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Poorly kept lawns, ugly houses, poorly maintained roads, no side walks, no curbs, - that's definitely east Texas.
2 or 3 of those were nice. The rest looked like scenes from Deliverence.
Actually they remind me a little of my small hometown in New England, not quite Deliverance. Most streets in America do not have sidewalks. The lawns looked fine for the most part. Not everyone has The Lawn Doctor on speed dial. I think the OP was trying to say that Texas does have natural beauty outside The Hill Country. It's not all cookie cutter concrete slabs on built on former ranches. There's something very unnatural about that.
Those Nacogdoches neighborhoods are pretty in terms of nature, but I would say that a few Central Austin neighborhoods have steeper hills, as much tree cover - oak and HUGE cypress trees on the waterfront - rather than pine - plus water views: so Travis Heights, the western edge of Tarrytown and the eastern edge of Rollingwood.
Two of the most dramatic residential neighborhoods in terms of NATURAL scenery that I have seen in the state of Texas would be Mt. Bonnell Road in Austin, and Ransom Canyon in Lubbock (which I am surprised has not come up in this thread), plus there are too many neighborhoods in El Paso to mention that have SPECTACULAR mountain views. El Paso has by far the most scenic backdrop/surroundings of any Texas city with the Franklin mountains.
I like old houses so for me the most architecturally beautiful neighborhoods would be the East End of Galveston, King William and Olmos Park in San Antonio, Swiss Avenue, Kessler Park and Highland Park in Dallas, River Oaks in Houston, Charnwood and Brick Streets in Tyler, plus Hyde Park and Old West Austin in Austin.
And there are literally dozens of small towns across the state that have beautiful old leafy neighborhoods. I have a soft spot for the river towns of south and east central Texas: Bastrop, Gonzales, Smithville, Goliad, Columbus all have small but very beautiful historic neighborhoods that combine scenic bluffs, huge tree canopies and charming old houses. There are more. And the small towns of the trans-Pecos have gorgeous natural environs.
So while East Texas certainly has its share of naturally beautiful neighborhoods, there are equally if not more naturally beautiful neighborhoods west of the Pine Curtain. That said, I also think Texas also has huge neighborhoods of some of the ugliest middle class housing in the world: Most of the northern suburbs of Austin and DFW (apologies to downtown McKinney, which is lovely) and the western suburbs of Houston contain vast stretches of flat treeless purely functional tract housing, entirely without architectural or natural interest.
Those Nacogdoches neighborhoods are pretty in terms of nature, but I would say that a few Central Austin neighborhoods have steeper hills, as much tree cover - oak and HUGE cypress trees on the waterfront - rather than pine - plus water views: so Travis Heights, the western edge of Tarrytown and the eastern edge of Rollingwood.
Two of the most dramatic residential neighborhoods in terms of NATURAL scenery that I have seen in the state of Texas would be Mt. Bonnell Road in Austin, and Ransom Canyon in Lubbock (which I am surprised has not come up in this thread), plus there are too many neighborhoods in El Paso to mention that have SPECTACULAR mountain views. El Paso has by far the most scenic backdrop/surroundings of any Texas city with the Franklin mountains.
I like old houses so for me the most architecturally beautiful neighborhoods would be the East End of Galveston, King William and Olmos Park in San Antonio, Swiss Avenue, Kessler Park and Highland Park in Dallas, River Oaks in Houston, Charnwood and Brick Streets in Tyler, plus Hyde Park and Old West Austin in Austin.
And there are literally dozens of small towns across the state that have beautiful old leafy neighborhoods. I have a soft spot for the river towns of south and east central Texas: Bastrop, Gonzales, Smithville, Goliad, Columbus all have small but very beautiful historic neighborhoods that combine scenic bluffs, huge tree canopies and charming old houses. There are more. And the small towns of the trans-Pecos have gorgeous natural environs.
So while East Texas certainly has its share of naturally beautiful neighborhoods, there are equally if not more naturally beautiful neighborhoods west of the Pine Curtain. That said, I also think Texas also has huge neighborhoods of some of the ugliest middle class housing in the world: Most of the northern suburbs of Austin and DFW (apologies to downtown McKinney, which is lovely) and the western suburbs of Houston contain vast stretches of flat treeless purely functional tract housing, entirely without architectural or natural interest.
I personally do not agree, but to each his own.
There may be some Austin neighborhoods that technically have the same amount of tree and plant coverage, but the sheer volume and skyscraping height of East Texas trees is what's so extraordinary, and it's unmatched by any other place in the state.
Olmos Park in San Antonio is hard to beat. Certain parts of Terrell Hills and Alamo Heights are also pretty stunning. In Dallas I would have to go with Highland Park (Don't go to the Highland Park in San Antonio...totally different)
Monte Vista also in SA, although many homes are much newer than Olmos Park, Hill Country Village (estab. 1956) and Shavano Park (estab. 1956) with their huge lots have some stunning homes.
There may be some Austin neighborhoods that technically have the same amount of tree and plant coverage, but the sheer volume and skyscraping height of East Texas trees is what's so extraordinary, and it's unmatched by any other place in the state.
Sure, the pine trees in parts of East Texas are the tallest trees in the state, but natural beauty is more than just tall pine trees. Pine trees also produce a pretty boring monoculture. Nothing except acid loving plants grows underneath them. The neighborhoods in central Austin on both sides of Ladybird lake and Lake Austin have towering cliffs, much more dramatic elevation changes than anything in East Texas, plus tall trees: various kinds of oak, cypress, cedar, palm trees plus water views. Those neighborhoods in Nacogdoches are pretty, but in terms of natural beauty, which is always kinda subjective, they cannot really compare with the diversity of flora found in Austin, which is at the crossroads of multiple ecosystems so the variety of indigenous plants is way bigger: live oaks, post oaks, pin oaks, fields of wild flowers in the spring, magnolias and dogwoods plus euphorbia and cactus; much steeper and bigger hills, and views of large bodies of water.
There is a reason that the residential neighborhoods around Lake Austin and Ladybird Lake are some of the most expensive real estate in the state and why celebrities who could live anywhere in the world choose to live there. The waterfront neighborhoods in Austin are SPECTACULAR in terms of natural beauty. Residential neighborhoods in East Texas towns can occasional rise to the pretty. Parts of rural East Texas are gorgeous, Caddo lake approaches the sublime, but it pales compared to Big Bend. Nacogdoches is no prettier than Bastrop, which, while I think it is lovely and under-rated, is fairly considered the ugly side of Austin.
Sure, the pine trees in parts of East Texas are the tallest trees in the state, but natural beauty is more than just tall pine trees. Pine trees also produce a pretty boring monoculture. Nothing except acid loving plants grows underneath them. The neighborhoods in central Austin on both sides of Ladybird lake and Lake Austin have towering cliffs, much more dramatic elevation changes than anything in East Texas, plus tall trees: various kinds of oak, cypress, cedar, palm trees plus water views. Those neighborhoods in Nacogdoches are pretty, but in terms of natural beauty, which is always kinda subjective, they cannot really compare with the diversity of flora found in Austin, which is at the crossroads of multiple ecosystems so the variety of indigenous plants is way bigger: live oaks, post oaks, pin oaks, fields of wild flowers in the spring, magnolias and dogwoods plus euphorbia and cactus; much steeper and bigger hills, and views of large bodies of water.
There is a reason that the residential neighborhoods around Lake Austin and Ladybird Lake are some of the most expensive real estate in the state and why celebrities who could live anywhere in the world choose to live there. The waterfront neighborhoods in Austin are SPECTACULAR in terms of natural beauty. Residential neighborhoods in East Texas towns can occasional rise to the pretty. Parts of rural East Texas are gorgeous, Caddo lake approaches the sublime, but it pales compared to Big Bend. Nacogdoches is no prettier than Bastrop, which, while I think it is lovely and under-rated, is fairly considered the ugly side of Austin.
Like you said, it's subjective, and I certainly don't agree with Nacogdoches being only as attractive as Bastrop. In fact, that's quite a slight, as far as I'm concerned. The Lost Pines in Central Texas are babies compared to the conifers further east.
Still, it's a common misconception that East Texas and the rest of the Southeast is just tall pine trees. In actuality, the ET region is home to a very large assortment of flora: Pines aren't the only tall trees in the area, as there are many oaks, maples, hickory, elm, sweetgum, and even some poplar that can sometimes get to well over 100 feet. These same trees put on a nice display of fall foliage in November; something else Central Texas doesn't really have. Aside from this, you also have species of palms, cedar, large, old growth stands of cypress (like those that surround Caddo Lake), fields of wildflowers, and even cacti.
It all comes down to what one prefers. I grew up in eastern Texas, so, as I've stated earlier, I've always been partial to humid, rainy climates that yield a lush and very verdant landscape. I've simply never been fond of drier, Western-looking landscapes, even if they were very hilly. I'm aware that there are plenty of trees in Austin, but it's nothing so extraordinary that I couldn't find east of I-45. After all, there's a reason that East Texas is known for its forests, while Central Texas really isn't. I also have to assume that most of the taller trees in Austin were planted.
Also, while I never understood the whole concept of hilly=beautiful/flatter=ugly, the hills of East Texas are drastically underrated, and few people are aware that you can find your sweeping vistas, waterfront homes and the like. But when I do desire more rugged terrain, I can head up into western Arkansas, where I can get all of the elevation changes CT has along with the vegetation I love.
[quote=homeinatx;33774420]Those neighborhoods in Nacogdoches are pretty, but in terms of natural beauty, which is always kinda subjective, they cannot really compare with the diversity of flora found in Austin /QUOTE]
Personally, I also prefer Austin (or at least parts of it) over East Texas. And, I can see how the casual observer might perceive it to have more diverse flora. However, consider this about the Big Thicket in East Texas (quoting from Wikipedia):
"The Big Thicket has been described as one of the most biodiverse areas in the world outside of the tropics. Today the Big Thicket retains numerous species, and has been described as the "biological crossroads of North America" or the "American Ark". The area contains over 100 species of trees and shrubs, but is dominated by Longleaf Pine ... The National Park Service lists more than one thousand species of flowering plants and ferns that can also be found in the thicket, including 20 orchids and four types of carnivorous plants. Animal life includes 300 species of migratory and nesting birds, many endangered or threatened. The thicket is also home to numerous reptile species, including all four groups of North American venomous snakes and alligators.
Those neighborhoods in Nacogdoches are pretty, but in terms of natural beauty, which is always kinda subjective, they cannot really compare with the diversity of flora found in Austin /QUOTE]
Personally, I also prefer Austin (or at least parts of it) over East Texas. And, I can see how the casual observer might perceive it to have more diverse flora. However, consider this about the Big Thicket in East Texas (quoting from Wikipedia):
"The Big Thicket has been described as one of the most biodiverse areas in the world outside of the tropics. Today the Big Thicket retains numerous species, and has been described as the "biological crossroads of North America" or the "American Ark". The area contains over 100 species of trees and shrubs, but is dominated by Longleaf Pine ... The National Park Service lists more than one thousand species of flowering plants and ferns that can also be found in the thicket, including 20 orchids and four types of carnivorous plants. Animal life includes 300 species of migratory and nesting birds, many endangered or threatened. The thicket is also home to numerous reptile species, including all four groups of North American venomous snakes and alligators.
Ain't nobody got time for that!!
For the record I have enjoyed learning, and seeing East Texas in this thread
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