I mentioned DeKalb in my last post. It was home to my mother's family. We used to visit my grandmother once a month when she was still alive. DeKalb was the more typical small town in East Texas - nice and slow. It's nestled deep in East Texas. Click here for a concise history of the town. The town museum is another source for town info.
Like most small rural towns DeKalb has seen better days. The train tracks that graced the town for roughly 100 years have been uprooted. Much of cross state traffic has been rerouted from US Hwy 82 to Interstates 20 or 30. A tornado passed through the town in the early 90's and destroyed several buildings and personal property near the downtown area - much of which was never rebuilt. The Red River Army Depot near Texarkana was a major employer for the citizens of DeKalb for several decades. When it closed in the 90's, hundreds of jobs in the immediate area were lost. The town population has dwindled in the time since from approximately 2,000 in the 80's to 1,200 to 1,400 in recent years.
It's sad to have seen the decline of such a place. Unfortunately, the story of DeKalb is similar to many east texas towns. I think people need to hear about these places so that people can visit them to keep the towns alive. It doesn't take much. Perhaps on your next vacation or long road trip, you might consider taking a detour and receive some historical enrichment. The townsfolk will thank you for it.
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