I was coming up from Southern Cherokee County, Texas and turned West on US Hwy 84 and turned North on FM Hwy 347 to the old downtown Dialville. What I noticed for the first time was the Masonic corner-stone. I drove West for six miles on FM Hwy 1910. At the junction of FM Hwy 2138 was the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church & Cemetery. The Union Grove area was settled just before the US Civil War. In 1887 they organized the Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church. In 1905 land was donated for the church and cemetery. The current church structure was built in 1924. I turned South on FM 2138 to Maydelle, Texas where I made a stop at the Old Cherokee Trading Post. I talked with the historians at the trading post and got ... read more

According to Historic Texas, members of a Baptist Church from South Carolina moved and settled in what became the Sardis Community in Cherokee County in about 1848. In 1854 they organized the Sardis Baptist Church. Their early baptisms happened in the Neches River and also Box's Creek. Little is known about their first Sardis Baptist Church building. The second church structure served as a church and a community school, on the first floor. The Woodmen of the World occupied the second floor. Later a third building was constructed only for church activities. In 1948 the Sardis school consolidated with the Rusk schools; then the congregation moved their church activities (including their worship) in the second building at the former Sardis schoolhouse. Sardis is located eight miles SW of Rusk on FM Hwy 1857. From Rusk I ... read more

This is the start of my August 15, 2020 travel to Southern Cherokee County. I needed gasoline so I stopped at my favorite station on the North side of Nacogdoches to fill up Old Blue. Driving South on Loop 224 I was surprised to find our Trade Days Flea Market open and circled around to get mangos and other tropical fruits from my favorite vendor. He noticed that I had a hard time walking, so he had his assistant carry my purchase back to my truck. Since I was planning to tour Southern Cherokee County, I drove West on Texas Hwy 225 and stopped at the Lake Nacogdoches Scenic Overlook by the dam. Driving Westbound I made a stop at what the locals call the "suicide turn" (where horrible auto wrecks happen) as TX 225 turns ... read more

According to TSHA (Texas State Historical Association) Kingtown was named for land developer Alton King who purchased fifty acres on (the North side) the Angelina River in 1943. A residential community was established when King opened a camping area in 1943. In the 1950s he was selling lots for homes. When they damned up the Angelina River creating the Sam Rayburn Reservoir (around 1960) that attracted many new residents and increased the property values. I was driving down Texas FM 226 Southbound and saw a sign for Kingtown. I turned West on Nacogdoches County road 552, following the signs for the Kingtown Landing Liquor Store, passing by a private deer hunting lease on the North side of the county road. note: These free county road maps in East Texas are generally accurate, but sometimes do not ... read more

Yesterday watching ABC local news (KLTV), the weatherman (Mark Skirto) told us that the Space Station would be seen at 8:58 over Tyler, Texas for six minutes. (Cuz of my large trees I had maybe thirty seconds to shoot.) That would be about three minutes different than in my neck of the woods in Nacogdoches County. I had my camera and tripod ready (and a rum drink) for the fly-over. My shots were three second exposures. Sorry, you have to look hard to see the short white lines. I sent these pics to KLTV and email was bounced back to me as I had to be a member for them to see my email. I found a pick I shot last year of the Space Station that was overhead about 9:47 PM. It was darker then ... read more