Texas town names, a geography lesson. (original) (raw)
Okay, here's today's geography lesson. How far is it from Detroit to Boston?
By my reckoning, it's less than sixty miles--but only if you live in East Texas.
People who wander into our part of the state sometimes get confused by our geography and town names.
For example, our Detroit lies in Red River Country between Clarksville and Paris. And our Boston is in Bowie County, a few miles off Interstate 30 west of Texarkana.
Actually, Bowie County has three Bostons...Boston, Old Boston, and New Boston. Which is probably more than they have in Massachusetts.
We also have a couple of Londons. The original lies in Rusk County and New London is a mile or so away.
We also have a Manchester, which, ironically, isn't too far from English. You can find both in Red River County.
Although we pronounce it differently than the one in the Middle East, we also have a Palestinein Anderson County. Folks there say the correct way to pronounce the name is "Pal-uh-steen."
Around Christmas time, visitors are surprised that we havetwo Bethlehems. One is located in Angelina County west of Lufkinand another is near Gilmer in Upshur County.
Camp County's county seat is Pittsburg, which differs from the Pennsylvania city in the spelling. In Pennsylvania, they add an H to the end of the name.
We have an Atlanta in Cass County, but it is considerably smaller than the one in Georgia.
Naples, in Italy, has its counterpart about 16 miles east of Mount Pleasant. And you'll find our version of Malta a few miles west of Boston triplets.
Omaha(it was named for the hometown of a local settler) is also near Mount Pleasant
Jamestown (not the one where the Pilgrims settled) is a few miles north of Newton and East Texas� version of Elysian Fields, the blissful abode of mythology, sits on the border separating Panola and Harrison County.
Sebastopol is a near-ghost town in Trinity County. It borrowed its name from the famous Russian port.
Here are some other East Texas names with a ring of familiarity. Africa, a community in Liberty County.
Long Branch (remember the saloon from the Gunsmoke television western?) in Panola County.
Friday, which just happens to be exactly 13 miles east of Lovelady in Houston County.
Choice, the best place to make a decision, is in Shelby County. Uncertain, the worst place, is in Harrison County.
Of all our town names, we probably have more Center-style names than anything else: **Center**in Limestone and Shelby counties; **Centerville**in Leon and Trinity counties; Central in Angelina County; Center Point in Panola, Upshur, Leon and Trinity counties; Center Grovein Houston and Titus counties; Center Hill in Houston County, Centerviewin Leon County; Central High in Cherokee; Central Heights of Nacogdoches; and Centralia in Trinity County.
And for a touch of class, there is, or course, Centre in Rusk County.
November 2002 Column
Published with permission
(Bob Bowman is author of Pioneers, Poke Sallet and Politics with Archie McDonald. It is available through the East Texas Historical Association, Nacogdoches)