Everett Taylor: Taylor's Yarns

Summer vacation season is here, and it is anticipated Texas will be the destination of many tourists again this year.

Most people planning their first visit to Texas might have visions of cattle, cowboys and oil wells so they might be surprised at what they really find.

If they enter through the eastern part of the state, the proliferation of trees might come as a big surprise.

There are 14 million acres of the East Texas Pineywoods, and between 1890 and 1900, the timber business of Texas brought more money to the economy of the state than any other.

That was a while ago, of course, but the Pineywoods are still important to Texas. If visitors come through Lufkin they can learn a lot about its history at the Texas Forestry Museum. The story of the people, places and products of the Pineywoods are the focus of exhibits there.

Pine trees dominate in the Pineywoods area, but there are plenty of other varieties in East Texas and the state.

People who want to learn how to identify trees might be interested in knowing about an upcoming July 14 program at the Museum on Tree identification basics.

Open to the public, a workshop is planned at which participants will learn the basics of tree identification and how to collect data for urban tree inventories. The event starts at 1:30 p.m. on the Jones State Forest Classroom.

The National Arbor Day Foundation offers help with tree identification.

It is in the form of a publication, What Tree Is That?, a 72-page pocket guidebook that helps distinguish different characteristics of many species of trees in Texas and the Eastern and Central regions of the United States.

The book also includes dozens of detailed drawings that accurately illustrate the specific shapes and textures of different leaves, needles, acorns, berries, seed pods, cones and other identifying features.

Some may question why this information is relevant.

"Being able to identify trees is important to knowing how to care for them and how to plant the right tree in the right place," explained John Rosenow, president of the Foundation. "Helping people enjoy and appreciate trees is central to the educational mission of the Arbor Day Foundation."

Tree identification guides can be obtained by sending your name and address and $3 for each guide to What Tree Is That?, The National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, Neb., 68410, or online at www.arborday.org.

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Another unanticipated attraction visitors to Texas might encounter is the county courthouse.

Courthouses in Texas and the "squares" around many of them offer a bonanza for history buffs, antique collectors, genealogists, architecture enthusiasts and photographers, according to a recent release from College Station on a new, updated edition of The Courthouses of Texas.

Many of them house or are near local history museums, and many display historical markers that introduce the area to visitors, the release said. Especially in many smaller county seats, the courthouse square offers a scene of a special moment in Texas' life.

Courthouses also got some attention in a recent issue of The Medallion, published by the Texas Historical Commission.

A report in that publication talked about a project of Randall County residents in the Panhandle where the courthouse has been restored to its 1909 appearance.

The restoration "has not only sparked local pride for this building, but has also ignited a fire within the community to preserve other significant structures," said Randall County Commissioner Skip Huskey.

"By bringing the courthouse back to life, we've embarked on a project that has energized our community and revitalized historic downtown Canyon."

State officials note that many tourists visit these edifices each year, and their popularity ratings could continue to go up with additional restoration projects.

Everett Taylor is the editorial page editor for the Tyler Paper.
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