So, this was one of the towns they warned me about. I had already heard that it had been (and sometimes still is) rife with white nationalist activity. And of course, few towns get their own documentaries. Fun fact: one of Marshall's nicknames is the "Athens of Texas." Which I find hilarious since I was … Continue reading 172. Marshall, Harrison County →

We've been here many, many times.  Heck, I've even been to this courthouse on several occasions for various reasons.  The girls' grandparents live in a small town on the outskirts of Longview.  Apparently their town decided to incorporate before Longview annexed them and placed the yoke of their tax rates upon them.  I've never been … Continue reading 171. Longview, Gregg County →

We've been in and through the Rose Capital of the World a great many times in our travels.  With around a hundred thousand people, it's the region's biggest city, a semi-cultural mecca, and a little, semi-liberal island in the red northeastern sea of East Texas, a place whose top three exports are oil, cotton, and … Continue reading 170. Tyler, Smith County →

Now this is a courthouse.  This is a building where the work of the people is conducted.  Even if it isn't old and pedigreed with a storied past, this building imposes itself upon the town, drawing saint, sinner, and supplicant into its orbit.  I would almost think it overpowers the town.  It's small and I … Continue reading 169. Quitman, Wood County →

Remember I mentioned that I had a couple of friends with ancestors who are namesakes for counties?  Well, here's the second one.  The courthouse seems tiny, but I like the aesthetic of it.  Something about the wings coming off it sets it apart a bit.  Otherwise another courthouse down.  At this point, the girls decided … Continue reading 168. Emory, Rains County →

A fine example of the WPA at work, here in this tiny little town. I don't really know what to say about Canton because even in the moment it left little impression. But it is a nice little town, I guess. That being said, the cache location, grabbed on the way into town, was a … Continue reading 167. Canton, Van Zandt County →

Another stop on the way to East Texas. Unlike Corsicana, however, Athens has a great loop around it so this is probably the third time I've ever actually been in in town. It was also getting close to lunch time so the girls and I decided to get some food after we grabbed the cache. … Continue reading 166. Athens, Henderson County →