Short History of 15 East Texas Towns and How They Got Their Names

(Lindale, Texas) - I have always been fascinated by history. It's just cool to know how a product or a saying or how a town came to be. I am a lifelong East Texan. While it may seem boring or uneventful to live here, this area of Texas has a rich history both good and bad.

A lot of the towns in this area are at least, possibly more than, 100 years old. It's good to know the history of your hometown. I did some digging online and found out how 15 of our East Texas towns got their names and offered a brief history of that town as well.

Tyler is Home to the First Adopt A Highway in the World

Tyler has an interesting history and very cool claim to fame, it's home to the very first Adopt A Highway in the entire world. It all started in 1984 when James Evans, an engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), was driving behind a truck in Tyler that had trash getting blown out of the bed.

Evans thought how the tax payers of Tyler were paying for the cost of picking up that trash on the side of the road. To help ease that tax payer burden, he went to some local volunteer groups and asked if they would be willing to pick up trash along the highway.

Michael Gibson / Townsquare Media

It wasn't until Billy Black, the Public Information Officer for the Tyler District of TxDOT, took up the cause and got the Adopt A Highway program off the ground. Black set up training for those who wanted to volunteer and provided equipment for them to use.

World Record Held in Paris, Texas

Yes, a unique world record still finds its home in East Texas, Paris to be exact. Adam Sandoval had made three failed attempts at this world record (UPI) between 2010 and the event held on Saturday, October 5, 2019. In total, 3,497 (rideapart.com) bikers from all over the country, and Canada, gathered at Cox Field airport in Paris.

The parade of bikes was three miles long. This parade was also for a good cause as $50,000 was raised for Motorcycle Missions which helps military veterans and first responders who suffer from PTSD.

History of East Texas Town Names

Below, I've given a brief description of when 15 East Texas towns got their start and how the town got its name. I know 15 East Texas towns doesn't come anywhere close to covering everybody. So, if you would like to look up the history of your town, you can click this link then just type in your town's name in the search bar for a full rundown of it's history.