Lindale, TX RoadyGoat
Lindale, Texas, a small town in Smith County in the piney woods of East Texas, punches well above its weight for famous people.
Everything Lindale is known for
Lindale, Texas, a city in East Texas, has a notable connection to country music. It is recognized as an Official Texas Music-Friendly Community and is known for its live music scene. Country music star Miranda Lambert, who grew up in Lindale, often references her hometown in her songs, including "Famous in a Small Town" and "The House That Built Me." Other country artists, Chris Colston and Daniel Andrews, also call Lindale home.
Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near Lindale.
Lindale, Texas, a small town in Smith County in the piney woods of East Texas, punches well above its weight for famous people.
Tyler, Texas, feels like a place where everyone knows your name, a kind of warmth that settles right into your bones. This East Texas town, named for President John Tyler back in 1846, has seen its share of history. Before any of that, though, the Caddo people called this land home. Then came the oil boom of the 1930s, transforming Tyler almost overnight. You can still feel that energy, that sense of possibility, woven into the streets. It’s a place that grows things, not just roses, though those are certainly a point of pride. Brookshire’s, that regional grocery powerhouse, started right here. But Tyler also grows people.
Tyler's story began long before the city itself. The Caddo people knew this land well, their lives interwoven with the forests and waterways long before settlers arrived. Then, in 1846, the town was founded, taking its name from President John Tyler, a nod to the nation's leadership. For years, it was a quiet East Texas community, slowly building its identity. But everything changed with the discovery of oil in the 1930s. The black gold boom transformed Tyler almost overnight. Suddenly, the town was awash in new faces, new money, and new opportunities. That boom left its mark, shaping the city’s economy and trajectory. Even after the oil boom faded, Tyler didn’t revert to its former self. Rose cultivation blossomed, turning the area into a horticultural hub, famous for its fragrant blooms. And today, healthcare has become a major force, providing jobs and shaping the community.
This site once overlooked the plantation home of Richard B. Hubbard (1800-1864) and his wife Serena Carter, who came here from Georgia in 1854. They operated a prosperous 720-acre plantation with 44 slaves. Their son Richard Bennett Hubbard (1832-1901), later a governor of Texas, had graduated from Harvard Law School and set up his practice in Tyler. While young Hubbard served with the Confederate army during the Civil War, his wife and children moved to the plantation. His twin daughters Mattie and Hattie died in 1863 and were buried on this hill. Also interred here are Hubbard's father, his infant daughter Claudia and his wife Eliza (d. 1868). The last interment was his nine-year-old son Bennie in 1877. Slave burials are marked with ironstone in this family plot. Hubbard served as lieutenant governor, 1874-1876, and governor, 1876-1879. He was a railroad promoter and a leader in the state and national Democratic Party. President Grover Cleveland appointed him United States Minister to Japan. During his service there, 1885-1890, his second wife Janie Roberts died of cholera. She and Hubbard, along with other members of the family, are buried in Tyler's Oakwood Cemetery.
In 1929, one of ten erosion control research stations in the United States was set up southeast of this site for the purpose of studying erosion problems and the effectiveness of erosion control methods. This was one of the first organized efforts to solve the nation's soil erosion problems in a planned, scientific manner. Five years later, in 1934, the Duck Creek watershed near this site was approved as a demonstrational project for working with all known methods of erosion control. In cooperation with the landowners in the 25,000-acre area, a plan of conservation treatment was devised for each farm. Much of the labor used in carrying out these plans, such as building dams and fences and planting trees and pasture grass, was provided by a nearby Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp. The success of the Duck Creek project attracted much attention and many visitors to the area. Duck Creek was used by the Soil Conservation Service as a training ground for agronomists, soil surveyors, engineers, biologists, foresters, economists, and others who carried knowledge learned here to many other states across the country.
James K. Beene settled in this area in 1845 and established a post office called Flora in 1849. John and Delila Austin and their daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Willis Jones, bought adjacent farms in 1850. Flora community grew up around their properties on the Dallas-Shreveport Road. By 1853, James Monroe Luckey had opened Flora's first store and Carmel Baptist Church was organized nearby. The first sale of a town lot in Flora was recorded in 1855. By 1860 the town boasted three doctors, two blacksmiths, a Masonic lodge and three stores. The hardships of the Civil War years brought about the decline of the thriving community. By 1871 all the businesses were gone, the Masonic lodge had moved to Garden Valley, and Flora became a ghost town. (2001)
Dooley Wilson, actor and musician, was born Arthur Wilson in Tyler, Texas, on April 3, 1886. Some sources list 1894 as the year of his birth, but Wilson's gravestone gives 1886. Wilson's career spanned more than forty years. He began at age twelve with performances in vaudeville as a minstrel player. Around 1908 he performed in black theater in Chicago and New York. It was during this time that he got his nickname, "Dooley," as a performer in Pekin Theatre in Chicago. The name was taken from "Mr. Dooley," Wilson's signature song at the time. During the 1920s he led his own band—the Red Devils—in which he performed as a singing drummer on a nightclub tour of Paris and London. He returned to the United States in 1930 and gave up his drums for an acting career. He performed with Orson Welles and John Houseman in Federal Theater productions and then landed a Broadway role in the musical Cabin in the Sky . Wilson made his film debut in 1939. Although his roles were primarily supporting ones, he made film history as Sam, the pianist–singer in Casablanca who performs "As Time Goes By." Director Hal Wallis wanted a woman for the role but chose Wilson instead, although Wilson "couldn't...play piano." The director allowed Wilson to sing, but the piano playing was dubbed. Wilson was under contract to Paramount and on loan to MGM. His film credits include Keep Punching (1939); My Favorite Blonde , Night in New Orleans , Take a Letter Darling , Cairo , and Casablanca (1942); Two Tickets to London , Stormy Weather , and Higher and Higher (1943); Seven Days Ashore (1944); Triple Threat and Racing Luck (1948); Free for All and Come to the Stable (1949); and Passage West (1951). In 1945 Wilson had a prominent role in the New York musical Bloomer Girl . He also acted in Beulah , one of the first television series starring black actors, in 1951. He was on the board of directors of the Negro Actors Guild of America. He died in Los Angeles on May 30, 1953, shortly after his retirement, and was buried in Angelus Rosedale Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Estelle.
Ima Hogg, philanthropist and patron of the arts, daughter of Sarah Ann (Stinson) and Governor James Stephen Hogg , was born in Mineola, Texas, on July 10, 1882. She had three brothers, William Clifford Hogg , born in 1875; Michael, born in 1885; and Thomas Elisha Hogg, born in 1887. According to family history, Ima was named for the heroine of a Civil War poem written by her uncle Thomas Elisha. Her name became a part of Texas folklore, along with the myth of a fictitious sister supposedly named Ura. Ima Hogg was affectionately known as Miss Ima for most of her long life. She was eight years old when her father was elected governor; she spent much of her early life in Austin. After her mother died of tuberculosis in 1895, Ima attended the Coronal Institute in San Marcos, and in 1899 she entered the University of Texas. She started playing the piano at age three and in 1901 went to New York to study music. Her father's illness drew her back to Texas in 1905. After his death in 1906 she continued her music studies in Berlin and Vienna from 1907 to 1909. She then moved to Houston, where she gave piano lessons to a select group of pupils and helped found the Houston Symphony Orchestra , which played its first concert in June 1913. Miss Ima served as the first vice president of the Houston Symphony Society and became president in 1917. She became ill in late 1918 and spent the next two years in Philadelphia under the care of a specialist in mental and nervous disorders. She did not return to Houston to live until 1923. In the meantime, oil had been struck on the Hogg property near West Columbia, Texas, and by the late 1920s Miss Ima was involved in a wide range of philanthropic projects. In 1929 she founded the Houston Child Guidance Center, an agency to provide therapy and counseling for disturbed children and their families. In 1940, with a bequest from her brother Will, who had died in 1930, she established the Hogg Foundation for Mental Hygiene, which later became the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at the University of Texas. In 1943 Miss Hogg, a lifelong Democrat, won an election to the Houston school board, where she worked to establish symphony concerts for schoolchildren, to get equal pay for teachers regardless of sex or race, and to set up a painting-to-music program in the public schools. In 1946 she again became president of the Houston Symphony Society, a post she held until 1956, and in 1948 she became the first woman president of the Philosophical Society of Texas . Since the 1920s she had been studying and collecting early American art and antiques, and in 1966 she presented her collection and Bayou Bend, the River Oaks mansion she and her brothers had built in 1927, to the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston. The Bayou Bend Collection, recognized as one of the finest of its kind, draws thousands of visitors each year. In the 1950s Miss Ima restored the Hogg family home at Varner Plantation near West Columbia, and in 1958 she presented it to the state of Texas. It became Varner-Hogg Plantation State Historical Site . In the 1960s she restored the Winedale Inn, a nineteenth-century stagecoach stop at Round Top, Texas, which she gave to the University of Texas. The Winedale Historical Center now serves as a center for the study of Texas history and is also the site of a widely acclaimed annual fine arts festival. Miss Hogg also restored her parents' home at Quitman, Texas, and in 1969 the town of Quitman established the Ima Hogg Museum in her honor. In 1953 Governor Allan Shivers appointed her to the Texas State Historical Survey Committee (later the Texas Historical Commission ), and in 1967 that body gave her an award for "meritorious service in historic preservation." In 1960 she served on a committee appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower for the planning of the National Cultural Center (now Kennedy Center) in Washington, D.C. In 1962, at the request of Jacqueline Kennedy, Ima Hogg served on an advisory panel t
299 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
Lindale, Texas, a small town in Smith County in the piney woods of East Texas, punches well above its weight for famous people.
Italian fine dining in tiny Lindale at 75 Miranda Lambert Way — named for the town's famous daughter. Scratch kitchen, fresh-baked bread, upscale-casual…
You're driving through Lindale, a town that started as a simple post office in 1873. Just a year later, the name changed to Lindale, and it became a stop on the International-Great Northern Railroad in 1875. By 1884, it…
You're driving past the site of Damascus Baptist Church, organized in 1890 with 12 charter members. Services were held in a schoolhouse until 1895 when the congregation grew and began planning this building. The first…
This site once overlooked the plantation home of Richard B. Hubbard (1800-1864) and his wife Serena Carter, who came here from Georgia in 1854. They operated a prosperous 720-acre plantation with 44 slaves. Their son…
You're driving past the site of the Sabine Methodist Church, organized back in 1894 by the Rev. W. L. Pate and named for its proximity to the Sabine River. Land for the church, school, and cemetery was donated by Joe…
You're driving past the site of Bethesda Presbyterian Church. In 1879, the Henderson family arrived from Alabama and soon began holding worship services here. The congregation was officially recognized in 1881, later…
In 1929, one of ten erosion control research stations in the United States was set up southeast of this site for the purpose of studying erosion problems and the effectiveness of erosion control methods. This was one of…
James K. Beene settled in this area in 1845 and established a post office called Flora in 1849. John and Delila Austin and their daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Willis Jones, bought adjacent farms in 1850. Flora…
You're driving past the Milburn-Gary House, a testament to 19th-century Texas craftsmanship. Built in 1855 by Reverend Williamson Milburn, this home was constructed with hand-picked, knot-free lumber, featuring solid…
You're driving past the site of Hopewell Baptist Church, organized in 1858 with 30 members. Harvey Yarborough deeded land for the first structure, built in 1859. The congregation celebrated its 140th year of continuous…
You're driving through East Texas, near Lindale, where a historic trail once stretched. In 1788, Pierre Vial and Francisco Xavier Fragoso blazed the Vial-Fragoso Trail. Their mission? To travel from Santa Fe, New…
You're driving through Smith County, past the site of the Flewellen-Thweatt Cemetery. This quiet resting place began in 1861, when Frances Maria Drake Flewellen was buried here after moving to Texas from Georgia and…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from where the last Cherokee War Camp of the Republic of Texas once stood. Imagine soldiers under Generals Rusk and Burleson, mustering out after a decisive victory. It was…
You're driving past the site of Antioch Baptist Church, established by the Smith County Baptist Association back in 1851. Members met in homes and the schoolhouse until their first sanctuary was built in 1857. The…
You're driving through Tyler, passing the site of New Harmony Baptist Church. This congregation was established in 1867 and accepted into the Cherokee Baptist Association in 1869. Seven of its charter members are buried…
You're driving past the site of Smith Chapel United Methodist Church. Organized around 1885 as Davis Chapel, it was renamed Democrat Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and finally Smith Chapel. The current sanctuary was…
You're driving through Wood County, following the Sabine River, a place that's been home to the Caddo people for over a thousand years. <break time="400ms"/> By the early 1800s, American settlers were moving in, finding…
You're driving through Wood County, passing the New Hope Cemetery. It began around 1864, linked to the New Hope Baptist Church. The earliest marked grave is from 1875, but leaders sold the land to the church for a…
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You're driving past the site of New Hope Baptist Church. This fellowship started as a Baptist Church of Christ in 1864, reorganized in 1890 as Stephen's Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, honoring elder Stephen Kelley.…
Ima Hogg, philanthropist and patron of the arts, daughter of Sarah Ann (Stinson) and Governor James Stephen Hogg , was born in Mineola, Texas, on July 10, 1882. She had three brothers, William Clifford Hogg , born in…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Mineola, and you're passing the place where a songwriting legend got his start. Andrew Jackson "Jack" Rhodes was born here in Van Zandt County in 1908. After a back injury…
You're driving through Wood County, and right here is the final resting place of Martin Varner. He came to Texas before 1820, a pioneer who partnered with Henry Jones to run a trading post. Varner was one of Stephen F.…
You're driving near Mineola, the birthplace of Barney McKinney Giles, a man who rose from a Texas farm to become a top commander in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Giles enlisted in 1917 and steadily…
You're driving through Mineola, a town born from a railroad race. Back before 1873, this spot was called Sodom. But then, two railroad companies, the Texas and Pacific and the International-Great Northern, raced to see…
You're driving through Mineola, Texas, the birthplace of Paul Russell, a groundbreaking African-American ballet dancer. Born in 1947, Russell shattered barriers, becoming the first Black dancer to perform Siegfried in a…
Noble Henry Willingham Jr. was a much sought after character actor who appeared in film and television from 1970 until the year before his death in 2004. Usually cast as an insightful "good old boy," his characters…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from Mineola, the birthplace of Benjamin Franklin Giles. He was an Air Force general, born in 1892 on a farm right here. Giles saw action in World War I, flying over enemy…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from Mineola, where Robert Byron Giles, Sr. was born. He could have been a pro baseball pitcher, even had an offer from Cleveland! But Giles chose medicine instead, heading to…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Mineola, where Owen Pinkney Pyle made his mark. Pyle was a farmer turned farmer's advocate, a powerhouse speaker for the Farmers' Alliance in the late 1800s. He even bought…
You're driving through Wood County, a place with a rich history tied to the East Texas timberlands. Back in 1873, a tiny village called Sodom existed right here, with only about twenty residents. But then, the Texas and…
You're driving past the Shamburger Cemetery, a quiet resting place with a story rooted in East Texas agriculture. The Shamburger family arrived from Mississippi in 1847, settling near Starrville. By 1875, T. J.…
You're driving through Wood County, heading towards Mineola. Keep an eye out for a marker honoring Martin Varner. He was a volunteer soldier who fought in the decisive Battle of San Jacinto in 1836, the fight that…
You're driving past Union Chapel Cemetery, where the earliest marked grave dates back to August 1873. Just a month later, land was deeded for a Methodist Church and cemetery. The original sanctuary served the community…
You're driving through Mineola, passing the site where Dr. Adolph Leander Patten lived and practiced medicine. Born in North Carolina in 1823, Patten first opened a practice in Georgia before heading west with his…
You're driving through Mineola, and right here is a marker for a team that's mostly forgotten today: the Mineola Black Spiders. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, African-American baseball teams played separately from…
You're driving through Smith County, formed way back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1846</say-as>. It’s named for General James Smith, a pioneer soldier and statesman. He was a friend to Texas legends like…
You're driving past Mineola, where George C. Reeves arrived in 1873, just as the town was getting started. Reeves wasn't just a local businessman; he played a key role in the state penitentiary system as a transfer…
You're driving past the Mineola area, the former stomping grounds of John Creighton Buchanan. Born in Louisiana, Buchanan set up his law practice in Quitman and quickly rose to prominence. In 1876, he became the first…
You're driving through Mineola, and just ahead is a marker for Richard Malcolm Smith. Born in Kentucky in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1852</say-as>, Smith came to Texas young and jumped into journalism,…
You're driving past Mineola, where Robert N. Stafford made his mark. Born in Georgia in 1856, Stafford arrived here in 1880 and quickly became a prominent figure. He served as county attorney, district attorney, and…
You're driving past the site of Pleasant Retreat United Methodist Church, a place that's been a cornerstone of the community since 1854. Organized as the Black Fork Church by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, this…
You're cruising through Edom, and right here is the Roseland Plantation Home, built way back in 1854 by B. H. Hambrick. This wasn't just a house; it was the hub of a massive 3,000-acre estate, built with incredible…
You're driving past the site of the Pine Springs Baptist Church. It all started in 1881 when E.S. Cook and Perry Ray bought land for a schoolhouse. Soon after, the Pine Springs Baptist Church of Christ was organized…
You're driving past the area where Mt. Zion Church was founded back in 1874. Members from several nearby communities gathered on a local farm to start this congregation. It wasn't just about worship; Mt. Zion offered…
You're driving through Mineola, a town that owes its very existence to a furious railroad race. Back in the summer of 1873, two lines, the Houston and Great Northern and the Texas and Pacific, were barreling towards a…
You're driving past Mineola, a town that owes its very existence to the railroad. Back in 1873, the Texas & Pacific Railroad was building west, and the Houston & Great Northern was building north. Communities popped up…
You're driving past the site of the County Line Missionary Baptist Church in Edom. Oral tradition says this church traces its roots back to 1851, making it one of the earliest attempts by African American families in…
Tyler High School in Tyler, TX (formerly John Tyler High School, now on Northwest Loop 323) is where Earl Campbell — 'the Tyler Rose' — became a national legend. As a senior in 1973 he rushed for 2,036 yards and led the…
You're cruising through Mineola, and you're passing the spot where a true Texas legend got his start: William Jesse McDonald. Born in Mississippi in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1852</say-as>, McDonald came to…
You're driving past Mineola, where Cadwell Walton Raines, a man of many talents, made his mark. He arrived in Texas as a boy in 1853 and went on to serve as a Confederate soldier, a preacher, a teacher, a lawyer, and a…
You're driving through Mineola, and right here is the site of the Coleman Family Drug Store and Clinic. The Coleman family arrived from Alabama in 1897, and by 1902, Dr. Walter Coleman opened this pharmacy. He was known…
You're driving through Mineola, and right here, at the intersection of Highway 80 and Johnson Street, was once the heart of the town's water supply. Back in 1885, folks knew this area was rich in water. But it wasn't…
You're driving past the Frontier Red Hill Cemetery, a place that began with a tragic family loss. The first grave here belongs to 19-year-old Elizabeth Piles, who died way back on May 4, 1856. Just two days later, her…
You're driving past the Lott House in Mineola, a beautiful example of early 20th-century architecture. Angus and Lena Beaird started building this home in 1918, finishing it in the early 1920s. It showcases Prairie…
You're driving through Mineola, and just ahead is the First National Bank Building. Chartered way back in 1898, the bank operated out of a few spots before building this beauty in 1912. It replaced the Mineola…
You're driving past Mineola, where Thomas Breen, an Irish immigrant, arrived in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1873</say-as> to work for the Texas & Pacific Railroad. He became the town's very first ticket…
You're driving past the historic Mineola Post Office. Postal service here started way back in 1873 with an unofficial office in a drugstore, but the official U.S. Post Office wasn't granted until 1875. This building you…
Mineola's story begins long before the railroad came, with the Caddo people who knew this land intimately. Their presence is less visible now, lost to time and displacement, but the echoes remain in the very soil. The…
You're driving through Mineola, a town that holds a special place in Texas history. Look around, because this is the birthplace of Ima Hogg, born right here on July 10th, 1882. Daughter of Governor James S. Hogg, Ima…
You're driving through Mineola, Texas, a place that played a crucial role in the early political career of James Stephen Hogg. From 1868 to 1882, Hogg lived right here in Wood County, laying the groundwork for his…
You're driving past the site where Sarah Rosalie Patten Buchanan lived out her later years. Born in 1855, Rosa was a Quitman native who married John Creighton Buchanan. Tragedy struck early when she was widowed at just…
You're driving past the site of a home built by Harry W. Meredith, a man who left a huge mark on Mineola. Originally from Kentucky, Meredith came to Texas around 1907. He got into banking in 1908, eventually leading…
You're driving past the O. P. Pyle House in Mineola, a home built in 1903 and 1904 for a man who was a leading voice for farmers during Texas's progressive era. Pyle was also a national spokesman for their concerns, and…
You're driving past the site of a library that started with a vision from a teacher named Vivian Williams Lott, who saw a need back in 1913. After a stalled effort in 1940, Mineola finally got its public library in…
You're driving past the site of the First National Bank of Mineola, chartered way back in May of <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1898</say-as>! With a starting capital of fifty thousand dollars, it was led by…
You're driving past the former site of the Barney B. Hart House, a Mineola landmark that stood for over a century. Built in 1906 by J.J. McLeod for attorney Barney B. Hart, this two-story home was a beautiful example of…
You're driving past the former home of Owen Pinkney Pyle, a journalist who championed Texas farmers. Born in Arkansas in 1867, Pyle became editor of the Mineola 'Courier' and was key in founding both the Texas Farm…
You're driving past the site of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Mineola. Founded in 1871 by Rev. John Branham in a pioneer home, the congregation built its first sanctuary just two years later. The church…
You're driving past the site of Camp Ford, right here near Tyler. This wasn't just any Civil War camp; it was the biggest prisoner of war compound for Union troops west of the Mississippi. Originally a training camp in…
You're driving through Smith County, not far from where scouts for the Republic of Texas Army were dispatched. It was July 16, 1839, just after a major battle with Cherokee and allied tribes. In that fight, the…
You're driving through Winona, Texas, where Nicholas Wren made his home. <break time="400ms"/> Wren arrived in Texas way back in 1833, and by 1836, he was a soldier in the Texas Army. <break time="400ms"/> Sam Houston…
You're driving through Wood County, and just ahead is the site of the Macedonia School. Established in 1885, this was one of the very first one-teacher schools in the county. It served the community of Macedonia, later…
You're driving through the Jobe community, founded by African American families who settled here in the late 1800s. Brothers Phelix and Sampson Jobe bought land starting in 1881, setting aside a portion for this…
Mineola High School (Mineola, TX): Most recent: 35-14 over Yoakum · 2016 3A Division 1 final.
Mineola (Mineola, TX) placed on the 3A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Matthew Ballew (0.561 avg, 2 HR).
You're cruising past the site of Belzora Landing, once a bustling port on the Sabine River. From the 1850s until the railroads arrived in the 1870s, this was a vital hub for Tyler and East Texas. Despite the challenges…
You're driving past Mineola, where Wood County held its very first election on August 5th, 1850. It all happened under a giant post oak tree on Gaines Greer's farm. Twenty men gathered to organize the county, pick a…
You're driving through Mineola, a town born from railroads. Back in the 1880s, fire was a constant threat. Imagine this: one night, eighteen downtown buildings went up in flames! Residents rebuilt with brick, but the…
You're driving past the site of a remarkable Texas artillery unit, the Good-Douglas Battery. Born in South Carolina, Major James P. Douglas arrived in Texas in 1848. In 1861, he led fifty Tyler men to Dallas to join…
You're driving past the site of Marvin Methodist Church, which holds a special place in Tyler's history. Organized way back in 1848 by Reverends Sam Box and Alexander Douglas, this was the very first church established…
You're driving past the Patterson Home in Tyler, a house that's been in the same family for over a century. It started as a simple dog-trot cabin before 1854, built by John Lollar and later owned by Doctor J. C. Moore.…
You're driving past Wisener Field, the site of one of the first airports in Texas! On July 4th, 1917, a U.S. Army Signal Corps pilot landed a Curtis JN-4D 'Jenny' biplane right here. Back then, it was called Massengale…
You're driving past the site of the Cedar Street United Methodist Church in Tyler. Its story begins in 1887 with a Sunday School organized in a new neighborhood north of town. The congregation officially formed in 1888…
You're driving past the area where Colonel Bryan Marsh made his mark on Texas history. An Alabama native who settled in Tyler in 1854, Marsh became a captain in the 17th Texas Cavalry during the Civil War. He fought…
You're driving through Tyler, home of Richard Bennett Hubbard, a man who wore many hats in 19th-century Texas. Born in Georgia in 1832, Hubbard came to Texas in 1853, setting up a law practice. He served as a U.S.…
You're driving through Texas, and right here, you're passing through the story of John Henry Dillard, an Alamo defender. Born in Tennessee, Dillard came to Texas with his friend Sutherland Mayfield, hoping to bring…
You're driving through Smith County, and right here, you're passing over the site of Neches Saline. It started with a Spanish missionary in 1765, but the real action began in the 1820s when Cherokee Indians, fleeing…
You're driving through northern Smith County, heading towards Winona. Right here is the site of Starrville, a town founded in 1849 as a stop on the Dallas-Shreveport Road. It started as Gum Springs, named for a local…
You're driving through central Smith County, near what used to be called Universe. Back in 1861, this area was home to the Headache Springs Medical Laboratory, a vital Confederate facility during the Civil War. Under…
You're driving through Smith County, and right here is the site of Bascom. It started back in 1846, a simple spring on an old Indian trail. William McAdams built one of the county's first gristmills, and soon after, the…
You're driving through northern Smith County, right where Farm Road 14 crosses the Sabine River. This spot was once called Belzora, named for Belle Ham of Tyler. It started in 1850 as a ferry crossing on the busy…
You're driving through Flint, Texas, a community that owes its start to a railroad and a misspelling. In 1882, the Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railroad arrived, making this spot a stop. It was named for landowner Robert…
You're driving near Colfax, Texas, the birthplace of Brady Preston Gentry. He was a lawyer and legislator who became a giant in shaping Texas roads. Appointed chairman of the Texas Highway Commission in 1939, he was the…
You're driving through what used to be Jamestown, Texas, a community that went by a few names like Berrien and Jimtown. Settled way back in 1846, it was strategically located at the crossroads of important trails. In…
You're driving through Smith County, near the community of Omen. This place has had more names than a secret agent! It started as Round Hill in 1849, then became Canton, Clopton, and even Troup. Residents kept calling…
You're driving through Smith County, on the edge of the Good Omen oilfield. Right here, Sinclair City owes its existence to oil. While the railroad passed through in 1877, it wasn't until 1931 that Guy V. Lewis struck…
You're driving through East Texas, a land where faith sometimes had to be a whisper. Back in the early 1830s, Mexican law strictly prohibited Protestant services. But James Porter Stevenson, a young Methodist minister,…
You're driving through what is now Smith County, Texas, a place that holds a national 'first.' Back in 1906, William C. Stallings became the very first county agent in the entire United States. His job? To bring the…
You're driving past the site of Bonnie Castle, a home with a musical legacy right here in Tyler. Begun by Gallatin Smith, it was bought in 1866 by Dr. S. A. Goodman. His son, Major W. J. Goodman, a surgeon for the 13th…
You're driving through Tyler, and you're passing the site of Murphey the Jeweler, one of East Texas's oldest retail businesses. Archibald Michael Murphey, originally from North Carolina, opened his jewelry shop right…
You're driving past Oakwood Cemetery in Tyler, a resting place with roots stretching back to the 1840s. Originally known as Lollar's Cemetery, it started on land purchased by John Lollar himself. The oldest marked grave…
You're driving through eastern Smith County, heading southeast of Winona, and you're passing through the area once known as Browning. It all started around 1850 when Isaiah Browning settled here, moving all the way from…
You're driving through what was once Starrville in Smith County. Right here, in 1863, a farmer and slaveholder named J.G. Coleman helped organize the Texas First Cavalry Regiment. Though likely older, he was elected…
You're driving through Smith County, just west of Tyler, where the community of Dixie once stood. It might seem like just another dot on the map now, but back in 1906, Dixie was making history. That's the year William…
You're driving through Smith County, and right here, the Duck Creek watershed became a national laboratory during the Great Depression. In 1929, a soil erosion project kicked off, studying how to stop the land from…
You're driving through what used to be Garden Valley, a community in Smith County that got its start back in 1852 with a post office. By 1860, it had an academy and a common school system, showing early dedication to…
You're driving north of Tyler, right here in Smith County, past the place called Hopewell. It started back in 1887 with a post office, but the railroad never came. Instead, it went to nearby Swan, and by 1891,…
You're driving through what used to be Joy, a small church community in eastern Smith County. It all started when farmers moved in after the Civil War, growing crops like corn and cotton. Joy got a post office in 1892,…
You're driving through Smith County, heading toward Winona. Right here, you're passing through the spot where Mount Carmel used to be. Established in 1850 as a stop on the busy Dallas-Shreveport Road, it was once a…
You're driving north of Tyler, deep in Smith County, and you're passing through Mount Sylvan. This community started way back in 1852, founded right here on a local trade route. For a while, it was a bustling stop with…
You're driving through what used to be New Harmony, a farming and church community in Smith County. Right here, in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1867</say-as>, the New Harmony Baptist Church was organized in…
You're driving north of Tyler, and right here is the area known as Pine Springs. Settlers arrived in the 1840s, drawn by a large spring nestled in the pines, giving the community its name. It was a hub for orchard…
You're driving through Smith County, not far west of Tyler. Right here was once Pleasant Retreat, a community that grew around its church. Settled by 1859, it was known for its camp meetings, drawing people together for…
You're driving through Smith County, just northwest of Winona. Right here is Red Springs, a community that got its start as a stop on the Dallas-Shreveport Road back in the late 1840s. Named for the natural springs…
You're driving through what's left of Sabine in Smith County. This community's story starts not with a boomtown, but with faith. In 1899, Reverend W. L. Pate organized the Sabine Methodist Church, donating land for it,…
You're driving through what used to be Sand Flat, a rural community in Smith County, just north of Tyler. It started taking shape in the late 1840s when pioneers gained access via the Brumley Crossing Road. By 1851, the…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Mount Carmel in Smith County, where playwright George Moore Scarborough was born back in 1875. He studied law, even practiced it with his father, but the pull of…
You're driving through southeastern Smith County, heading towards Chapel Hill. Right here, you're passing through the community once known as Maggie Murph. It got its name from the Maggie Murph School, which in 1936…
You're driving through what used to be Swan, just east of Highway 69, north of Tyler. This community started in the 1850s, but really took off in the late 1870s when the railroad arrived. By 1892, Swan was a bustling…
You're driving through southwestern Smith County, near where Teaselville used to be. In 1850, this spot was founded and sometimes called Loftin. Colonel John Dewberry built a lavish plantation house here, near the…
You're driving through western Smith County, near Garden Valley. Right here is the community of Union Chapel. It all started back in 1873, when the first burial took place on land originally surveyed by John Walling.…
You're driving through Smith County, Texas, the birthplace of John Brown Watson. Born in 1872, Watson wasn't just a teacher; he was a builder. After earning degrees from Colgate and Brown Universities and teaching at…
You're driving through Tyler, the Rose Capital of America! It all started back in the 1870s, when folks like G.A. McKee and Mathew Shamburger saw that this sandy soil and year-round rain were perfect for growing roses.…
You're driving through Tyler, and this marker tells the story of the Tyler Tap Railroad. Back in 1871, local leaders like future governor R. B. Hubbard wanted to ship their fruits, veggies, and cotton to faraway…
You're driving through Van, where the discovery of oil dramatically changed this community, and its school, forever. Back in 1916, two smaller schools merged to form Van Common School. Local folks even hauled 114 wagon…
You're driving past the site of Tyler's First Baptist Church, one of the earliest Baptist congregations still in existence in Texas. Organized in 1848 with just six members, they first met in a log cabin and later in…
Tyler, Texas, feels like a place where everyone knows your name, a kind of warmth that settles right into your bones. This East Texas town, named for President John Tyler back in 1846, has seen its share of history.…
Hawkins, Texas, sits atop a geological oddity: the Hawkins Oil Field. Unlike the flat farmland surrounding it, this area had a unique concentration of oil-bearing structures deep underground. That accident of geology…
More than half of all commercially grown rose bushes in the United States come from Tyler, Texas and the surrounding East Texas fields. The rose industry took root here in the early 1900s when growers discovered that…
You're driving through Van, Texas, where the discovery of oil in 1929 completely transformed this community. Suddenly, the small rural school, which started with just 90 kids, was overwhelmed by an influx of over 600…
You're driving through Tyler, and right here is the site of Christ Episcopal Church. Its story begins way back in 1866, when the first bishop of Texas, Alexander Gregg, started missionary work with this fledgling…
You're driving through Hawkins, Texas, a town that hit the jackpot back in 1940. Until then, it was a quiet community shipping lumber and cotton. But then, Bobby Manziel drilled a wildcat well just north of town,…
You're driving through Hawkins, Texas, home to Jarvis Christian College. What's amazing is that this school, founded in 1912, was the only historically Black college still operating that was founded by the Christian…
You're driving through Wood County, not far from Hawkins, Texas. Right here is where Lillian Richard Williams lived. Born in 1891, she grew up on a farm near Fouke. Though she had little formal schooling, she left East…
Pull over here, because you’re looking at a time capsule of early American car culture! This isn't just a building; it's a monument to the roaring twenties and the dawn of the automobile age. Its Art Deco style is pure…
You're cruising through Tyler, and right here is a building that once held the county's toughest criminals. This was Smith County's fourth jail, designed by Houston architect Eugene T. Heiner and built in 1880 and '81.…
You're driving through Wood County, near Hawkins, in a region once known as Sand Springs. Settlers arrived as early as 1848, drawn by fertile land. By 1852, a post office was established, and the community grew around a…
You're driving through Tyler, where in 1905, leaders of the East Texas Baptist Association founded the East Texas Baptist Academy. Their mission was clear: to boost educational opportunities for African American youth…
You're driving through Van Zandt County, and right here is the Van field, a place that changed Texas oil. Discovered in 1929, this wasn't just another oil strike. The Van field was the very first oil field in Texas, and…
You're driving through Van, Texas, a town that owes its existence to a surprising discovery. Originally known by colorful names like Ratty Towns or Who'd-a-Thought-It, the community was renamed for a local schoolteacher…
You're driving through Tyler, and you might just catch a glimpse of a true Victorian gem. Built around 1880 for attorney Harrison Moores Whitaker, this house is one of the last grand high Victorian residences left in…
You're driving past the John B. and Ketura Douglas House, built around 1873. This was home to John, a Civil War veteran and city official, and his wife Ketura, a prominent civic leader. Their house wasn't just a home;…
Van (Van, TX) placed on the 4A Texas high school baseball stat leaderboards for the 2026 season: Connor Mccurley (2 HR).
You're driving through Tyler, past the site of a man who wore many hats. Thomas R. Bonner, born in Mississippi, came to Texas in 1849. He fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War, rising to Colonel and leading his…
You're driving past the site of a Texas oil boom! In 1929, the Pure Oil Company was drilling for oil near the small farming community of Van. After weeks of anticipation, and even a day where thousands of onlookers left…
You're driving past the Ramey House in Tyler, a beautiful example of early 20th-century architecture. Built in 1903 from local cypress and pine, this home reflects a revival of classical American design. It was the…
You're driving past the site of Gary Elementary School. Land was acquired in 1907, and an eight-room schoolhouse was built here in 1908, named for early settler Franklin N. Gary, a supporter of public education. That…
You're driving through the area that was once known as Swindall. Around 1880, George W. Swindall donated land for a community school, which eventually took on his name. The school served local children until a new,…
You're driving through Van, where a congregation formed in 1885 to serve this community. Originally called Antioch Church, members met under a brush arbor before building their first sanctuary in 1891. The church has…
You're driving through Winona, Texas, a town with roots stretching back to Delaware Indian settlements. But right here, in 1912, a sudden tragedy struck during a church service. Lightning hit the Winona Liberty Baptist…
You're driving past the Connally Home in Tyler, built in 1906 for Walter Connally, a businessman with interests in banking, gin equipment, and hardware. After Walter's death in 1918, his widow Gretta stayed here with…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here is the site of Camp Fannin. During World War II, this was a massive Infantry Replacement Training Center, churning out thousands of soldiers every four months to fight…
You're driving through Tyler, and right here is the historic Woman's Building. Built back in 1932, this place was a hub for women's civic groups. The Woman's Building Association, a part of the Tyler Woman's Forum,…
You're driving through Winona, Texas, where Elisha Everett Lott made his mark. Born in 1820, Lott moved to Texas in 1840, and quickly became a key figure. He served in the Republic of Texas Congress, helped organize…
You're driving through Pruitt, a community named for its first postmistress, Adelia Pruitt. The town, established in the 1880s, had a cotton gin, blacksmith, and general store. The Pruitt Baptist Church was organized in…
You're driving past Tyler, Texas, where a Confederate ordnance plant once churned out weapons for the Civil War. Founded in 1862 by gunsmiths and a colonel, this facility on a 125-acre site was contracted to make 5,000…
You're driving through Winona, and right here is the Kay House, built between 1856 and 1860. Francis Lemuel Kay, a planter from South Carolina, settled in Smith County and built this two-story home for his wife and…
You're driving past the site of Winona's First Baptist Church. It began in 1849 as Harris Creek Baptist Church with 15 members and Pastor William H. Ray. The congregation met in homes until a log building went up in…
You're driving past the site of a home built with love and Confederate pay. In 1863, Frances Dean bought this land using money sent home by her husband, Major John Dean, from his Civil War post. He then used Louisiana…
You're driving past Hawkins, where a vital part of Texas's African American history took root. Back in 1904, the Texas Negro Disciples of Christ and the Christian Women's Board of Missions joined forces to create a…
You're driving past the site of Hebron Baptist Church. The congregation petitioned to join the Cherokee Baptist Association back in 1859. Reverend William H. Ray, a key figure, helped organize several other Baptist…
You're driving past Marvin Chapel Cemetery, which began as Marvin Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church in the 1860s. The first recorded burial was in 1872, though older graves likely exist. Over three acres were donated…
You're driving through Van, and right around here, the Great Depression hit the rest of the country hard, but this town's economy was booming! Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1929</say-as>, geologists…
You're driving through Tyler, and right here is the site of Tyler Junior College, established way back in 1926. It started as part of the local school system, but World War II really kicked things into high gear. After…
You're driving past Sand Springs Cemetery, originally Big Spring Cemetery. It was formally set aside for burials in 1860 when Matthew Cartwright conveyed seven acres to the Big Spring Baptist Church. The grounds were…
Chandler, Texas, might seem like a small town nestled in Henderson County, but it's got a history that punches above its weight. You might not expect it, driving down Highway 31, but this little corner of East Texas has…
Ralph Webster "Smilin' Ralph" Yarborough, United States senator and leader of the liberal wing of the Democratic party in Texas, was born at Chandler, Texas, on June 8, 1903, the seventh of nine children of Charles…
You're driving through Chandler, Texas, the birthplace of Therman "Sonny" Fisher, a rockabilly pioneer. <break time="400ms"/> Born in 1931, Fisher was the "Wild Man from Texas," blending blues and country into a sound…
You're driving through Chandler, Texas, a town that owes its existence to a generous donation of land. It all started back in 1859 when Alphonso H. Chandler settled the area, calling his original spot Stillwater. But…
Dooley Wilson, actor and musician, was born Arthur Wilson in Tyler, Texas, on April 3, 1886. Some sources list 1894 as the year of his birth, but Wilson's gravestone gives 1886. Wilson's career spanned more than forty…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, the birthplace of Carl Gardner, the voice behind some of the biggest hits of the 1950s rock and roll era. Born in 1928, Gardner sang his way out of Tyler, eventually joining the…
You're driving through East Texas, the heart of America's rose country! Right here around Tyler, what began as a small nursery in 1879 blossomed into a massive industry. After droughts wiped out local peach orchards,…
You're driving through Smith County, maybe near Tyler, and right here, you're passing through the birthplace of agricultural extension in America. William Crider Stallings, a farmer, preacher, and innovator, was…
Albert Richard Parsons, radical labor organizer, was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on June 24, 1848, the youngest child of Samuel and Elizabeth (Tompkins) Parsons. Both parents died before he was five, and Albert was…
The 1982 United States Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe held, in a 5-4 decision, that states such as Texas could not charge tuition to undocumented children for free public K-12 education or prevent them from enrolling…
You're driving through East Texas, near Tyler, where James Postell Douglas made his mark. Douglas was a Confederate artillery officer during the Civil War. He organized a company in Smith County to man a field artillery…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, home to Texas College, where Dominion Robert Glass served as president for thirty years. Arriving in 1931, Glass transformed the school. Under his leadership, Texas College grew from…
You're driving through Texas, and right here, during the Civil War, this state became a crucial hub for manufacturing vital weapons. With supplies from the North cut off, Texas had to get creative. Governor Clark pushed…
You're driving through Smith County, near Tyler, the hometown of Richard Bennett Hubbard, Jr. He wasn't just a governor; he was known as the 'Demosthenes of Texas' for his powerful oratory. Imagine him, standing in…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, where lawyer and politician Cone Johnson spent over forty years of his life. Back in 1887, Johnson was a fiery orator, campaigning against prohibition. He even debated Joseph Weldon…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here in Tyler, Gus Johnson was born. This jazz drumming legend started young, playing in Houston theaters by age ten and local bands by eleven. He honed his skills in Dallas…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, the hometown of a gospel music legend. Willie Neal Johnson, known as "The Country Boy," was born right here in 1935. He started singing gospel in his teens, forming his first group,…
You're driving through Smith County, Texas, near Tyler. Right here, in the mid-1800s, Elisha Lott was instrumental in shaping this very landscape. He wasn't just a politician; he helped lay out the boundaries of this…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here, in Tyler, a powerful voice for women's rights was born. Nona Boren Mahoney was more than just a suffragist; she was a fourth-generation Texan whose family had deep…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, a city that owes a lot to Bessie Herndon Potter. When Bessie returned to Tyler in 1899, she dove headfirst into the women's movement. She wasn't just a clubwoman; she was a force!…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here in Tyler, citizens were worried. It was 1871, and the new railroads were bypassing their city, threatening to steal all their business. So, they decided to build their…
You're driving through Tyler, a city that owes its existence to a presidential nod. Back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1846</say-as>, the Texas legislature decided to create Smith County and needed a county…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Tyler, and right here is the story of George Washington Whitmore. Born in Tennessee, he moved to Harrison County, Texas, and became a lawyer and a slaveowner. But when Texas…
You're driving through Tyler, a town that owes part of its early success to Samuel Hampson Boren. He arrived here in 1854 after serving as a soldier in the Republic of Texas militia and fighting in the Mexican-American…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from Tyler, where George William Chilton made his home. Chilton was a Confederate officer, but before that, he fought in the Mexican-American War as part of Colonel John C.…
You're driving through East Texas, possibly near Tyler, where Horace Chilton, a lawyer and statesman, made his mark. Born in 1853, Chilton started young, even publishing a newspaper at eighteen. He became a lawyer and…
You're driving through Tyler, and right here is where a musical dream took root! Back in 1934, a group of lawyers, oilmen, teachers, and students banded together to form the Tyler Symphony. Their goal? To make this East…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, and right here, at the corner of Fannin and Charnwood streets, once stood the Eastern Texas Female College. Founded in 1853 as the female department of Tyler University, it was a hub…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, a city that became a pivotal point in the state's efforts to address racial inequality. Right here, Dr. Martin Luther Edwards, a Black physician, was appointed to the state's first…
You're driving through Smith County, heading into Tyler. Right here is the birthplace of Hampson Boren Gary, a man who went from Tyler lawyer to fighting in the Spanish-American War, serving in the Texas Legislature,…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, a city that was home to Mary Louise McKellar Herndon. She was a prominent figure in both the temperance and women's suffrage movements in Texas. Born in Alabama in 1840, her family…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, the birthplace of jazz trumpet player Harold "Money" Johnson. Born in 1918, Johnson started playing at fifteen and was soon part of the Tyler Hotel orchestra in the early 1930s. His…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, a city that was home to Tignal W. Jones. Jones was a lawyer who, after serving in the Mexican-American War, moved to Tyler in 1856. When Texas seceded from the Union, he first…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, right where McDonald Lorance made his mark. He arrived here from Tennessee in 1844, and when this community was officially laid out in 1846, Lorance stepped up to become its very…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here, in Tyler, is where Frank David Quinn landed in 1931. He wasn't just a businessman; he was a park promoter! Quinn helped organize oil drilling operations in East Texas…
Right here in Tyler, you're driving through the heart of East Texas, a place that owes a lot to Thomas Boyd Ramey. He was a lawyer, an educator, and a true civic leader. Ramey was instrumental in founding not just Tyler…
You're driving through Smith County, Texas, near Tyler, where John C. Robertson made his home. Back in 1861, Robertson was a delegate to the Texas Secession Convention. Just days after Texas voted to leave the Union, he…
You're driving through Texas, and you might just be passing by a place that was once home to a unique experiment in state government: the All-Woman Supreme Court. Right here, in 1925, Governor Pat Neff appointed Ruth…
You're driving through Smith County, a place with a history stretching back centuries. Before Europeans arrived, the Caddo Indians called this land home. The first European to document it was a Spanish missionary in…
You're driving through East Texas, perhaps near Tyler, where John Dennis Stell spent his final days. Stell was a Georgia planter and politician who moved to Leon County, Texas, in 1855. He established a large cotton…
You're driving through Tyler right now, and you might just be missing the Texas Blues Festival! <break time="400ms"/> This annual event kicks off every April, filling the downtown streets with the soulful sounds of…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here in Tyler, Byron Tunnell began his remarkable career. He served as Speaker of the Texas House, known for instituting a dress code to professionalize its image. Imagine,…
Right here in Tyler, you're driving past the Tyler Museum of Art. It began as a project of the Tyler Junior League way back in 1967, and opened its doors in 1971. What's really interesting is that for years, this museum…
You're driving through Northeast Texas, a region with a Catholic history stretching back over 300 years. Right here, in what is now the Diocese of Tyler, the story of Catholicism in Texas began. In 1690, Franciscan…
You're driving through Tyler, the birthplace of Dr. Albert Woldert. <break time="400ms"/> He was a physician who returned to his hometown in 1901, not just to practice medicine, but to fight disease. <break…
You're driving through Tyler, Texas, a city that was once home to Olivia Jane Roberts Hubbard, known as Janie. She was the wife of Governor Richard Bennett Hubbard, Jr., and served as the First Lady of Texas from 1876…
You're driving through East Texas, maybe near Tyler. Back in the late 1800s, this area was the center of a scientific endeavor. It started in Austin in 1880 as the Academy of Science of Texas. Its founders hoped for…
You're driving through Texas, and right here, you're passing through the area that would eventually be named Donley County. But the man it's named for, Stockton P. Donley, had a dramatic Civil War experience. In…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here, you're passing through the history of a railroad that aimed to connect Tyler all the way to Sabine Pass. The Kansas and Gulf Short Line Railroad was chartered in 1880…
You're driving through Smith County, not far from Tyler, heading towards a massive body of water that's actually two lakes joined together. This is Lake Tyler, built primarily to supply water for the city. Construction…
You're driving through East Texas, perhaps near Tyler in Smith County. Right here, in the waning days of the Civil War, Dr. William H. Park was organizing troops. In late 1863, he helped form the Second Texas Infantry…
You're driving through East Texas, perhaps near Tyler, where Walter Lee Riggs spent over two decades working for the USDA. Born in San Antonio in 1946, Riggs was a veterinarian who served in the Air Force, including…
You're driving past the site of the First Baptist Church of Edom. Organized in the 1850s, this was one of the first Baptist churches in Van Zandt County. The congregation erected several buildings over the years,…
You're driving through East Texas, a land that was home to the Cherokee Nation long before settlers arrived. By 1820, they were well-established here, but tensions with newcomers grew. In 1839, Republic of Texas…
You're driving through East Texas, near Chandler. Look around, because you're passing over a battlefield. This is where John Crane died in 1839. Crane was a War of 1812 veteran who brought his family to Texas in 1834.…
You're driving past the Yarborough Home in Chandler, a place that's seen nearly a century and a half of family history. It's been occupied by the Spear and Yarborough families since 1903. This house is the birthplace of…
You're driving through Van Zandt County, and right here is Edom, the third oldest town in the county. It started out in 1849, a few miles from where we are now. It got its first post office in 1852, called Hamburg.…
You're driving past Concord Cemetery, established in the 1870s by settlers of the Concord Community. The earliest marked grave here belongs to Velinda Wood, dated July 31st, 1875. Today, it's the final resting place for…
You're driving past a piece of Texas history, the Tyler-Porter's Bluff Road. First mapped by state surveyors way back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1846</say-as>, this old trail might even pre-date Mexican…
You're driving through Tyler, where Thomas G. Pollard, Sr. left his mark. Born in 1895, Pollard became an attorney and a state representative for East Texas from 1919 to 1921. He then moved to the Texas Senate, serving…
As you drive, imagine this: during the Civil War, Tyler was home to a Confederate medical lab, one of only nine in the whole Confederacy and the only one west of the Mississippi! Right near here, at 'Headache Springs'…
You're driving past the site of Tyler's first Christian Church, also known as the Disciples of Christ. A congregation was first organized here in 1859, but disbanded during the Civil War. It wasn't until 1889 that a new…
You're driving through East Texas, near Van, where one of the Republic of Texas's biggest clashes with Native Americans took place: the Battle of the Neches. On July 15th and 16th, 1839, over a thousand warriors and…
You're driving near Ben Wheeler, where Stanger Springs Church was organized on July 3, 1875, with 27 charter members. Originally built on land donated by the Stanger family, it later became a shared space for both…
You're driving through Van Zandt County, a place that once proudly called itself 'The Free State of Van Zandt'! This nickname wasn't just about independence; settlers here in the 1840s could sleep outdoors without fear…
You're driving through Van Zandt County, and you're passing the park dedicated to Brady P. Gentry. Born right here in 1895, Gentry wasn't just a local figure. He rose to become Chairman of the Texas Highway Commission,…
You're cruising along near Big Sandy, and right here, you're passing the site of Walters' Bluff Ferry. This crossing on the Sabine River was a vital link for settlers heading north or south into Upshur and Smith…
You're driving by the site of Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, one of the oldest fellowships in Wood County. It began as Holly Springs Baptist Church of Christ, with its first meeting in 1853 at the home of pastor J. D. J.…
You're driving past the site associated with Colonel Richard B. Hubbard, a man who wore many hats in Texas. Born in Georgia in 1832, he came to Texas in 1853, becoming a Tyler lawyer and state legislator. But when the…
Golden, Texas. It's a small place, tucked away in Wood County, but it's punched above its weight for a long time. You wouldn't know it just driving through, but this little spot has been home to some serious talent.…
You're driving through Golden, and right here is the Reneau Building, a place that was the heart of this town for decades. It started in 1913 as a home for the local Masonic Lodge, but by 1916, it was also a general…
You're driving through the site of Starrville, a town that boomed and busted right here in Smith County. It all started in 1852 when Reverend Joshua Starr, a Methodist minister, bought land and laid out this town, even…
You're driving past the site of Old Rock Hill Cemetery, a final resting place for many early settlers in this part of Henderson County. The first known burial here was Thomas Clark, way back in 1851. Just a few years…
Hidden in the piney woods near Tyler was the largest Confederate prisoner of war camp west of the Mississippi. Camp Ford started in 1863 as a conscription post but quickly became a holding pen for captured Union…
You're driving through Van Zandt County, and right here is Ben Wheeler. This community was settled in the 1840s and first called Clough. But in 1878, it got its current name, Ben Wheeler, after a local mail carrier. He…
You're driving through Van Zandt County, the birthplace of Morgan Gurley Sanders. Born in 1878, Sanders wasn't just a small-town lawyer; he rose to represent Texas in the U.S. Congress for a decade, from 1920 to 1930.…
You're driving through Van Zandt County, a place that was once a major syrup-producing hub. Back in the late 1800s, folks migrating from the Deep South brought sugar cane and sorghum farming with them. Willis Jarrell…
You're driving through the historic heart of Ben Wheeler, a town with roots stretching back to 1868. It all started when George W. Clough bought 640 acres, and his land became the core of the original downtown. Clough…
You're driving through North Texas, and right here in Big Sandy is where Homer 'Wick' Fowler got his start. He became one of Texas's most colorful journalists, a crime reporter, a highway patrolman, and even an…
You're driving through East Texas, and right here near Big Sandy, you're passing through the birthplace of Henry 'Ragtime Texas' Thomas. Born in 1874 to former slaves, Thomas hated cotton farming and hit the road around…
You're driving through Big Sandy, a town that owes its very existence to the railroads. Back in the early 1870s, the Texas and Pacific Railway cut through this area. Then, around 1880, another line, the Tyler Tap,…
You're driving past the Phelps Home in Big Sandy, a house built around 1905 by merchant J. B. Rowe. It was purchased in 1909 by Ashley W. and Ruth Phelps, who ran a local dry goods store. After Ashley's death in 1922,…
You're driving past Smith Cemetery, a final resting place established by early settlers in this area. The land was originally part of a 640-acre grant to Mary "Polly" Long back in 1846. By 1857, the cemetery was already…
You're driving past the site of Flora Lodge, founded as Quitman Masonic Lodge back in 1852. It was named Flora Lodge on Christmas Day of that same year, and its original furniture cost just over ten dollars. The lodge…
You're driving through Wood County, and right here is Lake Fork Reservoir. It might look like just a big body of water, but it was built for a very specific purpose: to supply water for industry and cities like Dallas…
You're driving through Wood County, not far from Quitman, and right here in Hainesville, a mystery from Texas history might be buried beneath your tires. Back in the 1870s, construction workers digging for a mill…
You're driving through Wood County, and right here, you're passing through the area where Holly Springs once stood. This community owes its existence to Peter Magnus Gunstream, a Swedish immigrant and one of the…
You're driving through eastern Wood County, near Quitman, where the community of Little Hope got its name. In 1881, settlers organized the Little Hope Missionary Baptist Church. Legend has it, they named it that because…
You're driving through eastern Wood County, near where the community of Speer once stood. It all started in the early 1840s when Baptist minister Prescott Davis settled here, building bridges over Big Sandy Creek. But…
You're driving through Wood County, near the community of Stout. It all started around 1848, when Captain Henry Stout, one of the earliest settlers, arrived. He wasn't just a settler; he was the first county sheriff and…
You're driving through Wood County, and right here, just a mile north of Cloverhill, was the site of a major oil discovery. In 1943, Bobby Manziel struck oil, kicking off a brief boom for this small community. The…
You're driving through Wood County, not far from Quitman, and you're passing through the site of Redlands. This community has roots stretching back to the Martin Varner land grant, possibly the earliest white settlement…
You're driving through Wood County, near the waters of Lake Fork. Right here, over a thousand years ago, was a bustling Caddoan settlement known as the Taddlock Site. Between the years 1037 and 1070, people lived and…
You're driving through Wood County, and right here is the site of Webster, one of the oldest settlements in this area. It all started back in 1854 when Gilbert Smith Matthews bought this land and named it after…
You're driving through what used to be Cartwright, Texas, way out in Wood County. It wasn't always called Cartwright. Back in the 1850s, settlers called this place 'The Barrens' because it was so isolated and full of…
You're driving through Wood County, heading north of Quitman. Right here is the site of Coke, a community that owes its existence to a black rock. Coal was discovered nearby, and by 1885, this spot had a post office…
You're driving through Wood County, heading southeast of Quitman, and you're passing through the community of Crow. <break time="400ms"/> It started back in 1876 as Graham, a stop on the railroad. <break time="400ms"/>…
You're driving through Wood County, heading towards Lake Hawkins. Right here, you're passing through the community of Fouke. It started around 1873 as a Black community called Center, with a log building serving as…
You're driving through Wood County, near where a community once known as Greer's Neighborhood sprung up. It was likely named for Gaines Greer, an early landowner and sawmill owner. By 1864, a Baptist church was…
You're driving through Golden, Texas, a community that owes its start to the railroad. Back in the late 1870s, a sawmill kicked things off, but it was the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad building through in 1881…
You're driving through southern Wood County, and right here is Hoard, once known as Democrat. Before 1870, a schoolhouse called Democrat stood here. The community likely took its name from Hoard's Mill, which operated…
You're driving through what was once Mount Pisgah, a rural community in Wood County. Its story really starts in 1853, not here, but in the nearby community of Holly Springs. That's where the Holly Springs Baptist Church…
You're driving through eastern Wood County, not far from Quitman. Right here is the site of Ogburn, originally known as Jim Hogg. It all started around 1900 when J.W. Ogburn operated a sawmill. By 1908, Ogburn himself…
You're driving through East Texas, in what was once the community of Peach, also known as Genevie Switch or Elberta. This place owes its existence to timber, specifically the W. G. Ragley Lumber Company. They built a…
You're driving through Wood County, and right here is Perryville. This community sprung up around the intersection of Farm roads 2088 and 852, eight miles southeast of Winnsboro. Its story really begins in 1853, when…
You're driving through Wood County, near Quitman, on what's now Farm roads 14, 49, and 312. This area wasn't always called Pine Mills. Back in the 1850s, it was known as Liberty Hill, home to a sawmill and a church. By…
You're driving through Wood County, heading west of Winnsboro. Right here is the site of Pleasant Grove. It started in 1872, likely named for the big oak trees, when Henry Robinson opened a blacksmith shop. By 1896, it…
You're driving through Wood County, heading north of Quitman. You're passing through the area once known as Rock Hill. Settled as early as 1850 by Andrew Gilbreath, the community got its name from a local geological…
You're driving through Wood County, near Hawkins, and you might just pass through the old community of Smith. It was also known as Terrapin Neck, named by P.M. Faulk because of all the terrapins on his land near Big…
You're driving through Henderson County, right past the site of Old Normandy. This spot marks the very first Norwegian colony in Texas, founded way back in 1845. Johan Reinert Reierson, a Norwegian immigrant, advertised…
You're driving past the site of the Brownsboro Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery. Ole Reierson, after migrating from Norway in 1845, bought this land and chose it for his own burial. Before he died in 1852, he even carved…
You're driving through Quitman, and you're passing the site of the first brick structure ever built in Wood County. Look to your right! This home was erected in 1859 by James and Harriet Collins, who came here from…
You're driving through southern Smith County, near Gresham, and you're passing through the community of Noonday. Its story starts way back in the 1860s with the building of the Spring Hill Methodist Church. A post…
You're driving past Colfax Cemetery. In 1883, A. L. Kellam donated five acres to establish this burial ground. The first person laid to rest here in 1884 was Elisha Tunnell, who founded the community that would become…
You're driving past the land once settled by James Calhoun Hill, a true pioneer of this area. Arriving from Alabama in 1840, he led the very first permanent settlers into this vicinity. Hill was instrumental in…
You're driving past Prairie Springs Cemetery, which began in 1866 with the burial of R. W. Berry's infant grandson. Berry deeded land for the graveyard in 1880, though burials happened earlier. The cemetery was formally…
You're driving through Grand Saline, but you're passing the ghost of its original namesake: Jordans Saline. John Jordan settled here in 1844, and he and A.T. McGee organized a salt company. By 1860, this place had a…
You're driving through Henderson County, Texas, and the town of Brownsboro owes its name to John 'Red' Brown. He was an Irishman who settled near Nacogdoches in 1836, practicing law and farming. He was instrumental in…
You're driving near the Bascom Cemetery, a resting place for early Smith County settlers. The community of Bascom itself was settled in the mid-1840s and named for a Methodist bishop. Graves were moved here starting in…
You're driving past the early home of James Stephen Hogg, the man who would become governor of Texas. He bought this cottage in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1873</say-as>, right here in Quitman. Young Hogg was…
You're driving past the historic home of James A. Stinson, built right here in 1869. Stinson was a Confederate colonel who came to Texas after the Civil War and became a successful sawmill operator and early scientific…
You're driving past the historic Old Settlers Reunion Grounds near Quitman. In 1902, a local merchant and former county clerk, J. H. Jones, donated this land to the Old Settlers of Wood County Association. Founded just…
Adren Anglin came to Texas from Kentucky back in <say-as interpret-as="date" format="y">1833</say-as>. You're driving near where he helped build Fort Parker in Limestone County. By <say-as interpret-as="date"…
You're driving through Quitman, Texas, a town that once celebrated a legendary musical act: the Light Crust Doughboys. Formed in 1931, this band became a powerhouse of western swing music, performing across the country…
You're driving through Quitman, Texas, a town founded in 1850 and named for a governor of Mississippi and a hero of the Mexican War. Quitman's early growth was slow, but it became the center of a political battle in…
You're driving through East Texas, not far from Quitman, where Charles Taylor Bowling was born in 1891. He spent most of his life in Dallas, working as a draftsman for Texas Power and Light for nearly fifty years. But…
You're driving through Quitman, in Wood County, and right here south of downtown is Governor Jim Hogg City Park. It started as Quitman City Park back in 1941, but by 1946, it was named Governor Hogg Shrine State…
You're driving past Hawthorne Cemetery, also known as Turman Cemetery. Mississippi natives William and Emily Hawthorne moved here in 1867, and this burial ground takes its name from them, though their names aren't on…
You're driving through Quitman, in the heart of Wood County. Look around – this is where James Stephen Hogg started his incredible journey. Born near Rusk in 1851, Hogg was orphaned young and worked his way up from…
You're driving through Quitman, the county seat of Wood County, which was created way back in 1850. This courthouse you see has a fiery history! The first log courthouse was replaced by a frame building that burned down…
You're driving through Quitman, and right here is the site of the First Baptist Church, but its story starts way back in November of 1850. It was organized by pioneer settlers, and get this – the meeting was led by a…