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EASTON,
TEXAS
Gregg County / Rusk County, East
Texas
FM 2906
About 10 Miles SE of Longview
Population:
00524 (2000) |
History
in a Pecan Shell
Easton, Texas is connected to the ghost town
of Camden (AKA Walling’s Ferry), which
sits just below the bluffs of the Sabine
River. Camden had already been
abandoned by the time the railroad (The Texas, Sabine Valley and Northwestern)
built through in the mid 1880s.
A large sawmill was said to have been in
operation at the end of that decade. By 1890, with a population estimated to be
around 75, Easton had several businesses, including a general store and a plant
that made roofing shingles.
A decline set in and while the White residents
of Easton sought work in nearby Longview
or Kilgore, the Black population remained, forming
a core population of around 50.
An oil boom revived the town in the 1940s,
and the post office reopened in 1949. The new, improved and incorporated town
has “spilled over” into neighboring Rusk County. |
| Photo
courtesy Maryanne Gobble, December 2010 |
Photographer's
Note:
Subject: Camden Cemetery near Easton
"About 10 miles
South of Longview, take FM
2906 to Easton. Near Easton lies what remains of Camden,
formerly known as Walling's Ferry. The directions I found to the cemetery are
"1/4 mile south of the bluff" I had no idea what that meant and randomly stumbled
upon it while looking for a field to take Christmas photos in!
On the
river side of the train tracks in Easton, I took an unmarked road towards the
river that lead to an empty field with the cemetery to the right on a small hill
near the treeline. There is a small gated section of the cemetery, then a few
grave sites nearby that are falling apart.
For more information you can
look at the City of Easton's website http://eastontexas.com/easton_texas_history.htm,
which includes an article about the history of Camden." - Maryanne Gobble,
December 2010 |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, and vintage/historic
photos of their town, please contact
us. | |
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