There has been, on occasion, upon seeing East Texas for the first time the utterance, “I thought Texas was all desert,” or “I didn’t know Texas had trees.” Well, we have trees. We have short trees and tall trees. We have some with broad leaves and some with needles. Some trees have flowers and some have cones. Yes, on occasion you may see a cactus or two, but they are usually just in a garden at a local residence or in a pot at a local office. East Texas even has lakes, some large and some small. East Texas boasts the largest lake within the borders of Texas. This lake, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, is home to some of the best fishing available and some of the best marinas north of Galveston and Kemah. If you like the idea of fishing, you can catch plenty in East Texas. Bass, catfish, and perch caught with your choice of gear are all ready and waiting for just the right angler. Some people have even said that they have seen a trout or two in a few local streams near Zavalla. This may be a fish story, but it surely isn’t as big as the ones said about the size of the catfish near the Sam Rayburn dam. Surely the stories of catfish big enough to swallow a man are just simply local folklore, but several people have claimed to have seen several close to that size when they were kids. Of course, kids imagine things. Now there is a resident or two that prefers to just sit under a shade tree with a cane pole and a bobber (or cork or whatever you want to call it) and enjoy several hours of silence and the occasional tug at the line, but there are others that like to gather their best rods and reels and head out in their bass boats to compete in the many area fishing tournaments. No matter your level of fishing skill, there’s plenty of water in these woods to wet your appetite.

Now back to the trees, how did we stray from those? East Texas is the heart of timber country. Many a resident works in the timber industry farming pine trees on the various industrial timberlands. Now, don’t get these lumberjacks wrong, trees are vital to this community and the forests are healthy and strong. East Texas has been home to trees for a very long time, and they haven’t all been cut down yet. The trees that are removed from the land are replanted many times over and great care is taken to lessen the impact on nature. If you are witness to a “clear-cut” while driving through this area, just understand that within a few years that “clear-cut” will once again be alive with trees providing homes for a variety of wildlife and within 15 years will once again be ready to provide you with the paper you write on and the cardboard that you cart your new plasma TV home within. Some forest “stands” are grown for even longer and when they’re ready, they will become the material that our homes are built from. East Texan’s pride themselves in the fact that they provide a truly renewable resource to the entire world.

Oh, the trees and the water provide such a nice retreat for the outdoor enthusiast, but what about those seeking a more modern slant on life? Well, the Greater East Texas area provides plenty of social growth in two of the largest cities in the United States. From space travel, to zoos, art museums, and world class theater, this area provides a broad spectrum of entertainment. No where else in this region of the United States will you be able to see such a broad example of American society. Houston boasts not only the Space Center, but is what many consider to be the “other Hollywood”. The reason film is so large in Texas is not just because everything is bigger here, but because the state has such a wonderful selection of environments. If you want trees, well as we have already discussed, we have them. Do you want swamps? We got you covered. You want mountains? We have those. Do you need cities, small towns, or medieval villages? We have them all. Coastal islands and glass pyramids, turn of the century railroads and Indian villages are all here within our borders and all within a few hours drive from each other. We even have, on the outskirts of our realm, the footprints of dinosaurs of which the origins of have been known to provide hours of debate amongst area residents. The cities and larger towns provide great shopping opportunities of all kinds. Do you need a new Lamborghini or some shoes for your horse? Choose your century and your shopping needs, we have you covered. Ok, so you want to see dolphins in the wild, or maybe see a sea gull or two? Well, we have coastal towns one of which is complete with a light house and others with monuments that stand taller than those in Washington DC. We have battleships, submarines and a few spaceships for you to play within. Sports? There’s no need to mention that. Everyone knows this area is the king when it comes to sports. Ok, so what can’t you do here in East Texas? Well, you can’t get bored. It’s all here and all cherished by those who call East Texas “Home”.