Worst Small Town In Texas (Plano, Odessa: authority, trailer, housing)

[Darbro]

Originally Posted by Pooua

Marshall and, to a lesser extent, Longview are depressed areas, too. That's part of the reason that more Longview natives live in Dallas than in Longview. I spent 5 horrible years in Longview, made horrible largely because I could barely find employment. My AAS in Laser Electro-Optic Technology was, apparently, worthless to everyone out there. I did work in the IS Department of the hospital for a while, earning $6/hour. I moved to Longview to attend LeTourneau University, but then I found I could not support myself. It took me years to escape.

People in East Texas are odd. They have ape-like men with bad attitudes and the region has generally low literacy rates. Many of the people talk with a slow, lilting intonation. Many of the people won't make a right turn on red, even though they know it is legal and no traffic is coming. Even more make a turn by allowing their vehicle to coast almost to a stop, then they apply their brakes and maybe use their turn signal as they make a 90° angle turn.

I had a chuckle at this even though I'm an east Texas native. You're very right about the literacy rates. Since Longviews population is growing how is it depressed? Just wondering since my idea of a depressed town/city is one that has stagnant growth.

[spursfan]

To get off of East Texas, I think Pecos is my choice for one of the worst small towns. Ugly, flat, and depressed.

[Darbro]

Originally Posted by spursfan

To get off of East Texas, I think Pecos is my choice for one of the worst small towns. Ugly, flat, and depressed.

Someone said earlier that Pecos was on some list of the fastest growing small towns. What about it is depressed?

[Old Geezer]

I've lived in various parts of Texas since 1957 and I have a few "not good" places to live or visit:
Andrews and Lamesa in west Texas, Port Lavaca on the coast, Denison on the Ok border, Henderson in east Texas just to name a few. Although El Paso isn't small, it's not safe, especially on the freeways close to the Mexican border (bandits with guns have been known to stop traffic at night). In regards to a couple of comments at being stared at while eating in a small town... doesn't matter what color you are... if you are a stranger, they stare at you... doesn't matter what part of the state.

[DanielWayne]

Originally Posted by Old Geezer

I've lived in various parts of Texas since 1957 and I have a few "not good" places to live or visit:
Andrews and Lamesa in west Texas, Port Lavaca on the coast, Denison on the Ok border, Henderson in east Texas just to name a few. Although El Paso isn't small, it's not safe, especially on the freeways close to the Mexican border (bandits with guns have been known to stop traffic at night). In regards to a couple of comments at being stared at while eating in a small town... doesn't matter what color you are... if you are a stranger, they stare at you... doesn't matter what part of the state.

Very good point. I am Mexican descent, and years ago took a trip with a white guy and a Nicaraguan girl to Big Bend. We stopped in a tiny town to eat in W. Texas and you could hear a pin drop. Every time I looked up a different old dude was turning to look away from me. Another time, we crossed the river from Big Bend state park to the tiny Mexican town on the other side. I forget the name. (Before homeland security bs). But every second we were in that tiny town, the people on that side were staring. There were even a few older guys sitting on a rock that stared at us the whole time as our little aluminum boat rowed in. Didn't move a muscle. Just sat and stared. That was weird.

[Pooua]

Originally Posted by Darbro

I had a chuckle at this even though I'm an east Texas native. You're very right about the literacy rates. Since Longviews population is growing how is it depressed? Just wondering since my idea of a depressed town/city is one that has stagnant growth.

Is it growing? When I lived there, a decade ago, the news articles said it was struggling. I saw "For Sale" signs in front of houses all over town. According to Wikipedia, Longview has actually seen slight growth over the last decade:

2010: 80,455
2000: 73,344

However, I think that depression is more of an economic term than a demographic term. Again, Wikipedia provides the answer that Longview's median household income was $33,858 in 2000. For a family, it was $42,378, and per capita, it was $156,768. Yeah, I'm looking at that last number like it's a little out of place...

Longview, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Darbro]

Originally Posted by DanielWayne

Very good point. I am Mexican descent, and years ago took a trip with a white guy and a Nicaraguan girl to Big Bend. We stopped in a tiny town to eat in W. Texas and you could hear a pin drop. Every time I looked up a different old dude was turning to look away from me. Another time, we crossed the river from Big Bend state park to the tiny Mexican town on the other side. I forget the name. (Before homeland security bs). But every second we were in that tiny town, the people on that side were staring. There were even a few older guys sitting on a rock that stared at us the whole time as our little aluminum boat rowed in. Didn't move a muscle. Just sat and stared. That was weird.

Wow. Did that experience make you feel uncomfortable or did you just shrug it off.

[Darbro]

[quote=Old Geezer;23021056]I've lived in various parts of Texas since 1957 and I have a few "not good" places to live or visit:
Andrews and Lamesa in west Texas, Port Lavaca on the coast, Denison on the Ok border, Henderson in east Texas just to name a few. Although El Paso isn't small, it's not safe, especially on the freeways close to the Mexican border (bandits with guns have been known to stop traffic at night). In regards to a couple of comments at being stared at while eating in a small town... doesn't matter what color you are... if you are a stranger, they stare at you... doesn't matter what part of the state.[/quote]

I get what you're saying it's just that in my case the stares I was getting were like daggers. Like how dare I come to their town kinda thing. I was thinking what did I do? So, thats why I made the comment about not knowing if it was race related or not.

[Darbro]

Originally Posted by Pooua

Is it growing? When I lived there, a decade ago, the news articles said it was struggling. I saw "For Sale" signs in front of houses all over town. According to Wikipedia, Longview has actually seen slight growth over the last decade:

2010: 80,455
2000: 73,344

However, I think that depression is more of an economic term than a demographic term. Again, Wikipedia provides the answer that Longview's median household income was $33,858 in 2000. For a family, it was $42,378, and per capita, it was $156,768. Yeah, I'm looking at that last number like it's a little out of place...

Longview, Texas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ok gotcha.

[Pemberly283]

Bay city is awful. Polluted by refineries and close to a nuclear plant