Simple question, huh? But lots of conflicting opinions. I've heard some say you're not in East Texas until you're surrounded by pine trees. But if you start around Tyler and Longview and go due North, you'll get out of the pine belt yet be just as Far East. Think Sulpher Springa, Mt. Pleasant, Paris, Clarksville, etc. Beaumont PA Orange--clearly SE Texas, which to me is part of East Texas. Venn diagram-Southeast is contained within the broader East. Yet, Houston would not be called East Texas by many people. A giant international megopolis with little cultural resemblance to East Texas--although plenty of pine trees especially on the East and Northeast sides...
Surely it's not purely geographic, but also part cultural. Brady is the geographic center, and Austin is SE of that. But if you said Austin is in East Texas, I'd look at you like you had 3 heads!
But what about just West of the pine forests, but still "culturally" in East Texas--think Centerville, Fairfield, Corsicana, etc. in the past I'd say nope, but now I'd include that area in "East Texas". Still wet green land with plenty of forest (hardwood not pine though). Moreover, culturally I can't distinguish Corsicana from Longview. (Yeah, I anticipate catching some sh!t for that statement).
I'd still say no to Bryan College Station, Hearne, Marlin, Mexia, Etc. I put most of the Blackland Prairies in "East Central Texas." But that's how I see it.
What do you think?
Last edited: May 13, 2019