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161-673: Nacogdoches ( / ˌ n æ k ə ˈ d oʊ tʃ ɪ s / NAK -ə- DOH -chis ) is a city in East Texas and the county seat of Nacogdoches County, Texas , United States. The 2020 U.S. census recorded the city's population at 32,147. Stephen F. Austin State University is located in Nacogdoches and specializes in forestry and agriculture. Nacogdoches is also known as "The Oldest Town in Texas". Evidence of settlement in

322-520: A war against the Cherokee , and established a new capital at Austin, Texas. Meanwhile, Houston opened a legal practice and co-founded a land company with the intent of developing the town of Sabine City . In 1839, he was elected to represent San Augustine County in the Texas House of Representatives. Houston defeated Burnet in the 1841 Texas presidential election , winning a large majority of

483-582: A 40.6% Hispanic or Latino population. East Texas and Southeast Texas in particular, which had been areas of cotton plantation before the Civil War, have a significant African-American population, ranging to nearly 20% in some counties. East Texas is often considered the westernmost extension of the Deep South . The predominant cultural influence comes from customs and traditions passed down from European American and African American Southerners who settled

644-618: A category-1 hurricane. Nacogdoches hosts the Texas Blueberry Festival on the second Saturday in June. The community is one of the first Texas Certified Retirement Communities. The community celebrates a host of other events year round which can be found by going to visitnacogdoches.com Once a Democratic stronghold, Nacogdoches has in recent years moved steadily toward the Republican Party , being represented in

805-583: A close relationship with Jolly and learned the Cherokee language, becoming known as 'Raven.' According to James L. Haley, he appreciated the "free and unsophisticated spiritual expression of the Native Americans." He left the tribe to return to Maryville in 1812, and he was hired at age 19 for a term as the schoolmaster of a one-room schoolhouse. He attended Porter Academy, where he was taught by Rev. Isaac L. Anderson , founder of Maryville College . According to biographer John Hoyt Williams, Houston

966-817: A fraudulent bid in 1830 in collusion with the Jackson administration. On April 13, 1832, after Stanbery refused to answer Houston's letters regarding the incident, Houston beat Stanbery with a cane. After the beating, the House of Representatives brought Houston to trial. By a vote of 106 to 89, the House convicted Houston, and Speaker of the House Andrew Stevenson formally reprimanded Houston. A federal court also required Houston to pay $ 500 in damages. In mid-1832, Houston's friends William H. Wharton and John Austin Wharton wrote to convince him to travel to

1127-715: A measure that demanded Texas statehood and the restoration of the 1824 Constitution of Mexico . The Consultation appointed Houston as a major general and the highest-ranking officer of the Texian Army , though the appointment did not give him effective control of the militia units that constituted the Texian Army. Houston helped organize the Convention of 1836 , where the Republic of Texas declared independence from Mexico, and appointed him as Commander-in-Chief of

1288-421: A median household income of $ 78,843 while non-family households had a median income of $ 22,076. Among the population, 31% of the city lived at or below the poverty line; 34% of the population aged 18 to 64 lived at or below the poverty line, and 33.9% of the population under age 18 lived at or below the poverty line. There was a median gross rent of $ 771 in contrast with the statewide median gross rent of $ 1,091 at

1449-632: A meeting between Calhoun and Cherokee leaders, beginning an enmity that lasted until Calhoun's death in 1850. Angry over the incident with Calhoun and an investigation into his activities, Houston resigned from the army in 1818. He continued to act as a government liaison with the Cherokee, and in 1818, he helped some of the Cherokee resettle in Arkansas Territory . After leaving government service, Houston began an apprenticeship with Judge James Trimble in Nashville. He quickly won admission to

1610-1043: A native of nearby Shreveport, Louisiana , was raised in Kilgore . Kilgore College houses the Van Cliburn Auditorium on its home campus. Many high-school bands in East Texas continue the tradition of military-style marching, unlike other parts of the state. These bands compete in the National Association Of Military Marching Bands. As with other parts of Texas, high school football is the most popular local sport venue in East Texas. Residents of East Texas towns and rural communities fill high-school stadiums in support of their local teams, cheerleaders, bands, etc. Many East Texas high-school teams have won Texas state championships, along with producing many collegiate and professional football players. Earl Campbell ,

1771-566: A paymaster. He served in the Virginian militia, which required him to pay his own expenses and to be away from his family for long periods of time. Thus, the plantation and his family's finances suffered. He had five brothers and three sisters: Paxton, Robert, James (married Patience Bills), John, William (married Mary Ball), Isabella, Mary (married Matthew Wallace), and Eliza (who married Samuel Moore). His father, Samuel Sr., planned to sell Timber Ridge and move west to Tennessee, where land

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1932-772: A range of music that is influenced by gospel , bluegrass , blues , rock , country , soul , rhythm and blues , Cajun , etc. Texas blues originated in East Texas, with many legends having been born in the region, including Lightnin' Hopkins and T-Bone Walker . East Texans enjoy live music at many of the region's fairs and festivals, including the Texas Rose Festival in Tyler , the East Texas Yamboree in Gilmer , and Longview's Great Texas Balloon Race . East Texas also has many venues included in what

2093-427: A reason for their separation, but Eliza refused to sanction divorce. Subsequently, he resigned his governorship and went to live with his Cherokee family for three years. In the summer of 1830, Houston married Dianna Rogers (sometimes called Tiana), daughter of Chief John "Hellfire" Rogers (1740–1833), a Scots-Irish trader, and Jennie Due (1764–1806), a sister of Chief John Jolly , in a Cherokee ceremony. The ceremony

2254-485: A result of the untimely death of his wife and killed himself on July 29, 1857. Sam Houston lived in Nacogdoches for four years prior to the Texas Revolution (1836) and opened a law office downtown. He courted Anna Raguet, daughter of one of the leading citizens, but Anna rejected him after finding that he was not divorced from his first wife Eliza Allen of Tennessee. William Goins (Goyens, Goings, Going),

2415-873: A star running back for the Minnesota Vikings , played high-school football in Palestine . Many other high-school sports are popular in East Texas, including basketball , baseball , volleyball , softball , and track . A significant number of East Texan youths participate in Little League Baseball , soccer , and softball . Church leagues are quite common in providing opportunities for basketball and softball for youth and adults alike. In recent years, cowboy churches have grown in number and offer rodeo events for their youth. East Texans also enjoy collegiate athletic competition. Most residents support collegiate teams located in other regions of

2576-564: Is also home to the Angelina National Forest , Davy Crockett National Forest , Sam Houston National Forest , Sabine National Forest , Big Thicket National Preserve , Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge , Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge , and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge . Historically, the East Texas economy has been led by lumber , cotton , cattle , and oil . Prior to the discovery of

2737-972: Is commonly referred to as the Texas country music circuit, although the majority of such venues are located in Central/South/West Texas and the metropolitan areas of the state. Many notable music artists have East Texas roots, including: George Jones ( Saratoga ), Miranda Lambert ( Lindale ), Kacey Musgraves ( Mineola ), Jamie Foxx , ( Terrell ), Neal McCoy (Longview and Jacksonville ), Lee Ann Womack (Jacksonville), Janis Joplin ( Port Arthur ), UGK ( Port Arthur ), Don Henley ( Linden ), Ray Price ( Perryville ), Johnny Horton ( Rusk ), Johnny Mathis ( Gilmer ), Tex Ritter ( Panola County ), Jim Reeves (Panola County), Mark Chesnutt (Beaumont), Tracy Byrd ( Vidor ), Clay Walker (Beaumont), T-Bone Walker (Linden), Chris Tomlin ( Grand Saline ), and Michelle Shocked (Gilmer), among many others. Worldwide-acclaimed pianist Van Cliburn ,

2898-517: Is home to Stephen F. Austin State University , which is a state institution of about 13,000 students. Stephen F. Austin is also home to the East Texas Historical Association . Angelina College operates a branch campus in Nacogdoches. The Texas Legislature designated Nacogdoches County as being in the boundary of Angelina College 's district. The Daily Sentinel , founded in 1899, is published and distributed in

3059-467: Is the flower of Tex-ass!" Instead of becoming angry, audience members laughed. Soon afterward, Julius and his brothers decided to try their hand at comedy instead of singing, at which they had barely managed to scrape together a living. A plaque commemorating the event is posted in downtown Nacogdoches. On January 4, 1946, a violent tornado devastated part of the city, killing ten people and injuring 200 others. Tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis estimated

3220-501: Is the only former foreign head of state to have served in the U.S. Congress. He was the first person to serve as the governor of a state and then be elected to the U.S. Senate by another state. In 2018, Mitt Romney became the second. William W. Bibb accomplished the same feat in reverse order. Breaking with the Senate tradition that held that freshman senators were not to address the Senate, Houston strongly advocated in early 1846 for

3381-522: Is within the Black Belt region, the fertile area that was the center of cotton culture and enslaved African-American labor. East Texas has the largest Black population in the state. Unlike Texas's total state racial demographics, only two counties in East Texas outside of Greater Houston 's sphere had a majority minority . Jefferson County in the Golden Triangle and Titus County have

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3542-600: The Houston Press stated in an article, "some say natural gas has surpassed crude as king in East Texas." Sam Houston Samuel Houston ( / ˈ h juː s t ən / , HEW -stən ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution . He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and

3703-665: The 1824 presidential election , which saw four major candidates, all from the Democratic-Republican Party, run for president. As no candidate won a majority of the vote, the House of Representatives held a contingent election , which was won by John Quincy Adams . Supporters of Jackson eventually coalesced into the Democratic Party , and those who favored Adams became known as National Republicans . With Jackson's backing, Houston won election as governor of Tennessee in 1827 . Governor Houston advocated

3864-491: The 1859 gubernatorial election . Capitalizing on Runnels's unpopularity over state issues such as Native American raids, Houston won the election and took office in December 1859. In the 1860 presidential election , Houston and John Bell were the two major contenders for the presidential nomination of the newly formed Constitutional Union Party , which consisted largely of Southern unionists. Houston narrowly trailed Bell on

4025-500: The Ark-La-Tex , the area where Arkansas, Louisiana, and East Texas meet. According to the 2010 U.S. census , these 41 East Texas counties had a total population of 2,057,518 residents. This represented 8% of the total state population of Texas. Per the 2023 census estimates, the five most populous counties were: Per the 2022 census estimates, the ten most populous East Texas cities outside of Houston's metro area were: In 2010,

4186-626: The Battle of Horseshoe Bend , the decisive battle in the Creek War . Although army doctors expected him to die of his wounds, Houston survived and convalesced in Maryville and other locations. While many other officers lost their positions after the end of the War of 1812 due to military cutbacks, Houston retained his commission with the help of Congressman John Rhea . During that time he was promoted to

4347-467: The Battle of San Jacinto , the decisive battle in Texas's war for independence against Mexico . After the war, Houston won the 1836 Texan presidential election . He left office due to term limits in 1838, but won another term in the 1841 Texas presidential election . Houston played a key role in the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845 and, in 1846, was elected to represent Texas in

4508-614: The Cherokee , becoming known as "Raven". He served under General Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812 ; afterwards, he was appointed as a sub-agent to oversee the removal of the Cherokee from Tennessee into Arkansas Territory in 1818. With the support of Jackson, among others, Houston won election to the United States House of Representatives in 1823. He strongly supported Jackson's presidential candidacies and, in 1827, Houston

4669-536: The Convention of 1833 , which was called to petition Mexico for statehood (at the time, Texas was part of the state of Coahuila y Tejas ). Houston strongly supported statehood, and he chaired a committee that drew a proposed state constitution. After the convention, Texan leader Stephen F. Austin petitioned the Mexican government for statehood, but he was unable to come to an agreement with President Valentín Gómez Farías . In 1834, Antonio López de Santa Anna assumed

4830-772: The Deep East Texas Council of Governments , and the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission . Counties generally included are Anderson , Angelina , Bowie , Camp , Cass , Cherokee , Delta , Franklin , Gregg , Hardin , Harrison , Henderson , Hopkins , Houston , Jasper , Jefferson , Lamar , Marion , Morris , Nacogdoches , Newton , Orange , Panola , Polk , Rains , Red River , Rusk , Sabine , San Augustine , San Jacinto , Shelby , Smith , Titus , Trinity , Tyler , Upshur , Van Zandt , and Wood County, Texas . Harris County and those forming

4991-507: The East Texas Oil Field , cotton, lumber and cattle were the predominant source of economic growth and stability. The needs of local farmers contributed greatly to the establishment of local towns and trading posts. As with many parts of the nation, the chosen paths of railroads often determined the continuation of many towns. At the beginning of the 20th century, the oil fields were discovered and oil became accessible, changing

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5152-488: The Eastex Freeway ( U.S. Highway 59 ) (future Interstate 69 ) out of Houston to evacuate through East Texas. As a result of Hurricane Rita, U.S. Highway 59 has been designated as an evacuation route by TXDOT , with all of its lanes to be used for contraflow traffic. Nacogdoches was designated as the north-end terminus of the contraflow/evacuation route. On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike struck Nacogdoches as

5313-653: The Greater Houston area, the average population density is around 18–45 per mi (7–12 per km ), with the population density near the Big Thicket dropping below 18 people per mi . East Texas's population total is very large and is centered around the Golden Triangle (Texas) of Beaumont / Port Arthur / Orange in Southeast Texas . Moving north from the coast, Lufkin and Nacogdoches anchor

5474-560: The Greater Houston metropolitan area are sometimes included in varying sources, such as the Texas Department of Transportation , or more generally, Southeast Texas. The three additional East Texas counties that join with other regional government councils are Chambers County (Anahuac), Liberty County (Liberty), and Walker County (Huntsville), all three in geographic proximity to the Houston metropolitan area. Outside of

5635-685: The Kansas–Nebraska Act , as he believed it would lead to increased sectional tensions over slavery, and his opposition to that act led him to leave the Democratic Party. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the presidential nomination of the American Party in the 1856 presidential election , as well as for the Constitutional Union Party in the 1860 presidential election . In 1859, Houston won election as

5796-606: The Missouri Compromise , an act that had banned slavery in territories north of parallel 36°30′ north. Houston voted against the act, in part because he believed that Native Americans would lose much of their land as a result of the act. He also perceived that it would lead to increased sectional tensions over slavery. Houston's opposition to the Kansas–Nebraska Act led to his departure from the Democratic Party. In 1855, Houston began to be associated publicly with

5957-686: The National Statuary Hall . Houston has been portrayed in works such as Man of Conquest , Gone to Texas , Texas Rising , and The Alamo . In 1960, he was inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum . There is a question about whether Houston made a pejorative comment about Mexicans in an 1835 speech to the Texas volunteer army at Refugio. One second hand source makes this claim; however, subsequent research casts doubt on

6118-702: The Piney Woods . These extend more than 23,500 square miles (61,000 km ). The Piney Woods are part of a much larger region of pine - hardwood forest that extends into Louisiana , Arkansas, and Oklahoma . The Piney Woods area thins out as it nears the Gulf of Mexico. West of the Piney Woods are the ranchlands and remnant oak forests of the East Central Texas forests ecoregion. The Sabine , Trinity , Neches , Angelina and Sulphur rivers are

6279-527: The Republic of Texas , the state of Texas, or the United States). Well into the first quarter of the 20th century, renegade clans controlled local governments, especially in Shelby County . The area contains two of the oldest towns in Texas; Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas, dating from the 18th century, and San Augustine, the oldest "British-American" settlement in Texas, dating from

6440-661: The Texas Declaration of Independence and was secretary of war during the Republic of Texas . He was president of the Texas Statehood Commission and served as one of the first two Texas U.S. Senators along with Sam Houston. He worked to establish Nacogdoches University, which operated from 1845 to 1895. The Old Nacogdoches University Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Rusk suffered from depression as

6601-528: The USS Sam Houston (SSBN-609) , and a sculpture of Houston in the city of Houston's Hermann Park . In addition, a 67-foot-tall statue of Houston, created by sculptor David Adickes , named A Tribute to Courage (and colloquially called "Big Sam") stands next to I-45 , between Dallas and Houston, in Huntsville, Texas. Along with Stephen F. Austin, Houston is one of two Texans with a statue in

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6762-669: The United States Congress and the Texas State Legislature by Republicans. The city, in general, is very moderate with the co-existence of students of Stephen F. Austin with a liberal left-of-center persuasion and conservative right-of-center city residents. Nacogdoches has been in the Texas Main Street Program since 1998. Nacogdoches' downtown was named the "Best Historic Venue" by Texas Meetings and Events magazine. Nacogdoches

6923-665: The debris landed in the Nacogdoches area , and much of the media coverage of the recovery efforts focused on Nacogdoches. On September 24, 2005, Hurricane Rita struck Nacogdoches as a category-1 hurricane. Nacogdoches experienced the same problems Houston was having because of the unprecedented number of people evacuating the Houston-Galveston area. The city's local shelters were already overwhelmed with evacuees who had come from New Orleans because of Hurricane Katrina . Long lines at gas stations and shortages of supplies, food, and fuel were widespread. Many Houstonians took

7084-553: The naturalization period for immigrants to 21 years. He was attracted to the Know Nothing's support for a Native American state as well the party's unionist stance. Houston sought the presidential nomination at the Know Nothing party's 1856 national convention , but the party nominated former President Millard Fillmore . Houston was disappointed by Fillmore's selection as well as the party platform, which did not rebuke

7245-479: The retreat east , informing his soldiers that they constituted "the only army in Texas now present ... There are but a few of us, and if we are beaten, the fate of Texas is sealed." Santa Anna divided his forces and finally caught up to Houston in mid-April 1836. Santa Anna's force of about 1,350 soldiers trapped Houston's force of 783 men in a marsh; rather than pressing the attack, Santa Anna ordered his soldiers to make camp. On April 21, Houston ordered an attack on

7406-684: The "Caddo Indian Collection" at the Gregg County Historical Museum in Longview . In the mid-1800s, East Texas cities such as Marshall and Jefferson constituted a sphere of influence that led the entire state into the Confederacy . East Texas was the aread of powerful planters and the most significant numbers of slaveholders. Before that, during the Mexican and Republic periods, Nacogdoches and San Augustine were

7567-737: The "Tyler Rose", played football for John Tyler High in Tyler before playing for the Texas Longhorns and the Houston Oilers . Don Meredith , who famously played for the Dallas Cowboys , played at Mt. Vernon. Dez Bryant , a football player from Lufkin, formerly played wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys before signing with the New Orleans Saints (then getting injured three days afterwards). Adrian Peterson ,

7728-429: The 1730s, including his great-grandfather John Houston . Houston's father was descended from Ulster Scots people and the Houston baronets , the founders of Clan Houston in Scotland . Samuel inherited the Timber Ridge plantation and mansion in Rockbridge County, Virginia, which was worked by enslaved African Americans. During the American Revolutionary War , Captain Houston served in Morgan's Rifle Brigade as

7889-413: The 1820s. People of English , Scottish , Scots-Irish , and to a lesser extent Welsh ancestry predominate in this region, because of the history of settlement. This is in contrast to West Texas and South Central Texas, where people of Hispanic and German ancestry predominate, respectively. Hispanic settlers are descended from colonists of New Spain, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. Most of

8050-425: The 1860 election. After Lincoln won the November 1860 presidential election, several Southern states seceded from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America . A Texas political convention voted to secede from the United States on February 1, 1861, and Houston proclaimed that Texas was once again an independent republic, but he refused to recognize that same convention's authority to join Texas to

8211-406: The 1950s. In 1912, the Marx Brothers came to town to perform their singing act at the old Opera House (now the SFA Cole Art Center). Their performance was interrupted by a man who came inside shouting, "Runaway mule!" Most of the audience left the building, and when they filed back in, Julius (later known as Groucho ) began insulting them, saying "Nacogdoches is full of roaches!" and "The jackass

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8372-448: The 19th century. The family has been featured in a number of German museums including the Expo2000 in Bremerhaven Germany. The estate and archives are privately owned and maintained by a descendant of its original founder, and are currently available for study through private appointment only. The Tubbe family is considered to be one of the "founding families" of Nacogdoches, making their mark in many ways spanning over 150 years. August Tubbe

8533-426: The 2019 American Community Survey. Among the population, there was a 37.5% homeownership rate and 2,068 vacant housing units in the city limits as of the 2020 census. The economy of Nacogdoches is heavily dependent on Stephen F. Austin State University. Like many college towns in the United States, Nacogdoches businesses heavily depend on university students as customers and regularly employ them. Other large sectors of

8694-425: The 2020 census tabulated a majority non-Hispanic white population. Of the 11,963 households in 2019, the average family size was 3.06 and 53.2% of the total population were married. In contrast to several growing cities in Texas, the median age was 24.4 in 2019. The median household income for the city was $ 54,444 from 2014 to 2019, against the statewide median household income of $ 64,034. Married-couple families had

8855-469: The American Party, the political wing of the nativist and unionist Know Nothing movement. The Whig Party had collapsed after the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act, and the Know Nothings and the anti-slavery Republican Party had both emerged as major political movements. Houston's affiliation with the party stemmed in part from his fear of the growing influence of Catholic voters; though he opposed barring Catholics from holding office, he wanted to extend

9016-418: The Baptist church. With the assistance of George Washington Baines , she convinced Houston to convert, and he agreed to adult baptism. Spectators from neighboring communities came to Independence, Texas, to witness the event. On November 19, 1854, Houston was baptized by Rev. Rufus C. Burleson , president of Baylor University , by immersion in Little Rocky Creek, two miles southeast of Independence. Houston

9177-433: The Baptists, particularly the Southern Baptist Convention (majority white) and National Baptist Convention USA (majority black, formed after the Civil War); Methodists and Presbyterians ; Lutherans and classical Pentecostals ; and others. Roman Catholicism continues to have influence, particularly given the increased Hispanic or Latino American population in recent decades. The largest Catholic jurisdictions in

9338-440: The Confederacy. After Houston refused to swear an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, the legislature declared the governorship vacant. Houston did not recognize the validity of his removal, but he did not attempt to use force to remain in office, and he refused aid from the federal government to prevent his removal. His successor, Edward Clark , was sworn in on March 18. In an undelivered speech, Houston wrote: Fellow-Citizens, in

9499-402: The East Texas Storm, a semiprofessional football team located in Tyler, competes in the Lone Star Minor League. Typically, northern parts of East Texas tend to support the professional teams from the Dallas/Fort Worth area in North Texas ( Dallas Cowboys , Dallas Mavericks , Texas Rangers , Dallas Stars , FC Dallas ), while southern parts of East Texas tend to support professional teams from

9660-436: The German immigrant ancestors in Central Texas arrived after the Revolutions of 1848 . The Spanish and later Mexican governments did not want settlers from the United States until after Mexico had gained independence. East Texas had been barely settled by Spanish and Mexican colonists, and the government decided to allow immigration from the US to bolster defenses against raiding by the Apache and Comanche. Neither government

9821-413: The Gulf Coast area into a separate region. Another popular, somewhat simpler, definition defines East Texas as the region between the Trinity River , north and east of Houston (or sometimes Interstate 45 , when defining generously) as the western border; the Louisiana border as the eastern border; the Gulf of Mexico as the southern border; the Oklahoma border as the northern border; Arkansas as

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9982-719: The Houston area in Southeast Texas ( Houston Texans , Houston Rockets , Houston Astros , Houston Dynamo FC ). As with other parts of Texas and/or the Southern U.S., other popular sporting activities in East Texas include rodeo (including PRCA), hunting , and fishing . Prominent rodeos in East Texas are held in Beaumont, Nacogdoches, Paris, Longview, Gladewater , Huntsville, Lufkin, Athens , Palestine, Lindale, etc. East Texas contains several award-winning lakes for sport fishing, including Toledo Bend Reservoir , Lake Sam Rayburn , Lake Livingston, Lake Fork Reservoir , Lake Tawakoni , etc. East Texas also contains numerous golf courses and avid golfers, as well as NASCAR fans. However,

10143-425: The Houstons had numerous houses, they kept only one continuously: Cedar Point (1840–1863) on Trinity Bay . In 1833, Houston was baptized into the Catholic faith in order to qualify under the existing Mexican law for property ownership in Coahuila y Tejas . The sacrament was held in the living room of the Adolphus Sterne House in Nacogdoches, Texas. By 1854, Margaret had spent 14 years trying to convert Houston to

10304-447: The Jackson administration. In late 1829, the Cherokee accorded Houston tribal membership and dispatched him to Washington to negotiate several issues. In anticipation of the removal of the remaining Cherokee east of the Mississippi River, Houston made an unsuccessful bid to supply rations to the Native Americans during their journey. When Houston returned to Washington in 1832, Congressman William Stanbery alleged that Houston had placed

10465-443: The Kansas–Nebraska Act and attacked Houston's record. In response, Houston announced his own candidacy for governor, but Runnels defeated him by a decisive margin. It was the only electoral defeat of his career. After the gubernatorial election, the Texas legislature denied Houston re-election in the senate; Houston rejected calls to resign immediately and served until the end of his term in early 1859. Houston ran against Runnels in

10626-494: The Kansas–Nebraska Act, but he eventually decided to support Fillmore's candidacy. Despite Houston's renewed support, the American Party split over slavery, and Democrat James Buchanan won the 1856 presidential election . The American Party collapsed after the election, and Houston did not affiliate with a national political party for the remainder of his tenure in the senate. In the 1857 Texas gubernatorial election , Texas Democrats nominated Hardin Richard Runnels , who supported

10787-409: The Mexican army killed every defender at the Alamo; news of the defeat outraged many Texans and caused desertions in Houston's ranks. Commanding a force of about 350 men that numerically was inferior to that of Santa Anna, Houston retreated east across the Colorado River. Though the provisional government, as well as many of his own subordinates, urged him to attack the Mexican army, Houston continued

10948-410: The Mexican army, beginning the Battle of San Jacinto . The Texans quickly routed Santa Anna's force, though Houston's horse was shot out under him and his ankle was shattered by a stray bullet. In the aftermath of the Battle of San Jacinto, a detachment of Texans captured Santa Anna. Santa Anna was forced to sign the Treaty of Velasco , which established a ceasefire between the two forces and laid out

11109-421: The Mexican army, the Mexican–American War broke out in April 1846. Houston initially supported Polk's prosecution of the war, but differences between the two men emerged in 1847. After two years of fighting, the United States defeated Mexico and, through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , acquired the Mexican Cession . Mexico also agreed to recognize the Rio Grande as the border between Mexico and Texas. After

11270-412: The Mexican possession of Texas , where unrest among the American settlers was growing. The Mexican government had invited Americans to settle the sparsely populated region of Texas, but many of the settlers, including the Whartons, disliked Mexican rule. Houston crossed into Texas in December 1832, and shortly thereafter, he was granted land in Texas. Houston was elected to represent Nacogdoches, Texas at

11431-499: The Nacogdoches District Parole Office in Nacogdoches. Nacogdoches is part of Texas's 17th congressional district , which is currently represented by Republican Pete Sessions . The city of Nacogdoches is primarily served by the Nacogdoches Independent School District . Small portions of the city are also zoned into the Woden ISD . School districts serving surrounding areas include Central Heights , Douglass , Garrison , Martinsville , Chireno and Cushing districts. Nacogdoches

11592-402: The Nacogdoches area. East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that comprises most of 41 counties. It is primarily divided into Northeast and Southeast Texas . Most of the region consists of the Piney Woods ecoregion . East Texas can sometimes be defined only as the Piney Woods. At

11753-1036: The Piney Woods has historically been a fiercely contested sports rivalry between the Bearkats of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville and the Lumberjacks of Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) in Nacogdoches. Both schools long competed as members of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference (SLC), which plays football at the FCS level, but they moved to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 2021 , and Sam Houston will move to FBS and join Conference USA in July 2023. The Cardinals of Lamar University in Beaumont left

11914-645: The SLC for the WAC alongside Sam Houston and SFA, but rejoined the SLC a year later. The Lions of Texas A&M University–Commerce joined the SLC in 2022. Other universities and colleges that field athletic teams in East Texas include East Texas Baptist University Tigers in Marshall; University of Texas at Tyler Patriots in Tyler; LeTourneau University Yellowjackets in Longview; and several junior colleges throughout

12075-548: The Texas Army. Shortly after the declaration, the convention received a plea for assistance from William B. Travis , who commanded Texan forces under siege by Santa Anna at the Alamo . The convention confirmed Houston's command of the Texian Army and dispatched him to lead a relief of Travis's force, but the Alamo fell before Houston could organize his forces at Gonzales, Texas. Seeking to intimidate Texan forces into surrender,

12236-618: The United States House of Representatives after the 1820 United States Census , and, with the support of Jackson and McMinn, Houston ran unopposed in the 1823 election for Tennessee's 9th congressional district. In his first major speech in Congress, Houston advocated for the recognition of Greece, which was fighting a war of independence against the Ottoman Empire . Houston strongly supported Jackson's candidacy in

12397-775: The United States Senate. He joined the Democratic Party and supported President James K. Polk 's prosecution of the Mexican–American War . His Senate record was marked by his unionism and opposition to radicals from both the North and South . He voted for the Compromise of 1850 , which settled many of the residual territorial issues from the Mexican–American War and the annexation of Texas. Houston owned slaves throughout his life . He voted against

12558-618: The United States assumed Texas's large public debt. Houston sought the Democratic nomination in the 1852 presidential election , but he was unable to consolidate support outside of his home state. The 1852 Democratic National Convention ultimately nominated Franklin Pierce , a compromise nominee, who went on to win the election. In 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas led the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act , which organized Kansas Territory and Nebraska Territory . The act also repealed

12719-418: The United States unwilling to annex Texas, Houston began courting British support; as part of this effort, he urged the end of the importation of slaves into Texas. In early 1837, the government moved to a new capital, the city of Houston, named after him as the country's first president. In 1838, Houston frequently clashed with Congress over issues such as a treaty with the Cherokee and a land-office act and

12880-709: The annexation of Oregon Country . In the Oregon Treaty , reached later in 1846, Britain and the United States agreed to split Oregon Country. Meanwhile, Polk ordered General Zachary Taylor to lead a U.S. army to the Rio Grande , which had been set as the Texas-Mexico border under the Treaty of Velasco; Mexico claimed the Nueces River constituted the true border. After a skirmish between Taylor's unit and

13041-526: The area dates back to 10,000 years ago. Nacogdoches is on or near the site of Nevantin, the primary village of the Nacogdoche tribe of Caddo Indians. The name, Nacogdoches, originates from the Caddo -speaking Native American tribe "Nacogdoche", and the area remained a Caddo Indian settlement until the early 19th century. In 1716, Spain established a mission there, Misión Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe ,

13202-463: The city has an area of 25.3 square miles (66 km), of which 25.2 square miles (65 km) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km) (0.24%) is water. The city center is just north of the fork of two creeks, the LaNana and Banita. Lake Nacogdoches is 10 miles (16 km) west of the city. According to the 2010 census , Nacogdoches had a population of 32,996. The racial and ethnic composition of

13363-535: The city was 65.98% White, 25.06% African American, 1.13% Asian, 0.34% Native American, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 5.84% from other races, and 1.55% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.82% of the population. At the 2019 American Community Survey 's five year estimates program, the racial and ethnic makeup of the city was 51.0% non-Hispanic white , 26.1% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 1.6% two or more races, and 18.8% Hispanic or Latino American of any race. A year later,

13524-491: The coast. All of East Texas lies within the Gulf Coastal Plain . It has less uniformity of climate than the rolling hills in the north and flat coastal plains in the south. Local vegetation varies from north to south, with the lower third consisting of the temperate grassland extending from South Texas to South Louisiana and the northern two-thirds of the region dominated by the temperate forest known as

13685-425: The collapse of his marriage, Houston resigned as governor of Tennessee. Shortly after leaving office, he traveled to Arkansas Territory to rejoin the Cherokee. Houston was reunited with Ahuludegi's group of Cherokee in mid-1829. Because of Houston's experience in government and his connections with President Jackson, several local Native American tribes asked Houston to mediate disputes and communicate their needs to

13846-517: The commander of the 39th Infantry Regiment , Thomas Hart Benton , and by the end of 1813, Houston had risen to the rank of third lieutenant. In early 1814, the 39th Infantry Regiment became a part of the force commanded by General Andrew Jackson , who was charged with putting an end to raids by a faction of the Muscogee (or "Creek") tribe in the Old Southwest . Houston was wounded badly in

14007-446: The construction of internal improvements such as canals, and sought to lower the price of land for homesteaders living on public domain. He also aided Jackson's successful campaign in the 1828 presidential election . In January 1829, Houston married Eliza Allen , the daughter of wealthy plantation owner John Allen of Gallatin, Tennessee. The marriage quickly fell apart, possibly because Eliza loved another man. In April 1829, following

14168-555: The county's various funds had $ 23.5 million in revenues, $ 23.6 million in expenditures, $ 57 million in total assets, and $ 15 million in total liabilities. The county had $ 7.3 million in investments. Nacogdoches is represented in the Texas Senate by Republican Robert Nichols , District 3, and in the Texas House of Representatives by Republican Travis Clardy , District 11. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates

14329-484: The decline of oil production, many small towns closed cafés and gas stations, some of which were replaced with cash loan shops and pawn shops. In 2022, East Texas was highlighted for its diversifying economy penetrating Deep East Texas with the decline in crude oil. Additionally, the region has become home to many patent-holding companies, due to its legal system being particularly friendly to patent holders and hostile to out-of-state tech defendants. In 2009, Paul Knight of

14490-573: The doctrine of states rights, the North is determined to preserve this Union. They are not a fiery, impulsive people as you are, for they live in colder climates. But when they begin to move in a given direction, they move with the steady momentum and perseverance of a mighty avalanche; and what I fear is, they will overwhelm the South. According to historian Randolph Campbell: Houston did everything possible to prevent secession and war, but his first loyalty

14651-484: The dominant plants in bayous. The most famous of these bayous are Cypress Bayou and Buffalo Bayou . Cypress Bayou surrounds the Big, Little, and Black Cypress rivers around Jefferson. They flow east into Caddo Lake , and the adjoining wetlands cover the rim and islands of the lake. Deep East Texas is a subregion of East Texas, alongside Northeast and Southeast Texas. According to the Deep East Texas Council of Governments ,

14812-604: The expansive cattle ranching of the plains regions of Texas. But East Texans commonly own and trade cattle. Several "sale barns" exist across East Texas, with weekly and monthly trades, as is common in other parts of the Deep South. In the northern part of East Texas, awareness of the native and historical Caddo Mississippian culture remains significant. Cherokee County is home to the Caddo Mounds State Historic Site . Patrons can also view

14973-477: The finest home in town. His frequent visitors included Sam Houston, Thomas Rusk, Chief Bowles and David Crockett, so his diary is one of the best sources for early Nacogdoches history. Nacogdoches also contains one of the last surviving family-owned homestead plantations in East Texas, the August Tubbe Plantation, owned and operated by the same family which established it in 1859. August Tubbe

15134-526: The first European construction in the area. The "town" of Nacogdoches got started after the French had vacated the region (1760s, following the French and Indian War ), and Spanish officials decided that maintaining the mission was too costly. In 1772, they ordered all settlers in the area to move to San Antonio . Some were eager to escape the wilderness, but others had to be forced from their homes by soldiers. It

15295-689: The first ballot of the 1860 Constitutional Union Convention , but Bell clinched the nomination on the second ballot. Nonetheless, some of Houston's Texan supporters nominated him for president in April 1860. Other backers attempted to launch a nationwide campaign, but in August 1860, Houston announced that he would not be a candidate for president. He refused to endorse any of the remaining presidential candidates. In late 1860, Houston campaigned across his home state, calling on Texans to resist those who advocated for secession if Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln won

15456-562: The first few steps towards Texan independence. Houston stayed briefly for negotiations, then returned to the United States for treatment of his ankle wound. Victory in the Battle of San Jacinto made Houston a hero to many Texans, and he won the 1836 Texas presidential election , defeating Stephen F. Austin, who would receive the honor of having the city of Austin named after him, and Henry Smith . Houston took office on October 22, 1836, after interim president David G. Burnet resigned. During

15617-540: The foundation sires of the American Quarter Horse breed named Copperbottom . He owned the horse until its death in 1860. On May 9, 1840, Houston, aged 47, married for a third time. His bride was 21-year-old Margaret Moffette Lea of Marion, Alabama, the daughter of planters. They had eight children, including Sam Jr. , Andrew , and Temple . Margaret acted as a tempering influence on her much older husband and convinced him to stop drinking. Although

15778-538: The fringes, towards Central Texas , the forests expand outward toward sparser trees and eventually into open plains. According to the Handbook of Texas , the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north-central Lamar County southwestward to east-central Limestone County and then southeastward towards eastern Galveston Bay". Most sources separate

15939-503: The future of the region. In the decades leading to the new millennium, crude oil production in the East Texas Oil Field, the largest oil field in the United States, somewhat decreased. In turn, the number of high-paying jobs for uneducated workers also decreased. During the 20th century, local groceries, general stores, and cafes were replaced with franchise department stores, retail chains, and fast-food restaurants. Due to

16100-801: The governor of Texas. In this role, he opposed secession , and unsuccessfully sought to keep Texas out of the Confederate States of America . He was forced out of office in 1861, and died two years later in 1863. Houston's name has been honored in numerous ways, and he is the eponym of the city of Houston , the fourth-most-populous city in the United States. Samuel Houston was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia on March 2, 1793, to Samuel Houston and Elizabeth Paxton. Both of Houston's parents were descended from Scottish and Irish immigrants who had settled in Colonial America in

16261-480: The hope that British and French influence in Texas would encourage the United States to annex Texas. The Tyler administration made the annexation of Texas its chief foreign policy priority, and in April 1844, Texas and the United States signed an annexation treaty. Annexation did not have sufficient support in Congress, and the United States Senate rejected the treaty in June. Henry Clay and Martin Van Buren ,

16422-506: The intensity of the tornado to have been F4 on the Fujita scale . In the edition of March 8, 1950, of You Bet Your Life , Marx said, "I was once pinched in Nacogdoches for playing euchre on the front porch of a hotel. It happened to be on a Sunday. You're not allowed to play euchre in Nacogdoches on a Sunday. As a matter of fact, the way I played it they shouldn't have allowed it on Saturday, either." Marx would often mention Nacogdoches in

16583-543: The land, built a house, and planted crops. Her oldest children, Paxton, Isabella, and Robert died within a few years after they arrived in Tennessee. Elizabeth relied on James and John to run the store in Maryville, to operate the farm, and to watch over the younger children. Houston had a carefree disposition, however, and liked to escape to explore the frontier. He was at odds with the concepts of hell and damnation preached by his mother's religion, Presbyterianism , and he

16744-542: The largest city in Texas and the American South , is named in his honor. Several other things and places are named for Houston, including Sam Houston State University; Houston County, Minnesota; Houston County, Tennessee; Houston County, Texas. Other monuments and memorials include Sam Houston National Forest , Sam Houston Regional Library and Research Center, U.S. Army post Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio,

16905-502: The local culture, and losing to varying degrees, their original culture). This assimilation pattern has often historically included conversion from Roman Catholicism, associated with French and Spanish traditions, to Protestant denominations. United States settlers from the Protestant Southeast practiced some discrimination against Cajun and Creole migrants, a cultural attitude that persisted until quite recently. Despite

17066-442: The local economy are healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, and lumber. According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: The management and coordination of city services is overseen by a mayor, city manager and other administrative and operational roles. County government According to the county's most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fund Financial Statements,

17227-530: The major rivers in East Texas, but the Brazos and Red rivers also flow through the region. The Brazos cuts through the southwest portion of the region, while the Red River forms its northern border with Oklahoma and a portion of Arkansas. In East Texas and the rest of the South, small rivers and creeks collect into swamps called bayous and merge with the surrounding forest. Bald cypress and Spanish moss are

17388-556: The malice of my enemies, I refuse to take this oath. I deny the power of this Convention to speak for Texas. ... I protest. ... against all the acts and doings of this convention and I declare them null and void. On April 19, 1861, he told a crowd: Let me tell you what is coming. After the sacrifice of countless millions of treasure and hundreds of thousands of lives, you may win Southern independence if God be not against you, but I doubt it. I tell you that, while I believe with you in

17549-726: The most developed and influential cities in East Texas. Many East Texans have a mixture of European and Native American ancestry, as seen in East Texan country artists Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves . The Museum of East Texas opened in Lufkin in 1976 under the name Lufkin Historical and Creative Arts Center. East Texas is home to the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame , located in Carthage . East Texans enjoy

17710-572: The most recent linguistic studies, East Texans tend to pronounce Southern English with the drawl typical of the Lower South . Other parts of Texas are more apt to use the "twang" of the Upper South , or—depending upon demographic influences of the particular area—with some Hispanic and Midwestern traits. East Texas lacks the strong influence of late 19th-and early 20th-century European immigrants from Germany and central Europe. Similarly,

17871-533: The name of your rights and liberties, which I believe have been trampled upon, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the nationality of Texas, which has been betrayed by the Convention, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of the Constitution of Texas, I refuse to take this oath. In the name of my own conscience and manhood, which this Convention would degrade by dragging me before it, to pander to

18032-462: The navy, James Collinsworth as attorney general, and Austin as secretary of state. Houston sought normalized relations with Mexico, and despite some resistance from the legislature, arranged the release of Santa Anna. Concerned about upsetting the balance between slave states and free states , U.S. President Andrew Jackson refused to push for the annexation of Texas, but in his last official act in office he granted Texas diplomatic recognition. With

18193-514: The new waves of immigrants since the late 20th century, primarily from India , other Asian nations, and Latin America , and their influences, have been less prevalent in East Texas compared to other Texas regions. East Texans are predominantly Protestant Christians . They are members of many denominations as part of the Bible Belt . The most numerous Christian adherents have included

18354-503: The newspaper (in Spanish) is preserved and shown at the local museum. In 1832, the Battle of Nacogdoches brought many local settlers together, as they united in their stand to support a federalist form of government. Their successful venture drove the Mexican military from East Texas. Thomas Jefferson Rusk was one of the most prominent early Nacogdoches Anglo settlers. A veteran of the Texas Revolution, hero of San Jacinto , he signed

18515-409: The northeastern border, and extending as far south as Orange, Texas . The East Texas region includes Tyler , Longview , Texarkana , Lufkin , Marshall , Palestine , Henderson , Jacksonville , Mount Pleasant , and Nacogdoches as principal cities in addition to, in its expanded definition, Greenville , Houston, and Beaumont metropolitan statistical areas. Climate is the unifying factor in

18676-399: The offer of annexation in July 1845, and Texas officially became the 28th U.S. state on December 29, 1845. In February 1846, the Texas legislature elected Houston and Thomas Jefferson Rusk as Texas's two inaugural U.S. senators. Houston chose to align with the Democratic Party, which contained many of his old political allies, including President Polk. As a former president of Texas, Houston

18837-467: The population center of Deep East Texas . Continuing north from Deep East Texas, Tyler , Longview , and Marshall , in Northeast Texas , along with Texarkana , on the far northeastern border with Arkansas , represent the major population centers in the northern section of East Texas. Eight miles from the Texas border, Shreveport, Louisiana , is considered the economic and cultural center for

18998-510: The population of East Texas counties was 65.93% non-Hispanic white , 17.44% African American , 14.29% Hispanic or Latino American , and 2.34% other (including Native American and Asian). East Texas's most ethnically and racially diverse county was Jefferson County, its largest county. This includes the city of Beaumont, with 44.1% non-Hispanic whites, 34.1% African Americans, 17.7% Hispanic or Latinos of any race, and 4.1% other races or ethnicities (including Native American and Asian). East Texas

19159-471: The population was 51.2% White, 28.4% Black, 0.5% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% reporting some other race, 2.3% reporting two or more races, and 16.8% Hispanic or Latino American. At the census of 2000, 29,914 people, 11,220 households, and 5,935 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,185.9 inhabitants per square mile (457.9/km). The 12,329 housing units averaged 488.7 per square mile (188.7/km). The racial makeup of

19320-659: The presidency, took on new powers, and arrested Austin. In October 1835, the Texas Revolution broke out with the Battle of Gonzales , a skirmish between Texan forces and the Mexican Army. Shortly after the battle, Houston was elected to the Consultation , a congregation of Texas leaders. Along with Austin and others, Houston helped organize the Consultation into a provisional government for Texas. In November, Houston joined with most other delegates in voting for

19481-447: The presidential election, the voters of Texas overwhelmingly indicated their desire for Texas to be annexed by the United States. Houston, meanwhile, faced the challenge of assembling a new government, putting the country's finances in order, and handling relations with Mexico. He selected Mirabeau Lamar as vice president, Thomas Jefferson Rusk as secretary of war, Smith as secretary of the treasury, Samuel Rhoads Fisher as secretary of

19642-436: The rank of second lieutenant . Sometime in early 1817, Sam Houston was assigned to a clerical position in Nashville, serving under the adjutant general for the army's Southern Division. Later in the year, Jackson appointed Houston as a sub-agent to handle the removal of Cherokee from East Tennessee. In February 1818, he received a strong reprimand from Secretary of War John C. Calhoun after he wore Native American dress to

19803-471: The region consists of the following twelve counties: Angelina , Houston , Jasper , Nacogdoches , Newton , Polk , Sabine , San Augustine , San Jacinto , Shelby , Trinity , and Tyler . The "Deep" designation comes from the similarity to East Texas (it is similar in culture and topography , being highly forested), but with a location "deeper" (i.e., farther south and towards the Gulf Coast ) than

19964-615: The region does not host professional events in either of those sports. The nearest NASCAR track to East Texas is Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. East Texans enjoy many Texas state parks , including Caddo Lake , Atlanta , Daingerfield , Lake Bob Sandlin , Tyler , Mission Tejas in Grapeland, Cooper Lake , Lake Tawakoni , Martin Creek , Huntsville , Lake Sam Rayburn , Lake Livingston and Sea Rim among others. East Texas

20125-403: The region during the mid-to-late 19th century. African Americans were first brought to the area as enslaved workers to develop and cultivate commodity crops on plantations. Harrison County had the most plantations and highest number of slaves in the antebellum period. Deep South accent influences are noticeable in the subdialect of Texan English that is spoken throughout the region. According to

20286-689: The region has been the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston in Southeast Texas, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler in the northeastern subregion. Other religious faiths with smaller numbers, but with adherents in East Texas, include Mormonism and Judaism . Significant numbers of people of Cajun and Creole descent have migrated from Louisiana , although most are assimilated partially or completely into East Texas culture (adopting

20447-581: The region's geography; all of East Texas has the humid subtropical climate typical of the Southeast, occasionally interrupted by intrusions of cold air from the north. East Texas receives more rainfall, 35 to 60 inches (890 to 1,520 mm), than the rest of Texas. In Houston, the average January temperature is 50.4 °F (10.2 °C) and the average July temperature is 82.6 °F (28.1 °C). However, Houston has slightly warmer winters than most of East Texas due to its lower latitude and proximity to

20608-768: The region, which participate in the Southwest Junior College Conference in Region XIV of the NJCAA. East Texas is also home to the Kilgore College Rangerettes , a world-famous dance team that debuted in 1939. A few professional sports teams are located in the traditionally defined East Texas. The East Texas Pump Jacks, located in Kilgore , play baseball in the Texas Collegiate League . Additionally,

20769-556: The respective front-runners for the Whig and Democratic nominations in the 1844 presidential election , both opposed the annexation of Texas. However, Van Buren's opposition to annexation damaged his candidacy, and he was defeated by James K. Polk , an acolyte of Jackson and an old friend of Houston, at the 1844 Democratic National Convention . Polk defeated Clay in the general election, giving backers of annexation an electoral mandate . Meanwhile, Houston's term ended in December 1844, and he

20930-421: The rest of East Texas. "Deep" also refers to the cultural and social characteristics of the area. This is considered synonymous to the " Big Thicket ", an allusion to the dense growth of underbrush in the Piney Woods. It was the earliest area of Texas to be settled by Anglo-Americans from the United States (and one of the last areas to submit to law enforcement—by the governments of New Spain , Mexico ,

21091-569: The rest of the state. Former residents describe living behind the 'Pine Curtain' as a form of escape. The phrase is often used to describe the area; it appeared in a newspaper column in the Palestine Herald-Press , and in a late 20th-century tourist guide by Mike Dougan. East Texas comprises 41 counties, 38 of which collaborate in sub-regional Ark-Tex Council of Governments , the East Texas Council of Governments ,

21252-458: The rules and laws for local government. He laid out streets with the intersecting El Camino Real (now State Highway 21 ) and La Calle del Norte/North Street (now Business U.S. Highway 59-F ) as the central point. On the main thoroughfare, he built a stone house for use in his trading business. The house, or Old Stone Fort as it is known today, became a gateway from the United States to the Texas frontier. The city has been under more flags than

21413-505: The show if any contestant came from Texas. In 1997, singer Willie Nelson came to Nacogdoches to perform with his friend, Paul Buskirk, a mandolin player. During his stay, Nelson recorded a number of jazz songs at Encore Studios. In 2004, he released those recordings on an album called Nacogdoches . On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up during re-entry, depositing debris across Texas. Much of

21574-555: The son of a white mother and black father, operated a local inn, trucking service, and blacksmith works and maintained a plantation outside Nacogdoches on Goins Hill. He was married to a white woman and owned slaves. He was appointed as an agent to trade with the Cherokees and was prominent in providing assistance to the Texas Army during the Revolution. Adolphus Sterne was a merchant of German Jewish extraction who maintained

21735-576: The state bar and opened a legal practice in Lebanon, Tennessee. With the aid of Governor Joseph McMinn , Houston won election as the district attorney for Nashville in 1819. He was also appointed as a major general of the Tennessee militia. Like his mentors, Houston was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party , which dominated state and national politics in the decade following the War of 1812. Tennessee gained three seats in

21896-424: The state of Texas, claiming nine flags. In addition to the Six Flags of Texas, it also flew under the flags of the Magee-Gutierrez Republic , the Long Republic , and the Fredonian Rebellion . People from the United States began moving to settle in Nacogdoches in 1820, and Texas's first English-language newspaper was published there. However, the first newspaper published (in the 1700s) was in Spanish. An edition of

22057-409: The state; the Texas A&M Aggies , Texas Longhorns , Texas Tech Red Raiders , Baylor Bears , TCU Horned Frogs , etc. Including the city of Houston, its Houston Cougars are another prominent collegiate team. Due to proximity to neighboring states, East Texas has a substantial number of fans of the LSU Tigers , Arkansas Razorbacks , Oklahoma State Cowboys , and Oklahoma Sooners . The Battle of

22218-409: The tendency toward assimilation, Cajun and Creole cuisine (for example, jambalaya and catfish gumbo ), are popular in the region. Many East Texans, including those without Louisiana roots, are known to be expert at preparing at least some well-known Louisiana dishes. While some East Texans associate with cowboy culture, most identify more with smaller scale farming of the Southern U.S., than with

22379-427: The union. He supported the Compromise of 1850 , a sectional compromise on slavery on the territories. Under the compromise, California was admitted as a free state, the slave trade was prohibited in the District of Columbia, a more stringent fugitive slave law was passed, and Utah Territory and New Mexico Territory were established. Texas gave up some of its claims on New Mexico, but it retained El Paso, Texas, and

22540-670: The vote. Houston appointed Anson Jones as secretary of state, Asa Brigham as secretary of the treasury, George Washington Hockley as secretary of war, and George Whitfield Terrell as attorney general. The republic faced a difficult financial situation; at one point, Houston commandeered an American brig used to transport Texas soldiers because the government could not afford to pay the brig's captain. The Santa Fe Expedition and other initiatives pursued by Lamar had stirred tensions with Mexico, and rumors frequently raised fears that Santa Anna would launch an invasion of Texas. Houston continued to curry favor with Britain and France, partly in

22701-591: The war, disputes over the extension of slavery into the territories raised sectional tensions. Unlike most of his Southern colleagues, Houston voted for the Oregon Bill of 1848 , which organized Oregon Territory as a free territory. Defending his vote to create a territory that excluded slavery, Houston stated "I would be the last man to wish to do anything injurious to the South, but I do not think that on all occasions we are justified in agitating [slavery]." He criticized both Northern abolitionists and Democratic followers of Calhoun as extremists who sought to undermine

22862-466: Was a German-born immigrant, who with his elderly mother, left Germany in 1858 and arrived in Nacogdoches by 1859. Their lives are recounted in several books, including a historical fiction novel by Gisela Laudi entitled "I am Justina Tubbe". Tubbe plantation is historically significant in the formation of early life in East Texas, not only in its cotton and sugarcane, but also because it later played an important part in milled-lumber production. Tubbe Sawmill

23023-440: Was able to exert much control or law enforcement in the area. As a consequence, the "Big Thicket" became a refuge for criminals fleeing the United States and hiding out in a "no man's land" in the pine tree thickets. The early isolation of the region and its links to the Deep South have resulted in the piney woods being described as a 'curtain' that demarcates a certain cultural enclave or bubble that distinguishes East Texas from

23184-407: Was actually the first water-, and then steam-powered, sawmill in Nacogdoches. During renovations of the Cason-Monk buildings in the early 21st century, boards stamped with Tubbe Mill logos made dating the building possible. The estate contains one of the largest privately-owned genealogical archives pertaining to the Tubbe family in existence, providing important insight into early settlers' life during

23345-408: Was born on and inherited a slave plantation and mansion, and owned many slaves throughout his life. While he did not enforce some anti-slavery measures, strong slavery laws were still in place under his leadership. He did not support the westward expansion of slavery. His greatest focus was not splitting up the Union, and thought states should decide for themselves on the issue of slavery. Houston ,

23506-406: Was elected as the governor of Tennessee. In 1829, after divorcing his first wife, Houston resigned from office, and moved to the Arkansas Territory to live with the Cherokee once more. Houston settled in Texas in 1832. After the Battle of Gonzales , he helped organize Texas's provisional government and was selected as the top-ranking official in the Texian Army . He led the Texan Army to victory at

23667-482: Was forced to put down the Córdova Rebellion , a plot to allow Mexico to reclaim Texas with aid from the Kickapoo Indians . The Texas constitution barred presidents from seeking a second term, so Houston did not stand for re-election in the 1838 election and left office in late 1838. He was succeeded by Mirabeau B. Lamar , who, along with Burnet, led a faction of Texas politicians opposed to Houston. The Lamar administration removed many of Houston's appointees, launched

23828-439: Was less expensive, but he died in 1806. Elizabeth, his mother, followed through on those plans, settling the family near Maryville, Tennessee , the seat of Blount County . At that time, Tennessee was on the American frontier , and even larger towns like Nashville were vigilant against Native American raids. He had dozens of cousins who lived in the surrounding area of east-central Tennessee. When they arrived, Elizabeth cleared

23989-417: Was modest since it was Dianna's second marriage; she was widowed with two children from her previous marriage: Gabriel, born 1819, and Joanna, born 1822. She and Houston first met when she was ten years old, and he was stunned to see how beautiful she was when he returned to her village years later. The two lived together for several years. Tennessee society disapproved of the marriage because under civil law, he

24150-460: Was never so well known as Spindletop , drilled in 1901 near Beaumont . Lyne Taliaferro Barret began this operation, which was interrupted by the American Civil War . However, after the war, Barret returned to Oil Springs, an area about 13 miles east of Nacogdoches, to resume his project by acquiring another drilling contract in 1865. Barret struck oil on September 12, 1866, at a depth of 106 feet. The well produced around 10 barrels of oil per day, but

24311-431: Was nominated as one of the "Friendliest Towns in America" by Rand McNally and USA Today . Nacogdoches is the headquarters of the Texas Wing of the Civil Air Patrol , the Air Force Auxiliary. Nacogdoches is about 140 mi (225 km) north-northeast of Houston , 180 mi (290 km) southeast of Dallas , and 90 mi (145 km) southwest of Shreveport . According to the United States Census Bureau ,

24472-433: Was not close with his siblings or his parents, and he rarely spoke of them in his later life. Haley states that he was interested in his younger brother's and his sisters' welfare when he lived on Hiwassee Island. He felt used by the rest of the family. In 1812, Houston enlisted in the United States Army, which then was engaged in the War of 1812 against Britain and Britain's Native American allies. He quickly impressed

24633-469: Was not interested in schooling. However, he did take an interest in his father's library, reading works by classical authors like Virgil , as well as more contemporary works by authors such as Jedidiah Morse . Not interested in farming and working in the family store, at the age of 16, he left his family to live with a Cherokee tribe, led by Chief John Jolly ( Cherokee name : Ahuludegi , also spelled Oolooteka ) on Hiwassee Island . Houston formed

24794-464: Was one of the first two individuals to represent Texas in the United States Senate . He also served as the sixth governor of Tennessee and the seventh governor of Texas , the only individual to be elected governor of two different states in the United States. Born in Rockbridge County, Virginia , Houston and his family relocated to Maryville, Tennessee , when he was a teenager. Houston later ran away from home, spending about three years living with

24955-399: Was one of the original European settlements in the region, populated by Adaeseños from Fort Los Adaes . Colonel Antonio Gil Y'Barbo , a Spanish trader, emerged as the leader of the settlers, and in the spring of 1779, he led a group back to Nacogdoches. Later that summer, Nacogdoches received designation from Spain as a pueblo . Y'Barbo, as lieutenant governor of the new town, established

25116-465: Was recorded to produce a range of 8 to 40 barrels. In 1868, the price of oil dropped so low that Barret lost his financial backing, and was forced to resign from the project. The fields then lay dormant for another 20 years, until 1889, when various drilling companies had 40 wells on the site. The site was never very productive, only yielding 54 barrels in 1890. However, it remains the first and oldest oil well in Texas, with production being recorded into

25277-409: Was responsible for not only his large 2,000-acre plantation, sawmill, and participation in Milam Masonic Lodge, but also is credited with bringing the now defunct Texas and New Orleans Railroad spur into town. Tubbe estate as a whole is now owned and managed by Thomas VonAugust Tubbe-Brown, the fifth-generation grandson of August Tubbe. In 1859, the first oil well in Texas began operation here, but it

25438-809: Was shunned by many Texas leaders, though he continued to correspond with Confederate officer Ashbel Smith and Texas governor Francis Lubbock . His son, Sam Houston Jr., served in the Confederate army during the Civil War, but returned home after being wounded at the Battle of Shiloh . Houston's health suffered a precipitous decline in April 1863, which contributed to his death on July 26, 1863, at 70 years of age. The inscription on Houston's tomb reads: A Brave Soldier. A Fearless Statesman. A Great Orator—A Pure Patriot. A Faithful Friend, A Loyal Citizen. A Devoted Husband and Father. A Consistent Christian—An Honest Man. In January 1829 Sam Houston, then Governor of Tennessee, married 19-year-old Eliza Allen. The marriage lasted 11 weeks. Neither Houston nor Eliza ever gave

25599-414: Was still legally married to Eliza Allen Houston. After declining to accompany Houston to Texas in 1832, Dianna later remarried. She died in 1838 of pneumonia. Will Rogers was her nephew, three generations removed. In 1837, after becoming President of the Republic of Texas, he was able to acquire, from a district court judge, a divorce from Eliza Allen. In 1839, he purchased a horse which became one of

25760-416: Was succeeded by Anson Jones, his secretary of state. In the waning days of his own presidency, Tyler used Polk's victory to convince Congress to approve of the annexation of Texas . Seeking Texas's immediate acceptance of annexation, Tyler made Texas a generous offer that allowed the state to retain control of its public lands, though it would be required to keep its public debt. A Texas convention approved of

25921-410: Was to Texas—and the South. Houston refused offers of troops from the United States to keep Texas in the Union and announced on May 10, 1861 that he would stand with the Confederacy in its war effort. After leaving office, Houston returned to his home in Galveston . He later settled in Huntsville, Texas, where he lived in a structure known as the Steamboat House . In the midst of the Civil War, Houston

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