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I've lived in East Texas for over 18 years into my young adult life. Not to mention my family tree in East Texas is over a 100 years old so i'm all too familiar with East Texas including Tyler. Outside of the amenities It's way more in common than the small differences. This is not Miami to Orlando difference here.
You do have an honest general accurate assessment of the area. However, the amenities of Tyler, contribute in ways you would not realize, that does make Tyler stand out overall, in ways you would not understand, unless you lived here, IMHO.
Speaking of living here, I know you said you're from other areas of East Texas, and it looks like you live in screwtown Houston now, which as I megacity, which I really like Houston, in may ways. However, Tyler has changed in the last ten years, not so much in tremendous population increase, not, but in ways, it simple separates itself from all of East Texas. Now, I'm done, and I do RESPECT your opinion, you and everyone are entitled to theirs, even if they just have a general over opinions from hearing Tyler is the Rose Capital of ..., that's it or in the past the home of Earl Campbell, sometimes that is their very limited knowledge, but please don't just lump Tyler in as being "just like" or similar to most towns Tyler's size, anyway in Texas, at least.
You do have an honest general accurate assessment of the area. However, the amenities of Tyler, contribute in ways you would not realize, that does make Tyler stand out overall, in ways you would not understand, unless you lived here, IMHO.
Speaking of living here, I know you said you're from other areas of East Texas, and it looks like you live in screwtown Houston now, which as I megacity, which I really like Houston, in may ways. However, Tyler has changed in the last ten years, not so much in tremendous population increase, not, but in ways, it simple separates itself from all of East Texas. Now, I'm done, and I do RESPECT your opinion, you and everyone are entitled to theirs, even if they just have a general over opinions from hearing Tyler is the Rose Capital of ..., that's it or in the past the home of Earl Campbell, sometimes that is their very limited knowledge, but please don't just lump Tyler in as being "just like" or similar to most towns Tyler's size, anyway in Texas, at least.
The amenities make Tyler stand out in comparison to other East Texas cities but how is it by and large DIFFERENT? I have family from Tyler, have 2 ex gf's from Tyler, also have some friends in and from Tyler. What am I missing about Tyler's amenities that differentiates from other East Texas areas.
We can agree that majority of the transplants in Tyler are from other parts of East Texas. Maybe just maybe the bulk of those East Texans moved into Tyler because of it's amenities and the familiarity of Tyler in comparison to East Texas.
Does Caldwell Zoo define Tyler's personality? Is it the Azalea Trails(Nac has the largest Azalea garden and trail btw)? The East Texas Symphony Association? (hence EAST TEXAS)
Tyler has a Super 1's and Brookshire's just like any other part of East Texas. Let's not fool ourselves here. Culturally,Socially it's still East Texas.
The amenities make Tyler stand out in comparison to other East Texas cities but how is it by and large DIFFERENT? I have family from Tyler, have 2 ex gf's from Tyler, also have some friends in and from Tyler. What am I missing about Tyler's amenities that differentiates from other East Texas areas.
We can agree that majority of the transplants in Tyler are from other parts of East Texas. Maybe just maybe the bulk of those East Texans moved into Tyler because of it's amenities and the familiarity of Tyler in comparison to East Texas.
Does Caldwell Zoo define Tyler's personality? Is it the Azalea Trails(Nac has the largest Azalea garden and trail btw)? The East Texas Symphony Association? (hence EAST TEXAS)
Tyler has a Super 1's and Brookshire's just like any other part of East Texas. Let's not fool ourselves here. Culturally,Socially it's still East Texas.
I give, you either ignored about 8 or 10 other specific reasons plus several general reasons, when you combine them ALL makes the entire/whole difference, significant. We are going to believe what we are going to believe. I don't know the people you KNOW that live here. Maybe they don't get OUT, I have found people who have been here years, that complain about not enough to do, that I've shared with them about opportunities they have never tried nor knew anything about. They need to at least read the E-Guide.
Plus you haven't answered my specific question or questions, when have you spent any "recent" significant amounts of times here? Have you read my lists I've given about some of the significant differences if so, I would think most people would think there are enough listed to add up to a notable difference.
If I moved to ANY other place in East Texas, I would notice way too many differences and not enough add-on's at the new place to replace what I would miss. I know all the towns you mentioned very very well, many times and visits to those places for over the last 60 years. I even check them out as they as changed somewhat. Just so I am informed about what I say, on C.D.
Yes, there was a time in the last 60 years where I would completely agree without, no notable differences, but this not what I SEE, today. We just simply agree to disagree, I suppose. But you still did not respond to my previous list of major OTHER differences you have not responded to, by grammar, I know. Even Socially, it has changed more than the other cities, at least to a noticeable degree, and this is positive, I think, IMHO. lol No, of course, not like Austin for sure, or the other mega metros, even Corpus, but Tyler is NOT like Longview or Marshall, give me a break, lol
The amenities make Tyler stand out in comparison to other East Texas cities but how is it by and large DIFFERENT? I have family from Tyler, have 2 ex gf's from Tyler, also have some friends in and from Tyler. What am I missing about Tyler's amenities that differentiates from other East Texas areas.
We can agree that majority of the transplants in Tyler are from other parts of East Texas. Maybe just maybe the bulk of those East Texans moved into Tyler because of it's amenities and the familiarity of Tyler in comparison to East Texas.
Does Caldwell Zoo define Tyler's personality? Is it the Azalea Trails(Nac has the largest Azalea garden and trail btw)? The East Texas Symphony Association? (hence EAST TEXAS)
Tyler has a Super 1's and Brookshire's just like any other part of East Texas. Let's not fool ourselves here. Culturally,Socially it's still East Texas.
I have family in Tyler too and honestly, I think it is the "premiere" city in East Texas. It has a college (with branches in other East Texas cities), an airport with commercial flights, a great healthcare scene for a city its size, the Rose Garden, and a way better food scene than any other city in East Texas north of Beaumont. Longview has most of that stuff, but Tyler is a nicer city in general if you ask me. Places like Lufkin, Marshall, Palestine, Nacogdoches etc. are a little smaller and don't have quite as much to offer imo.
But I do agree with you that outside of those things, culturally, its not much different from the rest of East Texas. It's just a bit more going on there when compared with most of the other cities in East Texas.
I have family in Tyler too and honestly, I think it is the "premiere" city in East Texas. It has a college (with branches in other East Texas cities), an airport with commercial flights, a great healthcare scene for a city its size, the Rose Garden, and a way better food scene than any other city in East Texas north of Beaumont. Longview has most of that stuff, but Tyler is a nicer city in general if you ask me. Places like Lufkin, Marshall, Palestine, Nacogdoches etc. are a little smaller and don't have quite as much to offer imo.
But I do agree with you that outside of those things, culturally, its not much different from the rest of East Texas. It's just a bit more going on there when compared with most of the other cities in East Texas.
This EXACTLY.
I've lived in East Texas for 25 years and about 18 of those years was in the Tyler metro area. When I moved out of it, I tried to tell myself "East Texas is East Texas - how different can it really be?" (I'm not originally from Texas.)
Well, long story short, I found out the differences when I left them. I realized that yes, while Tyler is an East Texas city, and a southern city, it is definitely the best city of it's size I've ever lived in (I moved to the Longview area for 8 years and got to know Longview/Marshall/etc. very well - also I worked for a company with a big branch in Nac and traveled there a lot as well). And that's saying something since I've lived literally all over the world.
I give, you either ignored about 8 or 10 other specific reasons plus several general reasons, when you combine them ALL makes the entire/whole difference, significant. We are going to believe what we are going to believe. I don't know the people you KNOW that live here. Maybe they don't get OUT, I have found people who have been here years, that complain about not enough to do, that I've shared with them about opportunities they have never tried nor knew anything about. They need to at least read the E-Guide.
Plus you haven't answered my specific question or questions, when have you spent any "recent" significant amounts of times here? Have you read my lists I've given about some of the significant differences if so, I would think most people would think there are enough listed to add up to a notable difference.
If I moved to ANY other place in East Texas, I would notice way too many differences and not enough add-on's at the new place to replace what I would miss. I know all the towns you mentioned very very well, many times and visits to those places for over the last 60 years. I even check them out as they as changed somewhat. Just so I am informed about what I say, on C.D.
Yes, there was a time in the last 60 years where I would completely agree without, no notable differences, but this not what I SEE, today. We just simply agree to disagree, I suppose. But you still did not respond to my previous list of major OTHER differences you have not responded to, by grammar, I know. Even Socially, it has changed more than the other cities, at least to a noticeable degree, and this is positive, I think, IMHO. lol No, of course, not like Austin for sure, or the other mega metros, even Corpus, but Tyler is NOT like Longview or Marshall, give me a break, lol
I was just in Tyler 2 weekends ago and while I saw some changes it still culturally feels like the same premiere city in East Texas. Meaning biggest city gets amenities other East Texas cities generally don’t have BUT again it doesn’t completely give the city that big of a difference in the culture, political and social makeup of the city. Maybe to Tyler residents who want to separate themselves from the rest of East Texas but a Zoo, a expanding medical center(which was impressive when I lived in ETX)couple new breweries, a updated amphitheater in Bergfeld Park, generic shopping center with a movie studio grill and some coffee shops does not differentiate Tyler enough to the point where the city is CULTURALLY different which is my argument.
You can see a clear distinction between Austin,Dallas, Houston, San Antonio that shapes those cities to generally have their own unique culture, local politics, and even accents.
Tyler/Longview and all the surrounding areas share the same media first and foremost. Still have the same 903 zip code. Most East Texas cities are generally ran by conservatives and Smith,Gregg and Harrison county still lean heavily conservative. It’s still a culture of romanticizing the Deep South on display in Tyler just like Marshall. The Roseland Plantation/Dewberry/ Civil War re-enactments/ United Daughters of the confederacy/etc.
Even with all the millennials from other parts of East Texas choosing Tyler instead of the bigger cities you still have a heavy religious influence on local government and businesses that can be seen all over East Texas.
I noticed it even more when I moved out of East Texas. So with that said Tyler is noticeable different as far as growth in amenities but culturally where’s the noticeable difference? I’ve yet to see any listed outside of amenities. Amenities doesn’t generally define big cities either btw.
I have family in Tyler too and honestly, I think it is the "premiere" city in East Texas. It has a college (with branches in other East Texas cities), an airport with commercial flights, a great healthcare scene for a city its size, the Rose Garden, and a way better food scene than any other city in East Texas north of Beaumont. Longview has most of that stuff, but Tyler is a nicer city in general if you ask me. Places like Lufkin, Marshall, Palestine, Nacogdoches etc. are a little smaller and don't have quite as much to offer imo.
But I do agree with you that outside of those things, culturally, its not much different from the rest of East Texas. It's just a bit more going on there when compared with most of the other cities in East Texas.
That’s literally what I said. It’s East Texas premier city but culturally it’s still same ol good boy system East Texas.
OK, so Tyler is the "premier East Texas city" amenities wise. Of COURSE it's culturally "East Texas" to some extent. It is in East Texas. It's a southern city. That's not a bad thing by the way.
I get what you're saying about the cultural aspect but I beg to differ even on that. The vibe is quite different from that of say, Jacksonville, Marshall, Lufkin, etc. A lot of that has to do with size, but it also has to do with the job market.
Another interesting fact - even though Texas is one of the very "youngest" states out of the fifty states, when it comes to median age, Tyler is even "younger" median age wise than the state of Texas in general. This also makes a difference in the feel or vibe of Tyler.
You know what this "debate" reminds me of? It reminds me of a similar one, on this very forum, a few years ago. Native East Texans were swearing up and down that they ARE "The Deep South." Having lived in the Deep South" for much of my life, and then having moved to NE Texas, I am here to tell you that Texas is "the south," but there are a LOT of differences between truly "Deep South" states (like Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia) and NE Texas. Now that's not a bad thing, but it's a true thing. People who had lived in the Deep South and then moved to Texas agreed with me, but native East Texans or people who had lived here all of their adult life were literally mad at me, because they identified as being from the Deep South. I kept trying to tell them, "Listen, I see it as a good thing - you're southern AND you're Texan - it's all good. You're just not from the DEEP South." But they "couldn't tell the difference" and no amount of trying to explain it made a bit of difference to them.
I feel like that now. I'm not from here. I've lived in NE Texas for over 25 years and not just in Tyler. I've also lived in central Texas so I can see the differences, not only for Texas in general, but between East Texas cities. I have two immediate family members who graduated from ETBU in Marshall in fact. I have immediate family who live in Jacksonville, and in Longview. I have immediate family who live in Kilgore. I'm pretty darn familiar with these regions and towns. If a person can't see the differences in culture, I can't make them see it, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. And to me, they are very obvious.
Of course there are similarities as well - they are all in East Texas.
I was just in Tyler 2 weekends ago and while I saw some changes it still culturally feels like the same premiere city in East Texas. Meaning biggest city gets amenities other East Texas cities generally don’t have BUT again it doesn’t completely give the city that big of a difference in the culture, political and social makeup of the city. Maybe to Tyler residents who want to separate themselves from the rest of East Texas but a Zoo, a expanding medical center(which was impressive when I lived in ETX)couple new breweries, a updated amphitheater in Bergfeld Park, generic shopping center with a movie studio grill and some coffee shops does not differentiate Tyler enough to the point where the city is CULTURALLY different which is my argument.
You can see a clear distinction between Austin,Dallas, Houston, San Antonio that shapes those cities to generally have their own unique culture, local politics, and even accents.
Tyler/Longview and all the surrounding areas share the same media first and foremost. Still have the same 903 zip code. Most East Texas cities are generally ran by conservatives and Smith,Gregg and Harrison county still lean heavily conservative. It’s still a culture of romanticizing the Deep South on display in Tyler just like Marshall. The Roseland Plantation/Dewberry/ Civil War re-enactments/ United Daughters of the confederacy/etc.
Even with all the millennials from other parts of East Texas choosing Tyler instead of the bigger cities you still have a heavy religious influence on local government and businesses that can be seen all over East Texas.
I noticed it even more when I moved out of East Texas. So with that said Tyler is noticeable different as far as growth in amenities but culturally where’s the noticeable difference? I’ve yet to see any listed outside of amenities. Amenities doesn’t generally define big cities either btw.
Amenities to me, partly defines a city. You fail to mention the East Texas Symphony, it's be formed for over 80 years, as I think I remember, I have the Houston Symphony as a good comparison. Hear me, NO, it is not as large as the H.S. nor as good, as good, maybe. But more importantly, just take a look at all that comes to the U.T.Cowen Center Performing Arts Center. There is no place in East Texas that comes near to the number and quality of these performances. Amenities, again, do make a huge difference, or I would not be here. Well, Tyler draws me here to a large degree because of the vegetation, mix of trees, but much of East Texas has this, nope not the rest of Texas, another distinction.
Again, amenities, partly define a big city to me. DFW, you've got the Texas Rangers, Cowboys, water parks, Six Flags, Bass Hall. Houston ...
Now, I did not necessarily want to bring this big difference up: I just listened, to a speaker, NOT from Tyler, say he did a study that showed or determined there are at least 15 different culture "groups" in the Tyler Area, now he explained not just 15 different cultures, but culture "groups."
My addition to this, where in East Texas is there two Mosques, let alone, in one city. One is Sunni, one Shia
Culturally,politically and socially for the most part Tyler is no different than any other city or town in East Texas. It's the biggest city in East Texas and has the most amenities so it is the premier city of East Texas. That's where the differences lie between a Tyler or a Marshall. It's in the amenities/population. But like I said politically and culturally it's generally the same. Each cities and towns do have their own distinct characteristics but nothing to different where you'll notice it as soon as you get there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redlionjr
I've lived in East Texas for over 18 years into my young adult life. Not to mention my family tree in East Texas is over a 100 years old so i'm all too familiar with East Texas including Tyler. Outside of the amenities It's way more in common than the small differences. This is not Miami to Orlando difference here.
Couldn't rep you again.
But I agree, as a native Texan probably most are aware that Tyler has the largest population in East Texas. But for an entire region that's nearly the size of South Carolina, there isn't a real standout city that completely pulls away from the others.
Even Texarkana has more of a real freeway system and the major university in ET is located in Nacogdoches. Both of these cities are the smaller than Tyler.
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