Early immigration into
north and east Texas
, during the days of the Republic and following the devastation of the Civil War, was largely from the Southern states. In the 1930s, the northeastern oil fields near
Tyler
(a drab town only redeemed by its beautiful rose gardens) proved to be the richest ever found in the US. In addition to oil, agriculture has become a prime source of commerce, with logging important in the densely forested east. The grand exception is, of course, the
Metroplex
- the area which includes
Dallas
and
Fort Worth
. The main tourist attractions and cultural life of the region are concentrated here; but if you enjoy exploring small-town America, and have a car, the north and east can yield more subtle pleasures. The
national forests
of Angelina, Davy Crockett, Sabine and Sam Houston in the east offer unsurpassed opportunities for outdoor living: the forest supervisor (tel 713/632-4446) in Lufkin, midway between Davy Crockett and Angelina on US-59, has details of free and private
camping
facilities. Fans of the movie will want to check out
Paris, Texas
, northeast on US-82.
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