Sabine
Thicketeer - Bottomite
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WT Block, Jr. ([FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times][FONT="] 7/29/1920 - 12/15/2007) [/FONT][/FONT]was a jewel of SE TX. In so many ways, he was an average Joe, served in WWII, worked for the post office for decades, and experienced what many of our parents, grandparents and great grandparents did growing up on the gulf coast near the Texas-Louisiana line. However, his insatiable interest in the places, people, and events that shaped Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana along with his knack for storytelling made him unique. Mr. Block published several books, had a column in the Beaumont Enterprise for decades, and wrote many articles for historical journals.
Many of you may find stories of your ancestors among his works. He covers everything from yellow fever epidemics, the Civil War, Texas Revolution, pirates, hurricanes, sawmill towns, slave trade, the oil boom, area legends ...... you name it. So, even if you're a new arrival or you're just perplexed by the natives of the region, Mr. Block's works provides a wealth of insight to the people of SE TX and SW LA, and the events that molded (and sometimes destroyed) them and their communities.
Here's a list of some of his newspaper articles from his site at http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/ , and some of his other contributions can be found there as well. There's something for everybody, whether connected to the Sabine region or not. (One of my personal favorites: [FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Night That Johnson's Bayou, LA Died," )
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From the Beaumont Enterprise and Journal 1970 - 2000
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="199" width="507"><tbody> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Early Southeast Texas "Docs" Were Medical Men of Iron" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"A History of Nederland’s Beginning,"<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Tulips Amid The Bluebonnets: The Birth of Nederland Texas," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"D. R. Wingate Did Not Know Defeat," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Early Schools of Beaumont," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"G. W. O’Brien, Torchbearer of East Texas.," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Henry Lutcher, Architect of Orange, Texas" , .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lumber Was Beaumont Godparent," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Wiess Brothers, Timber Barons," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area’s Role in Texas Revolution," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sabine Lake Focal Point of African Slave Trade," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Scrappy Kate Dorman Left Her Mark," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Cottonclad Gunboat Uncle Ben<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"When Southeast Texas Mail Had Four Feet," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"First Sqt. H. N. Connor, Sabine Pass’ Confederate Diarist," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Swiss Engineer Built Sabine’s Defenses," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Day of Agony at Sabine Pass," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Battle of Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The First Historian of Beaumont," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Indian Homeland in Old Port Neches" .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"McKinney Was Neches River Cotton Merchant," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Escape From Murderous Yocum Gang," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Early Newspapers Tell Area’s History," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Killer Hurricanes Still Haunt Coast" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"When Moby Dick Came To Port Arthur: 200,000 Saw Whale," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lafitte Legends in Calcasieu Parish" .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Orange’s Hanging Tree," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Crazy Ben Dollivar’s Odd Cache," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Mystery of Eliza Pavel’s Grave," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Beaumont Became City Before Oil," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Myth of Texas Executions Debunked," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Beaumont’s Marble Corpse," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Rails Gave Life to Sawmill Towns," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Neches River Cotton Steamboats: A Romantic Interlude," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Fletcher’s Buried Treasure" .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Ice Skaters Glided on Sabine Lake," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Night That Johnson's Bayou, LA Died,"
[/FONT]<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Stuart Left Journalistic Legacy" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Great-Grandpa Wasn't Popular in the South," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Depression was depressing, except brother's paddling," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Legend of the Headless Yankee Cannoneer of Sabine Pass," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pranks rule 'olden days' celebrations of Halloween," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Bootlegging brother's joy short-lived," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Dad's wisdom sure paid off for my future," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Flight from ghosts helps stomp some berry juice," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Legend of Shellbank," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Entertainment in Beaumont has news roots," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sorry, Sarge, you’ll have to take my heart," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Celebrations of Christmas in Beaumont change little," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Bringing joy to the needy in Depression was fulfilling," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Demise of Reptilian ‘Big Tooth’ drew crowds," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Spindle Top once isolated plague victims," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Prank led to empty sleeve," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Foxy advice on gambling serves well," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Real cold war occurred here during 1890s," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Strange case about corpse still unsolved," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Dairy farm’s end stopped wonder bra for milk cows," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Emancipated men gave city so very much in early years," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Confederate flag remains symbol of hate to many today," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Whale gave Port Arthur’s economy boom in early 1900’s" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Beaumont had two pioneers who aged well," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Hurricanes decimated Nederland ‘city tree’," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area's greatest archeological site was ruined," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pre-boom Spindletop gave hints of its riches," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Treasure tale keyed digging in East Texas Piney Woods," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pirate Lafitte, Bowie dealt in slave trade via SE Texas," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Rice Still Dominates Jefferson County Agriculture," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Olive, Texas is now a ghost town," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Mud, cow led to sale of refinery acreage," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lucas gusher fever affected so many folks, far and wide," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Change came to Port Neches via relocation of post office," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Big cat stories in East Texas are numerous but lack proof," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Strong Spell swam river ferrying lead steer of herd," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sweeneys were among first settlers of Grand Chenier," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"U. S., Republic of Texas once nearly clashed because of fees," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Fate intervened in Confederate hero’s search for black gold," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Yellow fever plagued area during 1860s," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Schools in Beaumont trace to pre-Civil War," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area resident rallied behind Union cause," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sawmill town Bessmay gave its life to fire," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"No man is an island unless hunted skunk launches scent," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pioneer music in Beaumont contained lots of brass horns," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Blockade runs at Sabine Pass commonplace in Civil War," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"My dad and I once got stuck in Suckersville," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Temple made mark on lumber industry," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lafitte's men captured our imagination for many years," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Former slave's death in 1889 attracted rare news coverage," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Shooting death of lumberman still a mystery," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Two area cities in late 1800s fought major fires together," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Why don't we commemorate brave masses of immigrants,"<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area Civil War period marked by hard times,"<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area's history of bootlegging soared during Prohibition," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"There's a story on lone grave near Texas 347," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Rainbow Bridge 1938 opening brought an end to area ferries," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Turpentiners worked hard for product," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--></tbody></table>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
Many of you may find stories of your ancestors among his works. He covers everything from yellow fever epidemics, the Civil War, Texas Revolution, pirates, hurricanes, sawmill towns, slave trade, the oil boom, area legends ...... you name it. So, even if you're a new arrival or you're just perplexed by the natives of the region, Mr. Block's works provides a wealth of insight to the people of SE TX and SW LA, and the events that molded (and sometimes destroyed) them and their communities.
Here's a list of some of his newspaper articles from his site at http://www.wtblock.com/wtblockjr/ , and some of his other contributions can be found there as well. There's something for everybody, whether connected to the Sabine region or not. (One of my personal favorites: [FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Night That Johnson's Bayou, LA Died," )
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From the Beaumont Enterprise and Journal 1970 - 2000
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="199" width="507"><tbody> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Early Southeast Texas "Docs" Were Medical Men of Iron" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"A History of Nederland’s Beginning,"<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Tulips Amid The Bluebonnets: The Birth of Nederland Texas," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"D. R. Wingate Did Not Know Defeat," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Early Schools of Beaumont," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"G. W. O’Brien, Torchbearer of East Texas.," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Henry Lutcher, Architect of Orange, Texas" , .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lumber Was Beaumont Godparent," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Wiess Brothers, Timber Barons," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area’s Role in Texas Revolution," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sabine Lake Focal Point of African Slave Trade," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Scrappy Kate Dorman Left Her Mark," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Cottonclad Gunboat Uncle Ben<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"When Southeast Texas Mail Had Four Feet," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"First Sqt. H. N. Connor, Sabine Pass’ Confederate Diarist," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Swiss Engineer Built Sabine’s Defenses," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Day of Agony at Sabine Pass," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Battle of Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The First Historian of Beaumont," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Indian Homeland in Old Port Neches" .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"McKinney Was Neches River Cotton Merchant," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Escape From Murderous Yocum Gang," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Early Newspapers Tell Area’s History," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Killer Hurricanes Still Haunt Coast" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"When Moby Dick Came To Port Arthur: 200,000 Saw Whale," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lafitte Legends in Calcasieu Parish" .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Orange’s Hanging Tree," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Crazy Ben Dollivar’s Odd Cache," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Mystery of Eliza Pavel’s Grave," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Beaumont Became City Before Oil," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Myth of Texas Executions Debunked," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Beaumont’s Marble Corpse," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Rails Gave Life to Sawmill Towns," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Neches River Cotton Steamboats: A Romantic Interlude," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Fletcher’s Buried Treasure" .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Ice Skaters Glided on Sabine Lake," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="baseline" width="42">
</td><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Night That Johnson's Bayou, LA Died,"
[/FONT]<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Stuart Left Journalistic Legacy" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Great-Grandpa Wasn't Popular in the South," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Depression was depressing, except brother's paddling," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"The Legend of the Headless Yankee Cannoneer of Sabine Pass," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pranks rule 'olden days' celebrations of Halloween," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Bootlegging brother's joy short-lived," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Dad's wisdom sure paid off for my future," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Flight from ghosts helps stomp some berry juice," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Legend of Shellbank," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Entertainment in Beaumont has news roots," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sorry, Sarge, you’ll have to take my heart," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Celebrations of Christmas in Beaumont change little," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Bringing joy to the needy in Depression was fulfilling," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Demise of Reptilian ‘Big Tooth’ drew crowds," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Spindle Top once isolated plague victims," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Prank led to empty sleeve," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Foxy advice on gambling serves well," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Real cold war occurred here during 1890s," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Strange case about corpse still unsolved," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Dairy farm’s end stopped wonder bra for milk cows," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Emancipated men gave city so very much in early years," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Confederate flag remains symbol of hate to many today," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Whale gave Port Arthur’s economy boom in early 1900’s" <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Beaumont had two pioneers who aged well," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Hurricanes decimated Nederland ‘city tree’," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area's greatest archeological site was ruined," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pre-boom Spindletop gave hints of its riches," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Treasure tale keyed digging in East Texas Piney Woods," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pirate Lafitte, Bowie dealt in slave trade via SE Texas," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Rice Still Dominates Jefferson County Agriculture," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Olive, Texas is now a ghost town," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Mud, cow led to sale of refinery acreage," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lucas gusher fever affected so many folks, far and wide," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Change came to Port Neches via relocation of post office," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Big cat stories in East Texas are numerous but lack proof," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Strong Spell swam river ferrying lead steer of herd," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sweeneys were among first settlers of Grand Chenier," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"U. S., Republic of Texas once nearly clashed because of fees," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Fate intervened in Confederate hero’s search for black gold," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Yellow fever plagued area during 1860s," .<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Schools in Beaumont trace to pre-Civil War," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area resident rallied behind Union cause," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Sawmill town Bessmay gave its life to fire," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"No man is an island unless hunted skunk launches scent," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Pioneer music in Beaumont contained lots of brass horns," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Blockade runs at Sabine Pass commonplace in Civil War," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"My dad and I once got stuck in Suckersville," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Temple made mark on lumber industry," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Lafitte's men captured our imagination for many years," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Former slave's death in 1889 attracted rare news coverage," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Shooting death of lumberman still a mystery," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Two area cities in late 1800s fought major fires together," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Why don't we commemorate brave masses of immigrants,"<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area Civil War period marked by hard times,"<!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Area's history of bootlegging soared during Prohibition," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"There's a story on lone grave near Texas 347," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Rainbow Bridge 1938 opening brought an end to area ferries," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><!--mstheme-->[FONT=book antiqua, times new roman, times]"Turpentiners worked hard for product," <!--mstheme-->[/FONT]<!--msthemelist--></td></tr> <!--msthemelist--> <!--msthemelist--></tbody></table>
</td></tr></tbody></table>