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Home  Community Community Portal Community Overview
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Community Overview |
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Historical Background
The presence of four national forests and five state forests in Texas gives some hint of the importance of the forested areas of the state. To appreciate the significance of the vast East Texas Piney Woods, whose acreage almost equals that of the combined forest areas of New England, one must explore cities such as Hallsville, Texas.
For 12,000 years before the first foreign settlers arrived, Indians inhabited this land. This prize area was also home to French, Spanish, Mexican, and American settlers. According to historical geographers, this area is more heavily forested today than when the first Anglos arrived more than 150 years ago. Many Indian groups practiced agriculture in hundreds of small clearings, cut and burned out of the woodlands. Early Anglo American settlers did the same. Those clearings, which looked like little prairies, were replanted with trees in the 1930s and also after World War II, changing the landscape to what it is today. As a result of the reforestation, annual East Texas Tree growth now is much greater than the harvest. The value of timber and wood products exceeds half a billion dollars, making timber very important to the East Texas economy.
Early settlers of Hallsville area depended on the protection of Fort Crawford, at a first fortified private home and later a Republic of Texas fort, located about a mile south of the present city. The two experience a phenomenal boom when the railroad arrived in 1869, and the Texas and Pacific Railway shops were located here until 1873. At that time they were moved to the city of Marshall.
Hallsville is located in western Harrison County in East Texas on US Highway 80, one mile north of Interstate I-20. Longview is six miles to the west and Marshall is 13 miles to the east.
Each October Hallsville celebrates with a “Western Day” Festival. The Miss Hallsville pageant along with arts & craft booths, chili cook off, and parade are only a few activities people enjoy.
Population
There are approximately 59,000 residents in Harrison County with around 2,700 of those residents living in Hallsville. The total civilian labor force (within 35 miles) is approximately 104,464 —58,353 males and 46,106 females. The actual labor force in Hallsville is close to 1,100 with approximately fifty percent employed by Hallsville ISD. Hallsville ISD’s boundaries are within the city limits of Longview. With 188 square miles the school district serves more than 13,050 persons. Students receive educational instruction from 500 professional educators who work to see that the needs of each child are met.
Climate
With an annual average temperature of 66 degrees, the community of Hallsville enjoys a relatively mild climate. The monthly average high temperature is 83 degrees and the monthly average low temperature is 43 degrees. Although occasional extreme weather conditions occur in Hallsville, for the most part the climate is fairly predictable. In the winter there are few freezing temperatures with occasional ice and snow. The annual rainfall is approximately 46 inches.
Services and Facilities
There are about 40 manufacturing companies that are the areas major employers. The largest, located in Longview, is Texas Eastman Company with 3,350 employees. Other large employers in the area are LeTourneau, Inc., Stemco, and Lebus Manufacturing. DANA Corporation, a supplier for the GM Corporation, is opening a new plant in March of 2002. Sabine Mining Company (coal mining), SWEPCO (electric power), Trinity Industries and Hallsville ISD (education) are the largest employers for the city of Hallsville.
Health
Longview and Marshall provide much of the healthcare to Hallsville residents. The major regional medical centers are Good Shepherd Medical Center and Longview Regional Medical Center. Minor emergencies may be treated at either hospital or at one of several private health care clinics located throughout the cities.
Medical services include emergency services, cardiac care, labor and delivery, surgery centers, medical imaging, rehabilitation services, women’s health services and an occupational health center. There are three physicians with offices in Hallsville. There are more than 200 medical doctors available in Longview.
Utilities
Hallsville ISD’s water is supplied by the City of Hallsville. Four wells provide groundwater and surface water is treated from the City of Longview. Hallsville’s wastewater treatment facility is a Racetrack System.
Electricity is provided by Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) and Upshur Rural Electric Coop. Natural Gas is provided by Entex & Arkla Gas and United Gas. Telephone service is provided by Verizon.
Transportation
Longview is served by Gregg County Airport, which is less than 16 miles from Hallsville. The facility includes a FAA Control Tower and state-of-the-art landing, lighting, and navigation systems. The airport includes three 150’ wide runways with 75’ wide interconnecting taxiways.
Taxi and car rental services are available in Longview and Marshall. Amtrak provides regular passenger rail service to Longview. Rail freight and motor freight service are also provided.
Religion
Hallsville is home to six churches within the city limits. There are more than 100 places of worship in Longview. Assembly of God, Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Church Adventist, Church of Christ, Episcopal, Johovah’s Witnesses, Latter Day Saints, Lutheran, Methodist, Nazarene, Non-Denominational, Pentecostal, and Presbyterian and Unitarian churches are accessible from all areas of the community. Some churches offer services in Spanish as well as English.
Recreational
There are dozens of state parks for camping, hiking, and picnicking. Several nationally known fishing lakes in the area include Lake O’ The Pines, Lake Fork, Toledo Bend, Martin Creek, Monticello, and Caddo. No matter where you live in the area, you are never more than 30 minutes from a major recreational lake. In fact 33 public lakes offer fishing, boating, skiing, sailing, and swimming almost year round. East Texas is a favorite haven for hunters and woodsmen. Seasons include deer, quail, squirrel, dove, and duck.
Longview and Marshall have several fine golf courses. Longview and Marshall’s Parks and Recreational Department offers year-round organized youth and adult activities from softball to swimming pools, and tennis courts.
Longview/Marshall is the regional shopping center for East Texas. The diversity of shops and goods available in the community draws shoppers from throughout the Ark-La-Tex. The Longview & Marshall Malls, with more than 100 merchants and restaurants offer convenience and comfort for shoppers.. Traditional, yet progressive, downtown Marshall and Longview offers boutiques, art galleries, fine furniture, and professional services.
Housing
Housing in Hallsville consists primarily of single-family homes. There are approximately 2,000 dwellings with 85% of them being owner occupied.
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Last Updated ( Feb 28, 2007 at 05:57 AM )
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