Discover Tyler County 2021

Tyler County 2021

Featuring events, places and people from

Chester, Colmesneil, Dam-B, Doucette, Fred, Hillister, Ivanhoe, Spurger, Warren, Wildwood & Woodville

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FROM THE EDITOR Howdy everybody!

For those of you who have found your hands and eyes on this publication, we thank you for taking an interest, first and foremost. This edition of our annual Discover Tyler County marks a couple of distinct, celebratory chapters.

First off, our little slice of the East Texas pines is celebrating its 175th year. That’s right! Tyler County was organized and codified as a county in 1846, which makes it one of the oldest of the 254 counties comprising the Lone Star State.

Sure, 175 years is a long time, but even before Tyler County was created and named for President John Tyler, who signed the resolution to annex Texas to the United States, there were explorers, early settlers and, of course, the indigenous Alabamas, the Caddos, Coushatta and Cherokee, who all did their best to find harmony with the land.

Tyler County is an area rich in the stories and can-do spirit of generations past and present. Within these pages you will find a small slice of what Tyler County is, what it was and what it will be. It is our pleasure, and an honor, to present the 2021 edition of this magazine.

There is a lot to discover within the county’s boundaries, and not just for those who are visiting or thinking of relocating here. There is a lot to see, and many things one would not ordinarily notice, even if they’ve lived here for many years. Case in point: within this issue, the photo essay “Wonders of Tyler County,” which features a stunning collection of black-and-white photographs by writer/photographer/filmmaker Caleb Fortenberry, showcases a side of Tyler County that likely goes unnoticed by many.

As far as the other cause for celebration goes, this issue of Discover marks the 21st year that we’ve been putting this take on all things Tyler County out to folks. So, I guess that means Discover is old enough to drink. After the year of tribulations that 2020 was, a refreshing beverage sounds like a great idea, so if you are so inclined, enjoy yourself, and with this edition of Discover, we raise a glass in toasting the indominable spirit of Tyler Countians, past, present and for the future.

In closing, I want to make mention of a longtime Tyler County resident who not only embodied the best qualities of Texans and Tyler Countians, but truly what it meant to be human. Michael “Mike” Paddie, who passed last year, was a transplant to Texas and to Tyler County, but he took root here and affected positivity wherever he went and to whomever he encountered.

At its best a community represents a broad spectrum of folks from various backgrounds and interests, working, living, playing, worshipping and dreaming together. Mike Paddie was a great example of that, and certainly missed all over Tyler County. The late, great East Texan bard Cyd Adams wrote a poem once that includes the following verse: “You are one of those, one of mine; I’ll never see sunrise but I’ll have your light, never stack my tools but in your shadow.

Where I go, you will go. And it’s good to have your company.”

It was certainly great to have your company, Mike. May we all remember to be good to one another, as you most certainly were.

Thanks!

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–Chris Edwards

On The Cover Tyler County 2021

Featuring events, places and people from

Chester, Colmesneil, Dam-B, Doucette, Fred, Hillister, Ivanhoe, Spurger, Warren, Wildwood & Woodville

PHOTOGRAPH BY CALEB FORTENBERRY Tyler County Dogwood festival visiting duchess, Katelyn Smith, represented Beaumont at the 77th annual Dogwood Festival.

She was escorted by Braydin Davis from Chester, during the parade that took place Saturday, June 13, 2020. The festival was the first ever rescheduled from the spring to the summer, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meet The Staff Publisher Kelli Barnes Editor Chris Edwards Design & Graphics Beth Faircloth

Advertising Team Becky Byley Jeff Fatheree Writers & Photographers Kelli Barnes Chris Edwards Caleb Fortenberry Mollie La Salle Jim Powers

Polk County Publishing Co.

Table of Contents

Tyler County 2021

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Alvin Holley, owner

100 E. Calhoun St. • P.O. Box 1726 Livingston, TX 77351 936-327-4357 To contact the editor, email Chris Edwards at news@tylercountybooster.com

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Discover Tyler County Magazine 2021 is published by Polk County Publishing Company, Inc. serving Alabama Coushatta Tribe of Texas, Chester, Colmesneil, Doucette, Fred, Hillister, Ivanhoe, Spurger, Warren, Wildwood and Woodville. Discover Tyler County Magazine is a visitor’s guide to the pineywoods of deep East Texas, with emphasis on Tyler County and surrounding areas and is dedicated to the people and businesses that make Tyler County such a wonderful community to work, live and play.

Peach Tree Village

Chester Long Leaf Pine Trail

Colmesneil

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21

• Lake Tejas

256

256

Dam B

3065 1632

Louisiana Pacific Trail

256

190 To Livingston

15 miles to Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation

Doucette Heritage Village • • Dogwood Hills Golf Course

190 To Jasper

•

Woodville

Campers Cove

2992

287 69

Ivanhoe

(30 miles to Livingston)

B.A. Steinhagen Lake

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1746

1013

Hillister

92 • Beech Creek Trail

1943

28

Spurger

Warren

(8 miles south of Warren)

69

92

2827 To Beaumont

Turkey • Creek Trail

Fred

• Watson Pinelands Preserve

Jacob Spivey recaps last year’s fair, and what the event means for the youth of Tyler County.

Tyler County Resident James White Named Among Best Legislators

Tyler County’s Top Lawman

A profile of District Attorney Lucas Babin and his journey from the runways and silver screen to the courtroom.

Heritage Village Keeps History Alive

One of the many places that makes Tyler County so unique.

1943

Wildwood Golf Course •

The Tyler County Fair Soldiers On

State Representative James White calls Tyler County home.

Martin Dies, Jr. State Park • • Magnolia Ridge

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Check out this nifty guide to some real treasures that can be found around Tyler County.

cales in this photo essay.

Neches River

1745

Shopping Local Can Save the Planet

Caleb Fortenberry as he explores 14 Join some unseen/hidden-in-plain sight lo-

To Lufkin R255

After a year of restructuring, the annual countywide festival is set to return.

The Wonders of Tyler County

Tyler County Area Map 69

Dogwood Festival: The Tradition Continues

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Oh the Places You’ll Go in Tyler County A listing of some points of interest within the county.

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County and City Government Contacts County Judge Jacques Blanchette 409-283-2141 Pct. 1 Commissioner Joe Blacksher 409-283-7103 Pct. 2 Commissioner Stevan Sturrock 409-283-7013 Pct. 3 Commissioner Mike Marshall 409-283-7623 Pct. 4 Commissioner Charles “Buck” Hudson 409-283-7623 Tyler County Sheriff Bryan Weatherford 409-283-2172 District Attorney Lucas Babin 409-283-8136 State Rep. James White 409-283-3700 State Sen. Robert Nichols 936-564-4252 Congressional Rep. Brian Babin 409-331-8066

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City of Chester: • Mayor Floyd Petri • City Hall: 936-969-2360 City of Colmesneil • Mayor Don Baird • City Hall: 409-837-5211 City of Ivanhoe • Mayor Cathy Bennett • City Hall: 409-283-3299 City of Woodville: • Mayor Paula Jones • City Hall: 409-283-2234 Tyler County Hospital: 409-283-8141 Veterans’ Service Office: 409-283-3751 Woodville Police Department: Chief Mike McCulley – 409-283-5262 Chester Volunteer Fire Department: 936-969-2222 Colmesneil VFD: 409-837-9628 Dam B VFD: 409-429-4554 Fred VFD: 409-429-7568 Ivanhoe VFD: 409-283-5411 Shady Grove VFD: 409-384-0970 Spurger VFD: 409-429-5339 Warren VFD: 409-547-2553 Whitetail Ridge VFD: 409-283-8452 Woodville VFD: 409-283-2103

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By Chris Edwards The directors for the annual Tyler County Dogwood Festival have met and set in motion preliminary measures to produce the county’s annual festival to celebrate its heritage and the bounty of springtime.

Last year’s festival was postponed and re-tooled due to concerns with the pandemic, and instead of taking place over the course of three weekends in March and April, was limited to one date on the second weekend in June, still, the 77th annual Dogwood Festival was celebrated in Woodville. It was only the second time in the festival’s history that a drastic change had to be made. Throughout America’s involvement in World War II, the festival was cancelled.

The festival’s executive director Buck Hudson, now in his 30th year of being associated with the festival, said that last

Dogwood Festival:

Arts weekend, on March 20-21, followed by Western Weekend on March 26-27 and concluding with Queen’s Weekend on Saturday, April 3, when the Dogwood Queen is crowned.

Along with all of the fun events that comprise those three weekends, the directors also announced the traditional historical play will commence. “This year’s historical play will go back to the very beginnings, as this is the 175th anniversary of Tyler County,” according to the directors.

The theme for the festival, overall is “We are Tyler County: A Celebration of the Beginning.”

The current, reigning Dogwood Queen is Allie Jarrott, who is the daughter of Cody and Joanna Jarrott of Woodville.

She was a senior at Woodville High School when she was crowned and is now attending Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree.

The Tradition Continues year’s festival was the most challenging of any to produce, but that it was important to have the event for the youth of the county, and to uphold the tradition.

According to a news release from the festival directors, the event has, for more than 80 years, allowed Tyler Countians the opportunity to “[pay] tribute to the glories of spring and the lovely dogwood trees.”

Hudson and the directors announced that they are planning the full and traditional range of Dogwood activities, which will begin with Festival of the

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Rep. Brian Babin rides in the 2020 Dogwood parade.

Reigning Dogwood Queen Allie Jarrott

The Tyler County Texas Business Women in the parade.

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By Kelli Barnes I became an adult in the early 90’s, meaning I was close to running out of stupid mistakes to make - ready to pay the piper, get my act together, and be a good citizen.

One of the first things I remember, when starting my career in the newspaper business as a salesperson, was hearing stories from business owners who were my age now, about how their revenues had been ripped away by big box stores.

The day Mrs. Dixie Jarrott told me she used to sell Leggs pantihose in her pharmacy and gift shop, I started to realize what she was talking about. “We do not sell enough inventory anymore to keep that item and many others in stock,” she said. (We were still wearing pantyhose to business meetings and church on Sundays at that time. I hear they are making a comeback.) Instead, she had to rethink her business model and fill the gift shop with beautiful and unique gift items, the most current and fashionable. This business model served her well.

No telling what she thought about my 20-year old self who just moved to town and tried selling her advertising, like I had a clue what she as a business owner in a small community needed.

Thankfully, she and many others did know what they needed in advertising to be successful, so they taught me the ropes. Credit goes to Mrs. Jarrott and her husband George, along with Fred Sullivan, Mr. Archer and son Forrest, Mr. Best and son James; Huntley Kenesson, David Mann and son Lee…just to name a few. I owe a lot to them.

Each one invested in advertising - not because I was good at

what I did, but because they were good at what they did.

Why am I bringing up big box stores and the 90’s? Because online shopping is causing the same effect to another crop of small business owners in East Texas. The convenience of online shopping, with free shipping and a little cheaper price, is running off our small business owners, which is running off our jobs, tourism dollars, and our community’s

Shopping local can save the planet... well, your community anyway

ability to thrive.

Do you want a cause? Do you want to do something that matters? Do you want to sustain the planet by starting with your community?

Shop local. It is not just a cliché’.

Spending money in our local economy keeps more dollars at home, allowing us to live and work here, instead of big cities, if we choose. Studies have shown $68 of every $100 spent locally stays in our communities. (from U.S. Chambers of Commerce data) Visualize your hometown with empty buildings, while one or both breadwinners in your family travels far from home to make a living. Our hometowns have lost so much. We have fewer car dealers, lost our charming pharmacy drug store lunch counters in many cases, and specialty clothing shops and shoe stores are few and far between. The same with bowling alleys and movie theaters. At one time these were all small businesses providing local jobs.

So, on that note let’s go shopping, Tyler Countians, and do our part!

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Discover Shopping in Tyler County

Handmade Wooden Bowls $120 (Various sizes/prices) Country to Classy, Woodville

Custom Drink Holders $25-$40 Country to Classy, Woodville

Custom Cutting Board $75 Country to Classy, Woodville

Texas Sweatshirt $30.99 Country to Classy, Woodville

CC Baby Toboggans $15.99 Gail’s Boutique & Nail Salon

Bible Cover $25 Gail’s Boutique & Nail Salon

Concealed Carry Purse $77.99 Gail’s Boutique & Nail Salon She+Sky Blouse $35.99 Sunshine Earrings $10 Gail’s Boutique & Nail Salon

Canvas Spirit Bag $13 •Warren Tumbler $18 • Colmesneil Tumbler $22 Everything U, Woodville

Classic Toys $2.50-$4.50 Heritage Village, Woodville Handmade Felt Dogwood Pin $35 Heritage Village, Woodville

Iron Ware Texas & Flag Pans $40 Heritage Village, Woodville

18’ Fire Pit $299 Mott’s Wholesale/TKC Knives Spurger

Cross Case Knife $87 Mott’s Wholesale/TKC Knives Spurger

Discover Shopping in Tyler County

Cedar Boxes $ Heritage Village, Woodville

Discover Shopping in Tyler County

Log Cabin Bird House $24.99 Mott’s Wholesale/TKC Knives Spurger Wide Tall Rocker $129.99 Mott’s Wholesale/TKC Knives Spurger

Dinosaur Mini Cake Pan $29.99 Mott’s Wholesale/TKC Knives Spurger

Designer Beach Hats $20.95 Passin’ Thru Boutique Warren Baby M Rose Romper $24.95 Southern Grace & Co. Woodville

Sachel Purse $24.95 Passin’ Thru Boutique Warren

Photo Pet Bowls Small $8/Large $12 Passin’ Thru Boutique Warren

Chicken Seasoning & Rub $8 Passin’ Thru Boutique Warren

Child’s Sneaker $20.95 Passin’ Thru Boutique Warren

Skinny Paw Pet Shampoo $14.95 Southern Grace & Co. Woodville

Ball Mason Jars $11.99 Sullivan’s Hardware Woodville

Cross Platter $89.99 Sullivan’s Hardware Woodville

Acrylic Designer Pens by Carter $35 Tyler County Art Gallery Woodville

Metal Collegiate Signs $19.99-$29.99 Sullivan’s Hardware Woodville

Green Eyes and Smoke Acrylic

by Levi Walling $120 Tyler County Art Gallery Woodville

Groovy Train Acrylic

by Lynn Lewis $250 Tyler County Art Gallery Woodville

Mott’s Wholesale/TKC Knives 13250 FM 92 in Spurger

Lil Fish, Big Sea-Oil

by Carolyn Guzman $225 Tyler County Art Gallery Woodville

Everything U 316 S. Magnolia in Woodville Southern Grace & Co. 316 S. Magnolia in Woodville Country to Classy Boutique 105 E. Wheat in Woodville Heritage Village Museum Gift Shop 206 Hwy. 190 in Woodville

Sullivan’s Hardware 211 W. Bluff in Woodville Tyler County Art Gallery 210 W. Bluff in Woodville Passin Thru Boutique 12212 Hwy. 69 S in Warren Gail’s Boutique & Nail Salon 1008 W. Bluff in Woodville

Rose Metal Art

by Wm Dean Mitchell $395 Tyler County Art Gallery Woodville

Discover Shopping in Tyler County

Mudpie Barnyard Finger Puppets $25.95 Southern Grace & Co. Woodville

The Wonders of Tyler County A photo essay by Caleb Fortenberry When walking through everyday life, most of the time we don’t think twice about our hometowns landmarks and appreciate the value of them.

In this photo collection, I want the viewers to see their towns’ history and landmarks through a different perception. That is what these photos are, perspective.

Some towns have more remaining history than others, but I implore you to look at the photos and try to figure where the landmarks belong prior to reading their descriptions.

Each Tyler County community is represented here, and each has wonder.

Above – Chester: Resting on the North end of Tyler county on the Neches River, the 1936 Fort Teran Monument is located approximately 0.33 miles west of the original location of the Mexican Fort, that was never fully completed, and Belt’s Ferry crossing.

Rumored to have Mexican Gold stashed away in the cave beneath the monument while evading revolting Texans in 1832, the monument now rests on top of Money Hill. The monument was moved around 1963 due to concerns of flooding with another dam being built along the Neches. The 5-acre lot containing Money Hill was donated to the County and treasure hunters have been searching in the wrong place ever since.

Left – Colmesneil: Turtles resting on a log in Dishman Lake, located in Colmesneil North West of Lake Tejas off of HWY 256.

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Doucette: The Doucette Union Church, a multi-denomination building built between 1902 and 1908. As each denomination made their own church buildings, the church ceased being used. The building collapsed at the tail end of 2020.

Fred – Abandoned Oil Tanks in Fred Texas, located along HWY 92. There are 88 oil pumps regularly producing in Tyler County.

15

Hillister – Off of HWY 1013 in Hillister rests two 8-ball yard ornaments standing a few feet tall.

Woodville – A gazebo roof in depression era park, Kirkland Springs, located off of HWY 287 in Woodville, was built in 1934 by the Woodville Chamber of Commerce and donated to the State Highway Department of Texas. By 1938 there were 674 roadside parks in Texas.

Only 41 of these parks remain, with 16 being in East Texas.

The Rockland Railroad Trestle, completed in 1899, crosses the Neches River connected Tyler and Jasper Counties. It is a landmark for the once sawmill town owned by Hal Aldridge, William Cameron & Co., and John Henry Kirby.

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Ivanhoe – Lake Charmaine dam, located in the City of Ivanhoe was developed originally in the 1960s, but it was rebuilt after the collapse in September of 1996 when a 15-inch rainfall occurred in four hours.

Warren – Registered as a national historical site, the 1935 Italian Renaissance Revival style Warren High School building has been unused since 1988 and completely abandoned since the construction of the new campus.

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Spurger – Sheffield’s ferry crossing located on the Neches River in Spurger, was the last operating ferry in Tyler County, closing down in 1959 when a bridge was built adjacent to it.

Dam B/Town Bluff – Pedigo Family Cemetery Chapel built in 1938, located on Pedigo loop or Rattlesnake Hill in Dam B adjacent to HWY 92.

The cemetery was once located in a town named Pedigo, but now resides as a ghost town.

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The Tyler County Fair

By Jacob Spivey

78 Year Anniversary

Tyler County Dogwood Festival

Last 2 weekends in March & 1st weekend in April

Visit our historic village Open 7 days a week, except for major holidays

Guided tours with reservations

Call (800) 323-0389 Monday-Friday 9-3 Saturday-Sunday 9-5

Meeting & Wedding facilities available Annual Harvest Festival 3rd weekend in October Dine at the

World Famous

Pickett House Restaurant

The 4-H prayer reads like this “Help me, Oh Lord, to live so that the world may be a little better, because thou hast made me”.

Last year, for the Tyler County Fair, some things were different, some things were challenging, but we had it and made it through.

There were three county fairs scheduled in East Texas at that time: one canceled completely, one limited the crowd to parents and exhibitors and just one show a day, and then there was us, here in Tyler County.

We had a county fair – no carnival, no midway, no games, but we had a county fair.

We had vendors, we had shows, we had a hint of fall in the wind and the smell of funnel cakes and blooming onions, and fresh shavings in the air. It felt like, the county fair.

It wasn’t easy. We navigated a pandemic, something that hasn’t been done in the United States in nearly 100 years. We listened to calls to cancel our

Soldiers on show. We watched as shows bigger than ours fell. We persisted. We sat down and navigated schedule changes, for the first time ever, in the middle of the show season to fit with what the county asked us to do. It wasn’t easy, we didn’t always agree, and most of the time we weren’t happy, but we persisted. Our broiler show was threatened by Hurricane Laura, when we couldn’t pick up chicks during the storm, it would have been easy, and maybe even smart to cancel.

We persisted, we showed birds that were 9 days younger than we normally show, but we showed. The week of the fair, another hurricane, this time a hurricane with practically no name, threatened us again. We persisted. We showed cattle in 40 mph winds, but we showed cattle. We had an auction, and it was down a little bit, but we had one. We did things that shows much larger than us, with professional full-time staff couldn’t pull off. We had a county fair.

This was totally and completely because of the volun-

teers in the picture below.

This county fair board, that gives of their time when it would have been easier to throw in the towel.

These folks that made the decision, more than once, that they would deal with whatever it took, to be there for the kids.

Nobody on the fair board is there for glory, nobody gains anything for their position.

They open themselves up to plenty of complainers to corner them. They open themselves up to listening to everyone under the sun telling them what they did wrong, or what should have been different. They give up countless late nights throughout the year, not just the week of the fair, going over rule changes and planning the fair.

I can’t tell you that anyone benefits in any way from being on the fair board. In fact, being on the fair board costs most of these people far more than they could ever regain. But the world is a little better because God made them, and for me and each of them, that’s a good enough reason.

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The members of the Tyler County Fair Board, who, against all odds, made sure the youth of Tyler County were showcased in their hard working endeavors.

Tyler County resident James White named among state’s best legislators

By Chris Edwards

Tyler County has been home to a variety of folks, accomplished in many fields.

Men and women of letters, legislators, innovators of all stripes and types have called this verdant county home.

One such individual is a Hillister resident who happens to serve Texas’s Congressional District 19, which comprises Tyler, Polk, Hardin, Jasper and Newton counties, and his dedication to service has earned him plaudits from none other than Texas Monthly magazine, as of late.

Since 1973, following the state legislature’s sine die, Texas Monthly magazine has unveiled its list of who it deems the best and worst legislators. State Rep. James White (R-Hillister) was named one of eight elected

officials named as one of the state’s best after the last biennial session in 2019.

When the list was released, White expressed gratitude to be named to the list, and also referenced another Texas Monthly tradition in a Facebook post.

“Very honored to be on a ‘Best’ list. But I still rate the Tx Monthly’s Best BBQ list as the most pre-eminent,” White wrote.

For the magazine’s picks, the staff “choose[s] those legislators who worked in the

public interest, particularly if they did so under difficult circumstances or out of the limelight,” according to the article.

In his profile on the list, White was referred to as “a man in a pressure cooker. He’s a rock-ribbed conservative in good standing with the right…and one of his party’s leading advocates for criminal justice reform.”

Texas Monthly highlighted White’s work in criminal justice reform, such as his effort to update the Sandra Bland Act; an effort to limit arrests for misdemeanors. The

measure failed to pass, but the magazine’s writers praised White for his “willingness to tackle the issue.”

White has served District 19 in the State House of Representatives since 2010.

He has received accolades throughout his tenure from a variety of organizations and publications, including the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Eagle Forum and the National Federation of Independent Business in Texas.

During the 86th legislature, White authored, co-authored or sponsored a variety of bills relating to eminent domain, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and criminal justice reform. He co-authored HBs 2 and 3, which sought to reform property taxes and school finance, respectively.

Both bills passed with bipartisan support.

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Tyler County’s Top Lawman Lucas Babin’s journey

from the runway to the courtroom

By Mollie LaSalle Photos by Caleb Fortenberry

Tyler County’s own Lucas Babin has worn many hats in his storied career, taking him around the world, from walking the runway, acting in television and film, and appearing in music videos; but ultimately, at the end of the day, he is blessed to call Woodville, Texas home. These days, you can find Lucas hard at work in the District Attorney’s Office after being elected to the position in 2018.

Lucas was born in Beaumont to Brian and Roxanne Babin; he has a twin sister, Kirsten, an older sister and brother, Marit and Leif, and a younger sister Lauren (affectionally known as LaLa). Dr. and Mrs. Babin chose to raise their children in Tyler County and settled in Woodville, where Dr. Babin established a successful dental practice and also served as mayor.

Dr. Babin is currently serving as our representative in congress for Texas’s 36th congressional district, which includes Tyler, Polk, Newton, Jasper, Orange, Hardin, Liberty, Chambers, and portions of Harris, counties.

Growing up in Woodville is something Lucas looks back on with many fond memories; small town Woodville and Lucas seemingly co-existed; he has nothing but good things to say about his childhood. In past interviews, Lucas often referred to Woodville as “the coolest town in the world”. Former Woodville mayor Jimmie Cooley commented that Lucas was a grounded teenager. “He held a firm balance between family, church, school, and work. He had a very ethical work habit and helped me at my home on several occasions. I can say he also had a great respect from his fellow teenagers, from his younger years at church groups,” she said.

Lucas is an alumnus of Woodville High School; after graduating high school he took freshman and sophomore classes at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. It was at this point that he got the chance to move to Los Angeles to live with his older brother Leif. Lucas was only there for a few

22

months when he was “discovered” by a scout from the Ford Modeling Agency; a couple of Polaroid shots later, and he was off to Europe, quickly landing jobs with Gucci and Versace.

Lucas did 18 fashion shows in Milan, and then worked for Versace in their print campaign; all of this hap-pened in less than a year’s time.

Lucas was a huge success in the modeling world; other campaigns he has “walked the runway” for include Calvin Klein, Roberto Cavalli, and Louis Vuitton, just to name a few. It was during this time (early 2000’s) that Lucas began landing roles in television, films and music videos. Probably his most notable film role is in School of Rock, in which he played the character of Spider.

The film was made in 2003, and he still has fans (even in Woodville) who remember his performance in that movie.

“School of Rock is a great movie, he said; I was glad to have a small part in it-it’s a rare thing to get a part in a project that lasts; my agent sent me on an audition to Huntsville, where I met Richard Linklater. I had a lot of fun on the set, which was in New York City, and met a lot of really great people.” Lucas also commented that he’s still amazed that he gets recognized from this movie.

Lucas eventually began working in South America (Brazil), and almost immediately got hired to act in a telenovela.

“America” was a hugely popular series, and ironically Lucas portrayed a cowboy. He did this for about two years (100 episodes) and picked up the language rather easily; he is fluent in Portuguese. Lucas met his wife, who is Brazilian, in a round -about way, he said they “actually met in Los Angeles”. She was recruited to play volleyball at LSU, they eventually got to know each other and two years later got married; they are now the parents of twin sons. This writer asked Lucas about the irony of he himself being a twin to being the father of twins.

He said “When the doctor said we were having twin boys, I couldn’t believe it.”

Lucas fondly remembered his years in the entertainment industry: “I had a blast, the most fun I’ve ever experienced.” He cannot go to certain places in Brazil, as he still gets mobbed by fans. When asked why he gave up the glamorous life and returned to small town life, Lucas was rather straight-forward in his answer: “I began to question the path my career was taking me, and after meeting a wonderful pastor from a church in Los Angeles, I decided to go back to school and get my degree”. He made his way back to Texas to do that, and wound up at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, where he got his undergraduate degree. After that, he was off to the University of Houston Law School, where he received his Doctor of Jurisprudence.

After law school, Lucas worked for the firm of Sutliff and Stout in Houston. Lucas passed the bar exam in 2015, becoming a licensed attorney. Lucas then brought his family home to Tyler County, where he began working for Lindsey Whisenhant’s law firm alongside his brother-in law, Brad Elrod.

It would appear that all of Brian and Roxanne’s children have made them proud: Marit is a successful lawyer, Leif is a decorated ex-Navy Seal and best-selling author, LaLa is married to a successful local attorney, Kirsten is married to a successful dentist, who ironically, bought Dr. Babin’s dental practice when he was elected to congress, and Lucas has returned to his hometown, trading the runway for the courtroom, adding the title of Criminal District Attorney to his resume.

Right – A young Lucas (bottom left) at Christmastime with his siblings and parents, Dr. Brian and Roxanne.

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Lucas was approached by colleagues and community members and asked if he ever considered running for District Attorney in Tyler County. Mindful of the “bad experience from the previous District Attorney” (who was removed from office by jury trial), Lucas seriously considered running for the position. With the support of fellow attorneys and his family (“It’s such a blessing to have a great mom and dad….so supportive to grow up with parents who love and support you, no matter what you choose to do”), Lucas decided that the time was right.

When Lucas announced his candidacy for Criminal District Attorney, Jimmie Cooley, the former mayor of Woodville, wrote a letter to the local paper, explaining why he was the best choice for the job: “Lucas is a very accomplished man who believes his success is the foundation of faith and family he received in Tyler County….Lucas tells the truth when it may not be the answer you want to hear…I have heard nothing but positive comments and compliments regarding his reputation as a trial lawyer, strong work ethic and long hours on behalf of his civil and criminal clients.” Lucas easily won the Republican primary in 2018, and with no Democratic challenger, he was all set to take office in January 2019.

From the moment he was sworn in, Lucas and his team began clearing backlogged cases off the docket, eliminating last minute plea deals. “Crimes committed in Tyler County will be prosecut-ed by the DA’s office in a swift and sufficient manner.

There will be no more catch and release in Tyler County, no more being out on bond for six or seven years,” he added.

Lucas confessed that his favorite thing to do is jury trials, however COVID-19 brought that to a halt last year, but he is looking forward to getting back into the courtroom this year. He added that “since I came into office, we have been very hard on criminals; we have impaneled more juries than any previous DA and have set a precedent: “crime doesn’t pay, don’t plead your case, you will be tried.” He also said that “Tyler County Juries are great’”. Lucas is blessed to have a great team backing him up; Criminal Assistant District Attorney Pat “Hawk” Hardy and AtLucas Babin in his natural habitat – the torney Morgan Williams assist Lucas in keeping the office running smoothly. courtroom.

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Lucas was honored last year by the Tyler County Chamber of Commerce with its prestigious “Citizen of the Year” award. Lucas was surprised, yet thankful to receive it. “My objective as DA is simply to do the job I was elected to do: see that justice is done in Tyler County. I can’t do it alone. It’s a team effort.”

The general consensus around the courthouse is that Lucas is a man of integrity, fairness, and sincerity. He knows what he wants, and he conducts himself in a manner befitting his position.

Lucas commented before this interview was over that, “Raising a family is as good as it gets; I had a great childhood, I loved growing up in Tyler County and I wanted to raise my family and give them the same type of childhood I had. It’s a great place to be in a position to make it safe for everyone; to interact with so may people, rich people, poor people, and everyone in between.” Lucas brings this positivity and mindset to his work in the District Attorney’s Office.

In closing, if you happen to spot Lucas around the courthouse square on any given day, stop and howdy with him; even if you’ve never met him before, you will be friends for life afterwards. That’s just the kind of downhome person he is I don’t think he’s ever met a stranger.

Above – Lucas (center) is honored by the Tyler County Chamber of Commerce as its “Citizen of the Year” for 2020. He is shown here at the Chamber’s annual banquet with Tyler County Judge Jacques Blanchette and his father, U.S. Rep. Brian Babin.

Photo by Chris Edwards

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A rich, deep history on display Heritage Village keeps history alive

By Chris Edwards “He ran a close second to P.T. Barnum, if Barnum didn’t run a close second to him,” is how the late Jack Whitmeyer described Clyde Gray, the man who founded Heritage Village.

Whitmeyer, whom Heritage Village director Ofeira Gazzaway said is responsible, more than any-one, for so much of the vibrancy of the fascinating collection of frontier era buildings and artifiacts located between Woodville and Livingston on US Highway 190, was a retired electronics engineer. With his technical skill and willingness to volunteer wherever needed, paired with Gray’s creative geni-us, Heritage Village stands to this day not just as a roadside tourist attraction, but as a center for in-depth research into the region’s origins as well as genealogical pursuits (courtesy of a library located inside the museum’s gift shop named for Whitmeyer).

Visitors who find themselves imagining pioneer life in East Texas while strolling the grounds or yummying down on some of the famous fried chicken at the Pickett House, located on the Village property, may not know of the property’s illustrious history or about the colorful raconteur and larger-than-life genuine East Texas character who started it all.

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The story of Heritage Village begins with Gray, a man who has attained near-mythical status among many in the region and whose unique artistic medium still endears a cult following almost 30 years after his death.

Gray and his wife, Lillian “Bill” Gray (nee Rice) moved to Tyler County around 1950, where they operated a goat farm.

Clyde’s interest in art was revived after living in the area. He had worked as a cartoonist earlier in his life and began painting with oils. He eventually opened a gallery on the proper-ty and was approached by a tile factory owner who wanted help with making colored tiles. As a result, Clyde soon developed a unique process for copying images and making paintings onto tile, which be-came a major source of income for him and a popular type of art in homes throughout East Texas.

Bill planted a flower garden behind their home, which she dubbed “Heritage Garden,” and according to Whitmeyer’s written recollections on Heritage Village, Bill would put out flyers advertising “Heritage Garden – view it while Clyde paints your picture.”

The first artifact the couple put on display was a Civil Warera anchor, which according to Whitmeyer, could have come from a Union gunship.

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The artifact was dredged up by a shipping company owned by Bill Gray’s family.

It might have started with an anchor, but one by one, the Grays began adding buildings and artifacts to the property.

Many of them still populate the Village today, such as the Tolar Cabin and the old Midway School, which would house the world-famous Pickett House restaurant, still a cultural institution in the area for its family style serving of Southern-style cuisine.

The growing tourist attraction would have drawn curious folks naturally, but Clyde’s penchant for promotion and showmanship kept the Village in the headlines throughout the region, and sometimes beyond.

A bi-centennial and a flying outhouse

In 1976, when America was preparing to celebrate its bi-centennial, Clyde Gray was cooking up one of his most famous publicity stunts. According to Whitmeyer’s memoirs, Clyde had been approached by a group from Nederland looking for an authentic outhouse, which they wanted to use to promote a museum devoted to Cajun history and culture.

“If Clyde could find them one, they would get a truck and come up to get it and haul it down. Well, Clyde, always the promoter, said he had an outhouse next to the Tolar Cabin which he might be interested in donating, if its point of origin was displayed on it,” Whitmeyer wrote.

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It was Whitmeyer who saw publicity gold in creating an event out of transporting the outhouse down southeast to Nederland and using the bi-centennial celebration and the nascent space age craze to help gain attention. Whitmeyer suggested getting a helicopter to fly the structure to its destination.

“Clyde jumped on it like a rooster on a bug,” Whitmeyer recalled.

When the big day came, a Woodville resident, Jethro Holmes, hauled the outhouse to the highway with his team of oxen, while Whitmeyer prepared it for takeoff. When the helicopter swooped down to grab the outhouse, television cameras were rolling, and newspaper photographers snapped many a shot.

Media was awaiting its arrival in Jefferson County, too. National news stations picked up the story, and it even became an international news item.

“For several years we had tourists from all around the world coming in wanting to see where the outhouse had been flown from. Some couldn’t speak much English, but they could say “outhouse” and point up,” Whitmeyer wrote.

A controversial timepiece and changing times

One of the most famous, and controversial, attractions at the Village during the Clyde Gray years was the construction of a giant brown clock. According to Whitmeyer’s written recollections about the Village, when Clyde and Bill were married, they were given a small, antique mantle clock as a gift. In the 1970s, the gift gave Clyde an idea for a sure-fire Guinness Book of World Records designation: he would build the world’s largest mantle clock. After searching for a large tower clock to use toward this project, Gray and Whitmeyer found a clock and its inner workings at a junkyard in Porter.

Including the weathervane, the clock stood 63 feet tall and was, in its heyday, the tallest structure between Beaumont and Lufkin (radio towers notwithstanding). After it was unveiled to the public on May 27, 1977, congratulatory Above – The popular (and controversial) clock messages came to Gray from a variety of notables including Walter Cronkite that once stood tall at Heritage Village, as and Houston mayor Jim McConn. Two months later, however, the latter’s tone reproduced on a souvenir postcard. had changed concerning the colossal timepiece.

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A little detective work after it was purchased and moved to Woodville revealed its origin and the fact it was of a 1903 vintage from the Seth Thomas factory, and was once installed in the tower over Houston’s city hall. Following a fire in the building, the clock was stored in a building in downtown Houston but disappeared after a gas explosion damaged that building.

“The City of Houston got wind of the fact that we had it and started trying to get it back, accused Clyde of stealing it, and the bell that went with it,” Whitmeyer wrote. Always the publicity hound, Gray really wanted the city to sue him, according to Whitmeyer, because the trial would have been held in Tyler County and the publicity would have been voluminous. Gray had receipts for his purchase of the clock and the threats of litigation died down.

In the mid-1980s, with the aches and pains of aging and increasingly poor health affecting them, the Grays were unable to keep the Village and its artifacts maintained. According to Gloria Newsome, an out-of-town group was interested in dismantling and moving the entire facility when the Grays began looking to sell it. A group of interested

Tyler County citizens organized the Tyler County Heritage Society and launched an intense fundraising effort to purchase the Village. They raised the money during the summer of 1987 through old-fashioned pavement pounding, benefit events and raffling items such as quilts.

When the organization took over and changed the name from Heritage Gardens to Heritage Village, it began bringing all of the buildings and artifacts back to life from their disrepair, over time, and with the help of numerous donations and volunteer labor. Gazzaway is quick to emphasize the role of volunteers in the history of Heritage Village.

“Without the volunteers we couldn’t make it,” Gazzaway said. Many chapters in the Village’s story have demonstrated the kindness of East Texans as well as their willingness to work whenever needed, she said. Times such as the mass exodus of buggies from the northern part of the state to the Village for display in the buggy barn exhibit in 2005. The journey took place as Hurricane Rita was about to sweep through the area, and several volunteers made sure the buggies were sheltered from the storm.

Under the direction of the Heritage So-

ciety, several buildings have been added to the grounds. Gone is the giant clock (which was long ago returned to the City of Houston and now on display in a structure in the Market Square district) and present today is a restored church, which was transported to the Village and reassembled board-by-board.

The Village also purchased the Peter Cauble House, in 1990, which is off-site at Peach Tree Village near Chester. The house, which was built around 1835, is recognized as the oldest known structure still in use in Tyler County, and was recognized via legislative action in 1846 as locating the common line between Tyler and Polk counties, which is two miles west of the home.

A recent purchase, which serves as an homage to the Village’s founder, is the home the Grays lived in. The couple had long been gone (Clyde died in 1989 and Bill in 1991) and the house had been in bad shape for many years. Now restored and open to the public, the Gray House Museum, which sits to the right of the Village along the main entranceway, is full of artwork and mementoes telling the story of Clyde and Bill. Heritage Society board member Annabeth Willis, who looks after the house, said that

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when the house went on the market, she and other Heritage Society board members knew it was a necessary purchase.

“Without Clyde Gray, there would be no Heritage Village,” she said. “So, after much debate, the purchase was made, and we got to work.”

Willis added that she believes the best way to tour the Village is to start at the Gray House Museum and watch a video presentation on Clyde Gray’s life. “If you do that, you will have a much better idea of how the Village came to be as you walk through it.”

The Harvest Festival: a signature event

Village was the Pickett House chicken and dumplings, but after visiting during the annual Dinner on the Grounds and touring the Village, a new world was opened. “I discovered that this former city girl had been missing quite a bit,” she said.

Peltier said she felt like she “stepped into a time machine” when she visited the many authentic, ageless buildings on the grounds. “Some people view history as a boring and unimportant subject, but my visit to the Village reminded me that history can be interesting and grounds us in our roots and shows us how we got to where we are today.”

Shortly after the Heritage Society purchased and began renovating the Village, then director Marjorie Schultz came up with an idea to put on a folk life festival at Heritage Village, similar to ones she had attended in central Texas and in Pennsylvania.

The inaugural Harvest Festival was a success and drew several hundred people. The event traditionally takes place during the third weekend in October. Along with live music, food vendors and demonstrations of skills from the 1840-1920 period, such as the popular blacksmith demonstration, there is also a photography contest.

Maureen Peltier, a recent addition to Tyler County and to the Heritage Society, who moved from Houston, said Heritage Village gave her a richer experience in East Texas than she had anticipated.

Musicians play for the crowd at the annual Harvest Festival.

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Inside photo – Jase Fortner, of the Warren FFA chapter, works with his Grand Champion-winning pig at last year’s county fair.

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Oh the places you’ll go in Tyler County...

• W.T. Colmesneil House Library and Museum – Jerri Smart hated seeing all the businesses and buildings that she had grown up with in Colmesneil disappearing one by one.

Colmesneil had once been the largest town in Tyler County, but its history was going away.

So in 2002, she convinced her friend Billy Gregory, who had already secured the old Colmesneil train depot and had been collecting railroad memorabilia for some time, to go in with her to buy the the oldest house still standing, the decaying home of W. T. Colmesneil, the conductor on the first railroad train that came through the area and the person for whom the town was named.

The house was a mess, but four years, and a lot of work (and help from dedicated volunteers) later, the home was ready for the grand opening. It is filled with beautiful antiques and small treasures.

The Colmesneil House is at 601 South Pitzer Street.

Take Highway 256 east from Highway 69, turn south on Pitzer and look for the sign on the right. Call 409-8379946 for information and hours.

• The Big Woods Hiking Trail is all part of the Heritage Village Museum complex. All of the Heritage Village site is part of the historic Big Thicket. It has quite a nice trail that winds through about 20 acres of land. The trailhead starts conveniently opposite the Pickett House Restaurant for those who need to work off a little fried chicken and biscuits. This wooded acreage is nestled in a secluded area with many birding opportunities.

• Triple Creek RV Music Park has the beautiful Rush Creek Trail starting from the very edge of the RV Park and entering the head of Rush Creek Canyon. The beginning of this trail is relatively accessible. The Rush Creek Trail continues on in a more primitive manner through about 4,000 acres of leased land that is accessible to the public depending on hunting status. Travel approximately one mile east on US 190 from US 190 and US 69 intersection in Woodville. Turn southeast onto FM 1746. Travel 5.5 miles until you reach sign on north side of highway. Turn onto dirt road at sign and go three miles.

• Lake Tejas is owned by the Colmesneil School District. This beautiful lake with its rock walls was built in the shape of the State of Texas by the CCC group around 1939. Enjoy the hiking trails along the perimeters of Lake Tejas and the wonderful swimming opportunity in the summer. Directions: Take US 69 north out of Woodville 10 miles to Colmesneil. Turn East on FM 256 1.2 miles. This will bring you to the entrance

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of Lake Tejas on the north side of FM 256.

• Camp Ta-Ku-La and the John Henry Kirby Museum resides in one of the most historic areas of Tyler County. It is very near the historic site of the Mexican Fort Teran and the camp itself was once called Peachtree Village. Many Alabama Indians lived here in the old days and migrated yearly to the coast.

This trail is the very same used by the early Spanish explorers.

In the 1800’s, the land was purchased by the Kirby family and later by the Governor Allan Shivers family. John Henry Kirby grew up at Peachtree.

Directions: Travel North from Woodville on US 69 and turn West on US 287 to Chester. Continue approximately 0.3 miles through Chester. Turn North on FM 2097. Go approximately two miles. You will see the inspiring sight of a gothic church in the middle of the piney woods on the west side of the road.

Friendly Camp Ta-Ku-La will show you around.

• Allan Shivers Library and Museum –Allan Shivers Library and Museum certainly offers a look back on its past through its collection of memorabilia from former Texas Governor Allan Shivers. More than that, though, it looks forward in its commitment to serve the Tyler County community through the library.

Gov. Shivers (1907 - 1985) might have been born in Lufkin, but he grew up in Woodville, so Tyler County folks consider him a native son.

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