East Texas Country getting abandoned? (Houston, Dallas: house, living in, costs)

[Davidlewisville]

I drove across East Texas yesterday from Dallas, Tx by way of 175 through Kaufman, Kemp, Cedar Creek Lake d Mabank Eustance to Athens, then 19 through Montilba, then picked up 287 right before Palestine then drove through Palestine, Eureka, Grapeland, Crockett, Groveton, Corringan, Chester and my destination Woodville where Heritage Village Pickett House is. And went back 190 and went through Indian Village and Springs, Livingston, Lake Livingston Onalaska Point Blank then finally caught 45 back to Dallas. I have childhood memories of Tyler County Woodville so I know about this area I just want to ask it just seems a of this area is being abandoned it's just so sad to me especially the areas Crockett and southeastward to Woodville except for Livingston and Lake Livingston and Huntsville but the 287 corridor seems abandoned especially south of Crockett. Even the biggest town Palestine seemed a little more abandoned this time is the lack of jobs or what is it about this area of Texas that's causing people to move away. The most successful areas seems close to the lakes like Cedar Creek and Livingston which I know they are only an hour from the cities Dallas or Houston. Does anybody have an opinion in this area.

[KathrynAragon]

Palestine hasn't grown but it's population has remained pretty steady over the past twenty years. Crockett's population has dropped. Woodville's population has dropped dramatically.

You're describing the subcultural area of "deep east Texas" and living in northeast Texas but owning property in Crockett, I can tell a distinct difference in the subregions of East Texas. It seems like between NE Texas and Beaumont, there's not a lot of activity or change. I know that's a gross overgeneralization, but like you, I don't see these towns growing, and many of them are shrinking or fading away.

I think people are moving to the larger metro areas rather than sticking around these small towns. It's sort of sad to see them fade out.

[DanielWayne]

As you get closer to Woodville, you are getting closer to the Golden Triangle. I wonder if Hurricanes Rita and Ike had a part in this. There are lots and lots and lots of places around the triangle where people just up and left instead of rebuild after the hurricanes. Then there was the nationwide economic stagnation that followed the hurricanes.

I have relatives who drive in from the Jasper area to work in the Triangle. I don't doubt it's the same for other areas that far north. I'm pretty sure they are interconnected. When stuff dried up in the Triangle, it probably led to the death of a lot of businesses in towns north of the Triangle, too.

However, there are some huge natural gas projects in the works closer to Louisiana, so maybe things will turn around in the next decade or so. Let's hope so.

[Thoreau424]

Costs keep going up, all around us. You'll find the same gradual thinning out of areas not only in Texas, but throughout the country. Shifts in population based on contemporary circumstances. I've looked at many towns around the country of various size, and often seen where a particular one increases in population, then suddenly goes down, then recovers. Jobs/businesses/economy stuff, and the oscillations of life...

Now, if you really want to dig deeper into the marrow of east Texas, research the many ghost towns in that region. Those were yesterdays abandoned towns that you won't even see from the road. In other words, this has been going on for many decades, into the hundreds of years.

[KathrynAragon]

Meanwhile, as a whole, the population of east Texas is growing - but it's growing in established metro areas, not the little towns.

[texasdiver]

It's not just east Texas. Get off the freeways and drive around west Texas through any area that is beyond commuting distance to a major metro area and you see the same thing. Or frankly anywhere in the Great Plains from TX to the Dakotas that isn't oil patch country.

[C24L]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

It's not just east Texas. Get off the freeways and drive around west Texas through any area that is beyond commuting distance to a major metro area and you see the same thing. Or frankly anywhere in the Great Plains from TX to the Dakotas that isn't oil patch country.

I agree.The Great Plains are hollowing out for sure.Good post, texasdiver.

[KathrynAragon]

Heck, try rural ANYWHERE - not just in Texas.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Heck, try rural ANYWHERE - not just in Texas.

I can't help thinking of the movie from years ago that was nominated for many Academy Awards at the time, and the sequel. Larry McMurtry, the author of the book on which the movie is based, lives in one of the typical small fading Texas towns that was the setting used for filming the movie.

Last Picture Show

In 1998 the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Texasville

[Kthnry]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Heck, try rural ANYWHERE - not just in Texas.

Even in New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the country, the rural areas are emptying out.