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Star Struck

SUNDAY November 23, 2025

FEATURE

Downtown Kilgore. Photo by Mike Engleman.

Discover East Texas’ Black Giant Trail

Exploring Rusk, Upshur, and Gregg counties in the Upper East Side of Texas, visitors find the vast area of the East Texas Oil Field and the resulting fulfillment of dreams ignited by the oil boom era. This region was mostly an easygoing rural farming area prior to the discovery of the “Black Giant” in the early 1930s. It was about 45 miles long and five to 12 miles wide in various locations and encompassed 140,000 acres. News accounts back in the day said it made earlier oil booms in the country look like “dress rehearsals.”

The communities of Henderson, Kilgore, and Longview pay homage to their rich history of the glory days of “Black Gold” and the inspiring creativity and innovation that grew from it and continues to shape the region today.

READ MORE about the history and what to see and do in this rich Texas region.

MUSIC & BOOKS
New Book Covers the History of Robin Guitars

In an era when many famous-name guitar companies were shutting down American factories, Robin brand co-founders David Wintz and Bart Wittrock started out in a different direction. The story of Robin guitars and related brands Metropolitan and Alamo is now recounted by author and lecturer Willie G. Moseley in his new book Thunder Out of Texas: The Illustrated History of Robin Guitars. READ MORE

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Through November 30

Making a Mark: Women in Early Texas Art. Tyler. Far from encyclopedic, Making a Mark celebrates a few women artists who were active and influential in Texas from the latter part of the nineteenth century through the end of the twentieth century.

While the 17 highlighted artists certainly worked in a broad spectrum of media, the exhibition focuses solely on works on paper. Within that scope, however, the artworks include a variety of printmaking techniques and the direct application of ink, watercolor, pastel and litho crayon on paper.

The artists featured are Emma Richardson Cherry, Marilyn Miller Kincheloe, Julya Kirkpatrick, Kathleen Lawrence, Mary Lightfoot, Verda Ligon, Josephine Mahaffey, Toni LaSelle, Constance Forsyth, Barbara Maples, Josephine Oliver, Janet Turner, Bertha Landers, Mary Bonner, Coreen Spellman, Kathleen Blackshear, and Rosalie Speed. www.tylermuseum.org

 

Through December 20

Six Degrees of Separation. Longview. www.lmfa.org

Through December 21

The Grinch’s Lair. Palestine. Meet the Grinch this Christmas at the Texas Jailhouse for a live, interactive holiday adventure full of mischief, laughter, and a touch of Whoville magic. www.txjailhouse.com

 

Through December 31

Texarkana and the Railroads. Texarkana. The exhibit includes the history of different gauge railways, short lines, freight and passenger service in Texarkana and the surrounding area. Guests see how Texarkana came to be after the implementation and influence of railroads, including interaction with the military, Red River Army Depot, support from the community, and the local economy through the history of the railroad. A tribute to musician David Alexander, Black Ivory King, is on display. He wrote four songs with his interpretation of life and times and the railroad life in the 1930s and 1940s. He wrote the music and lyrics to “The Flying Crow,” “Working for the PWA,” “Gingham Dress” (Alexander Blues), and “Matchbox Blues.” Nearby is the Scott Joplin display. Museum of Regional History. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (903) 793-4831 and visit www.texarkanamuseum.org.

Through January 1, 2026

Scott Joplin: Father of Ragtime Special Limited Exhibition. Texarkana. Includes two original paintings by Henry Fort II presented by the Texarkana Museums System along with the Scott Joplin Support Group. The two paintings depict Scott Joplin, his music and ties to the community. Titled “Treemonisha – Texarkana, 1866” and “Scott Joplin at Mt Zion First Missionary Baptist Church Texarkana, 1880s,” the paintings are a temporary addition to the permanent Scott Joplin exhibit. “COBRA Ad-Shineum” method from the artist’s master studies at Howard University is represented in both pieces.

The two paintings are part of an expanding collection commissioned and curated by the Scott Joplin Support Group. Texarkana Museums System is offering one-time admission to this exhibit for $5 per person, to include the entire first floor. Each painting depicts an area of town known and believed to be part of Joplin’s formative years in Texarkana from the 1870s – 1880s. Museum of Regional History. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, call (903) 793-4831 and visit www.texarkanamuseum.org.

Through January 4, 2026

Assembled: A Look at Contemporary Collage. Tyler. The exhibit focuses on the work of four different Texas-based collage artists. Jerry Jeanmard and Kelly Moran from Houston, Lance Letscher from Austin, and Ellen Frances Tuchman from Dallas all use the technique differently to bring their own artistic vision to life. While each artist has their own unique style, through lines within the medium are revealed when the works are viewed together. www.tylermuseum.org

 

Through Feb 21, 2026

My Ears to See. Longview. Art by Lee Albert Hill. www.lmfa.org

 

Flowers and Their Roots. Longview. Art by Diego Loya, tackling the barbed issue of Mexican immigration with powerful and poignant sculptures and installations relating to his family’s heritage. www.lmfa.org

November 26-January 3

Wonderland of Lights. Marshall. Features millions of twinkling lights around the Historic 1901 Courthouse, carriage rides, an ice skating rink, Santa’s Village, train rides, and special events each weekend. www.visitmarshalltexas.com

 

November 27

Hopkins County Turkey Trot. Sulphur Springs. www.visitsulphurspringstx.com

 

Thanksgiving Feast. Pottsboro. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The beloved tradition costs $60 per member, or $70 for non-members. Seniors eat for $20. Kids aged 6 to 12 can indulge for only $15, while children 5 and under dine for free. Specialties include garlic herb butter roasted turkey, bourbon honey glazed ham, sweet potato casserole, green bean almondine, giblet and brown gravy, dressing, cranberry sauce, a grazing table, soups and salads, and tons of assorted pies, cobblers, and more. To make reservations call (903) 462-7829 or go to www.tanglewoodresort.com/thanksgiving.

November 29 & Dec 6

Christmas in the Park. Sulphur Springs. Heritage Park & Museum. www.visitsulphurspringstx.com

 

November 27-30

First Monday Trade Days. Canton. www.firstmondaycanton.com

 

November 28

Get Lit Holiday Market. Longview. Indoor/outdoor shopping experience with live music, giveaways, holiday cheer. The Methvin Event Venue. www.visitlongviewtexas.com

 

November 29

Wassail Fest. Nacogdoches. www.visitnacogdoches.com

WHAT ELSE WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
College Enrollment Continues to Grow in East Texas

UT Tyler, Tyler ISD Partner to Promote the Arts

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County Line Magazine, PO Box 705, Winnsboro, TX 75494

Phone: (903) 312-9556

pa.geddie@geddieconnections.com

www.countylinemagazine.com

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