Vintage East Texas: Take a Look at This Amazing Video of Longview in 1939

Like many East Texans, I'm fascinated by the history of our beautiful area. And it's even more amazing to have access to old videos that bring our imaginings of days gone by to life.

I have been utterly captivated by this video I ran across earlier this week, and I wanted to share it with you. 

Get our free mobile app

The video is just a little over ten minutes and gives us a peek into Longview's past--way back to 1939, 1940, and 1941... In my opinion, this is priceless footage.

The video is a series of cuts made during various events around the city of Longview. I'm not sure if I've ever seen local videos of East Texas earlier than the 50's. Thus having the opportunity to glimpse into the everyday, candid moments of our East Texan forebears is a fascinating experience.

I can't help but adore seeing the clothes, the CARS, and just the smiling faces of Longview residents of the past enjoying the moments of their lives. In the beginning minutes of the video, you'll see the then-modern citizens of 1939 dressed in costumes from the 1800's. That's a happy irony. :)

The last stretch of video is shocking, though. It shares some of the moments of the Longview Campus Ward School Fire which happened in 1944.

Obviously, some of what you'll see in the video no longer exists or has been altered to the point that it's no longer recognizable. But some of these places you'll likely recognize immediately.

What a captivating watch. Enjoy!