Danbury, Rosharon?
When I was a little kid I always watched a TV show called on the road the host was Charles Curalt he traveled in an RV or at least they made it appear as such. He did as you are searching the backroads of America for good stories to show the viewers of course he had a fairly good production budget i think so he was able to do in depth interviews of people and places. If you haven’t seen any of his shows you may find them interesting. One of my bucket list items is to go to some places he went to observe the progress since his visits.
.Lovec his shows.
I understand that when he retired he just sat behind a desk.
He also wrote some very good books about his travels.
Hello friend Greatting from macau 🇲🇴 thank you for sending beautiful vidio ,nice place enjoyed watching here
Also you were super close to New London Texas where in 1937 a shop teacher turned on a tool ,the tool threw a spark and the whole school blew up "The Day a Generation Died" 🥺 I actually graduated from that school in 2002 there is a neat museum in New London about the explosion. The school explosion is why there is a smell in natural gas today because if the teacher could have smelled that there was a gas leak then nothing would have been turned on. Every year on March 18th there is a ceremony well there use to be, there is a monument in the middle of the little town of New London in honor of all who lost there lives that day. Even Hilter sent a condolence letter to the school offering condolences.
Maybe a bit more notable than Sandy Duncan, though I didn’t know New London was her birthplace. Also, this disaster remains the 3rd worst fatality disaster in the history of the State of Texas.
@@michaelhasten4882 I thought it would have been mentioned but 🤷🏻♀️... Yes it was terrible my Boyfriend's grandfather always had problems after that happened of course he was a young boy when he attended but his story was ;he really liked this girl who sat two seats over from him and the day of the explosion he asked a young lady to switch seats with him so he could be closer to the girl he liked and had he not switched seats that day he would have died instead of the girl who did... He told that story all the way up til he died and a couple of days before he passed away he said he hopes he sees that young lady in heaven to tell her he is very sorry for switching seats with her!!! 🥺🥺
My Dad born & raised in Arp, TX. He remembered hearing the explosion.
@@danawisinger7961 I couldn't believe it wasn't mentioned in this video 🤷🏻♀️
@@haleyoneil9172 that story is in the museum, and I have no doubt he carried guilt with him his entire life. My father in law’s family lived in the area when that happened. Some families lost all of their children that day 😢
Thanks for visiting my home ❤️ it’s a little secret Texas gem 💎 area 🤫 LOL . We like to keep it this way too 😉
Your channel is great and helps me try to find a quiet place to retire.
I've always thought the Palestine, Rusk and Athens area had beautiful countryside. We would visit our cousins around Alto and Wells. We lived in Newton which is about 15 miles from the Louisiana line.
I love watching these videos. I suffer from extreme motion sickness so you are doing the driving I dread.
East Texas is awesome, I get lots of construction work out there.
Good job dude keep hitting them little towns I’m from a small town in Indiana !! 👍😊
One of my favorite things to do is go for a car ride to explore new places!
My grandmother lived in Henderson other family still does I grew up going to all those small towns love it there
I’m from Longview, grandpa is from ore city. The best people and the best living there is. Close to Shreveport, and 2 hours from Dallas. Overton has a prison and Henderson has the State prison. There was a movie made from Carthage about the undertaker . And I can just go on. And the food is awesome, and some of the best bass fishing at Lake O The pines.
I'll be visiting Longview soon!
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip the butcher shop and Jucys has the best burgers. And Pizza King is a must . Go Lobos👍
Go to Whitehouse Texas.
Thank you for this video. Always wanted to see those towns. My daughter lives in Tyler.
This is jus AWESOME, I've been wanting to do this exact traveling expoditions, in these small Texas towns but without enogh resources, it's just undoable😭😭 I'm glad your doing this, I love LEE ANN WOMACK, NICE TO SEE, SHE WAS BORN THERE, WOWWW!!! THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH ME 😁☺️👍 MORE PLEASE. 👋👍
No problem, Edsel!
I love all the old towns... I'm one of those that can't leave my town. Just love your video's... Big Al Draper Utah :O)
Love your channel. I love seeing the different homes across the country.
Thank you for the kind words, Elizabeth!
Seeing the cats is always great. That must been a wild one or a lost pet. Most of these towns are on or near highway 59. Some neat towns with the busy through traffic.
Do not feed the wild cats. It may seem like they're saying I'm hungry but they're really saying I need to make babies.
Great commentary, it's all interesting thanks keep up the good work
Thank you, Betty.
Love y’all’s channel. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you!!
My Dad was born and raised in Rusk county I spent a lot of time there as a child visiting relatives in the Henderson area.
So much fun cruising these small towns.
Thanks for taking me along!!
Thank you for the video. I really love rural areas, so much easier to live. Best wishes from upstate NY, stay safe!!
Thank you, Sierra!
I lived in Jacksonville in the late 90's right on Lake Jacksonville I felt like I was in heaven walking around the dam and back to my house. It's changed a lot they cut down hardwood trees and added fancier houses...I miss the way it was out at my dark side of the moon cabin.
I had a friend who lived in Tyler Texas. I was down there in 2011 for 10 days and we went to New Orleans and Biloxie Mississippi. It was a nice holiday.
Cool. Our next video is of Tyler. Great town!
THANK U SO MUCH FOR ALL THE BEAUTIFUL PLACES U TAKE ME TOO THROUGH YOUR SUPER GREAT VIDEOS
My Mama's side of the family is from East Texas. My great grandparents was born near Jacksonville and my grandpa and his brothers and sisters were born close to Jacksonville in a small community called Larissa which is on highway 175. You can see the houses they and my great grandma grew up in from the highway. At one point back in 2008 my great grandmama was the oldest person alive in Jacksonville and the surrounding area. She passed away at the age of 109 years old. We had her funeral at the big church in Jacksonville, I forgot the name of it. I love East Texas and seeing all the trees and the landscape. I live in the Lubbock area, and we have nothing but cotton farms and a lot of dirt lol
Jacksonville has the oldest footbridge in the state
thank you for these videos... i wanted to move to texas, i have family there.. and you have given me alot of information and sad and some beautiful views as well
Overton, like just about the whole of Rusk County was really built off the oil industry during the 30’s and beyond. That was really the hay days there, more so than the railroad. The RR was an important factor in Overtons early life but the oil boom is what put Rusk county on the map.
You should have stopped at the museum and moratorium in NewLondon about the school explosion during the 1930’s
TEXAS my favorite State, where I was BIG and famous in Radio broadcast out of Houston in the 90's to 105 Cities Nationwide on the Q-morning Zoo! Hung out with all the Rock Stars, Movie and TV Stars. I've visited EVERY State in America. Charming, Quaint, back-roads of East Texas - sorry you missed the most important City, Nacogdoches, The oldest Town in Texas, College of SFA.-where I got my BA, Nacogdoches, it is mentioned in 2 John Wayne movies as, Big Jake - he says to a bad guy "you must be from Nacogdoches".
I did take an old train ride in Rusk back in 85 with a girlfriend, Thanks for the Charming videos, I LOVE old movie theaters too, I managed one with 3 pictures houses built in the 1930's in Wharton Texas, downtown square, where I went to Jr. College, cute town. Now Im in Florida, and I really dont know why - this makes me want to move back to TEXAS!
My dad was raised in Garrison, TX and moved to a bunch of places even after getting married, before finally settling down around New Caney. Both towns are suffering tbh -- while Garrison seems to be yet another of those dead and dying towns, New Caney is quickly being swallowed up by Valley Ranch (the area around the junction of I-69/US 59 and the Grand Parkway)...
Hello Camera
How are you doing today?
I used to drive through Henderson whenever I traveled from Houston to Longview and back for college. They have a great Whataburger at 630 US-79 N that's filled with guitars, surfboards, and has a cool 50's theme!
Really good Whataburger
Timpson, Tenaha, Bobo, and Blair are four towns just a little further north that found world fame due to a song during WWII.
I've lived in five states but when I got to East Texas I stayed. I have tried to get off the interstate and explore if I have time on a cross country trip. Before GPS I got lost a couple times in rural East Texas and it was rewarding.
One thing that always gets my attention is the variety of homes people live in. Drive through my town and you will see nice well kept homes next to overgrown raggedy homes with junk all around.
Full disclosure -I live in a what I call an "immobile home". It's a converted railcar wirh junk outside. It's out of public view in the woods by the Sabine River. Being a metal shell it has survived to annual severe storms. Unlike a "mobile home" I doubt that a tornado could budge it but I don't want to find out!😅
as someone that's lived in Jacksonville for years, I completely agree about the downtown. it's a weird area- a mishmash of abandoned buildings from the 1800s, brick buildings from the 1920's that got turned into beauty shops and salons, tacky 70's buildings that got turned into all manner of different stores and offices, and the occasional brand-new building that sticks out like a sore thumb. none of it really fits together, it's all very incoherent and strange-looking (especially when you have the extremely busy, modern and crowded main street going down the middle, with a bunch of uncharacteristically nice franchises like chick-fil-a and starbucks only a few blocks down the road from run-down abandoned churches and run-down auto repair places.
part of the reason Jacksonville feels so weird is that there isn't really a "downtown". the area that would normally fulfill that purpose is relatively empty, and nearly all the traffic (be it foot traffic or car traffic) is along highway 69. it's where all the shops, restaurants, grocery stores, outlets, hotels, entertainment and shopping centers are, where all the people usually are. for all intents and purposes, it *is* the downtown. of course, having it all cramped together along one road means it's always clogged up, congested and filled with cars even at 2AM on week nights. if you've ever heard of a "stroad", that is essentially what Jacksonville's downtown is. a super-sized stroad.
if you want what is essentially just a better version of the Jacksonville system, go to Palestine. they have it as a loop with spokes rather than a straight line, instantly making it way better for getting around and spreading the psuedo-downtown area out while also making it less hideous.
The East Texas novices need to understand Cherokee County's seat and courthouse are in Rusk, not Jacksonville, which is the reason Jacksonville has no courthouse square to provide a starting point for downtown development. Jacksonville is larger and thrives with a small, historic Bible college, tomatoes, baskets and - the big one - its proximity to Tyler which is exploding in size. I grew up in Palestine and Tyler and love life behind the Pine Curtain.
@@countrysister700 you don't have to have a courthouse square to have a devent downtown area in a mid-sized town like jacksonville
also, you just named a bunch of good stuff in jacksonville, but that has nothing to do with what we're actually talking about
@@samwolfenstein5239 just adding my 2 cents so folks new or just visiting here online would be aware - the county seat issue hadn't been mentioned and Jacksonville has a lot going for it. The restaurants on the highway are a sign Jacksonville is growing toward being a "Tyler south" - maybe good for its economy and can get city leadership to help with the "old town" center city issues you've seen.
I was raised in Panola County Tx it is a great place to raise a family or to just live the simple life. I saw the old pet groomers (old shack in Carthage) in the video and it brought back memories. Thanks for the video.
One thing I noticed about all of these Texas small towns is how spread out and spacious they really are! If you have lived in the northeast like I have you would appreciate the spaciousness and the ease of finding a parking space! Whatever "Personality" Jacksonville may lack in its buildings and businesses it sure makes up for it in that high school football stadium! That high school stadium looks fancier and more stylish than all of the college football stadiums that I have ever been to, including the one at the college that I went to! I really love the look and style of that stadium!
You make a good point. And, high school football is king in Texas.
Texas is huge! Lots of space.
We do appreciate the wide-open open Spaces we realize how lucky we are
We folks pay well for sports programs. Very poor and depression in these towns as interstate 45 created a new way to travel mile marker 1 in Galveston up to Oklahoma.
I've been there. I was lucky to have been with 2 women that lived in East Texas. The one that got away lived in Winnsboro TX. Her name Jessica Leigh Hobbs. Things didn't work out and I met another East Texas girl from Diana TX named Carrie Louise Frey. I never got over Jessica Hobbs and I divorced Carrie but there's something about East Texas that has a piece of my heart. From Jefferson Texas, Van, Hawkins, Diana, Tyler, and good ole Winnsboro. I live in Denton and it's nothing like East Texas. I'm actually from South TX by Padre Island but I felt like home in East Texas. If you ever go to Hawkins or Winnsboro look up Dr Jill Hobbs that's Jessica's mom and she's the best veterinarian in the area.
Hey there neighbor, I’m from East Texas living in Denton also
@@amybobamie7366 Nice to meet you, my name is Ivan and still live here in Denton. I still like East Texas but more for the scenery and the calmness of the outdoors. I don't think much about the past anymore because I want to find new places to seek and new memories before I get too old. Like I mentioned I grew up in South TX by Padre Island and Denton is another place I've known as home. What do you like about Denton?
Well..there are these Americana towns from Maine to California..we had lotsa fun driving around too. You would be wise to visit the local coffee watering holes..and get some local gossip! Your followers would skyrocket.thinking of doing it ourselves in r rv! Have fun!
Jackson billed has a complex of homes with members of one family
Nice work...time to re-populate that part of ourselves...thank you...
Found your video because UA-cam suggested it. Loved it. I have been thinking about moving E TX for a while.
Your videos contain a lot of great info plus you go around the downtowns. Most youtubers miss that because they only show pictures. Also, you show houses around. Subscribed. Keep up the great work
PS. I'm sick with the flu so I'm going to binge on your videos today. 🙂😉
Thank you, Elida. Many UA-camrs just pull pictures off the internet. Not me. In my videos, I am actually there. Always. :)
We have one in Kaufnan Texas and l live it prices and all.God bless all that’s watching this🙏
I have lived in E Tex all my life. Thanks for the video. I have never visited many of these towns. I loved it. I’m from more NW of Tyler. I subscribed, and look forward to your next adventure.
Awesome, Danny! I'm glad your here.
I used to run 911 as a Paramedic in Henderson. Lovely town. I lived in Tyler and of all the smaller towns in East TX, Henderson was one of my favorites.
In his book "Bringing Columbia Home" Mike Leinbach (former space shuttle launch director and a key leader in the Colubmia search and recovery effort) couldn't say enough great things about the people of east Texas, the inhabitants of that area you're exploring. I hope to spend some more time there some day.
Thanks for sharing the beauty and tranquility of the rural countryside of not only Texas but all of USA
Thank you for sharing all the videos. I love this kind of docuVblog. Very educational and informative.
Thank you for watching, Rath.
He should come to really East Texas. We are dying.
The masonry work on the old buildings is just spectacular. Once craftsmen lived in this country in great abundance but sadly they seem extinct now.
Hi Lord Spoda
A good trip in rural Texas.
It's a wonder. As you enter a different state you see a distinctly different architecture. Many of the houses in rural small towns are brightly colored.
It's a difficult and hard job filming those odd places. Appreciate your tenacity.
Thank you for these informative and entertaining videos.
Thanks, Rajeev. And you're right - the architecture does change, a lot. It's really interesting, I think.
I think that last town saved all of its personality for it's football stadium. Love the brick enterence way ...seems like a warm and cozy place to spend a fall friday night.
That could not have been a varsity game in Jacksonville. The stadium would have been packed.