|
|
TOLEDO BEND
by Archie P. McDonald, PhD |
|
Late
in the 1960s I spent most weekends helping my father-in-law, B.L.
Barrett, clear land on a subdivision he was developing on Toledo Bend
Reservoir with partners Johnny Abston and a surveyor named Howard
Montgomery. Though I knew little of the woods and less of surveying
when we began, I learned a great deal about each in the process.
One thing I learned is that surveyors could find out where the waterline
of the reservoir would be even before contractors began the dam, because
that is what we surveyed it.
Toledo Bend
Reservoir resulted from damming the Sabine River, since 1819 the border
between Texas and Louisiana from the Gulf of Mexico to the 32nd parallell.
The reservoir occupies parts of Newton, Sabine, Panola, and Shelby
counties in Texas and Sabine and DeSoto parishes in Louisiana. It
was built and governed exclusively by the states of Louisiana and
Texas, without federal funds, and both were almost embarrassingly
proud of that fact.
Construction on the dam, which is located just above Burkeville in
Newton County, began in 1964 and was completed in 1969, though impoundment
of the water began in 1966 and I promise you that it chased many a
snake up to where we were surveying and clearing before we ever saw
the water. Electrical generation for use by coastal patrons is performed
at the dam, and otherwise the lake hosts recreational fishing, boating,
and swimming and helps prevent the devastating floods that formerly
visited such cities as Orange
down river.
An anecdote "floods" back, to make a bad pun, about the early days
of the lake.
I remember Congressman Charlie Wilson inviting a former congressional
colleague, Eddie Koch, then mayor of New York City, to a fundraiser
in Lufkin. They came at a time when Koch desperately sought federal
guarantees for loans to help his city through an expected but severe
fiscal crisis. Charlie supported the loan guarantees but many of his
constituents did not. Here's how Charlie made his point. He gave Koch
a mariner's cap and told him he was making him an admiral in the Toledo
Bend Brown Water Navy. "Eddie," said Charlie, "that lake was built
without any money from Washington."
All
Things Historical
Dec. 28-Jan. 3, 2004 column
Published with permission
A syndicated column in over 40 East Texas newspapers
This column is provided as a public service by the East Texas Historical
Association. Archie P. McDonald is director of the Association and
author of more than 20 books on Texas.
Area
Towns
San Augustine,
Texas
Center, Texas
Hemphill, Texsas
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Center
Hotels >
More
Hotels
>
|
|
|
