Reese, Texas

::"This article is about the community in east Texas. For other uses (including Reese Center, the former Reese Air Force Base, or Reese Village --the populated area just outside the base), see Reese (disambiguation)."

Reese is an unincorporated rural community in Cherokee County, Texas, United States, situated in the East Texas region. Its population was last estimated at 75 [Texas Towns Database, Texas Almanac, 2006-2007 Edition, Dallas Morning News/Texas A&M University Press.] , but no current U.S. Census data is available.

Geography and topography

Reese is located at coor dms|32|1|24|N|95|23|32|W|city (32.0232193, -95.3921752)GR|3. The elevation of the area is 397 ft (121 m) above sea level.

The surroundings of Reese are made up of rolling hills of alternating pastures and hardwood areas, those consisting mainly of pine, oak, and pecan.

Economy and Infrastructure

At the present time, there are no direct economic factors contributing to life in Reese, although many influences have historically added to the business climate of the community. Among these have been general stores, a cotton gin, a sawmill, a candle factory, a fish farm, a Ford dealership, a mechanic shop, as well as agriculture (farms, ranches, and production of hay, tomatoes, and peaches, among other produce items).

Reese had its own post office from 1895 until the mid-1900s, but since then residents have received rural route service from nearby Jacksonville; otherwise, letter drop service and stamps can be found much closer, at the post office in Cuney.

From 1902 until 1985, Reese was served by a rail line originally operated by the Texas & New Orleans Railroad, which later became part of the Southern Pacific Railroad. This rail line connected Dallas to Nacogdoches and most of its lifespan was spent carrying freight. For the first few years, passenger service was offered through the Reese station but eventually that was discontinued while freight runs would still pass through the area. As railroad companies were streamlining and restructuring in later years, some rail corridors proved to be too costly or were found obsolete, including the rail line through Reese. Southern Pacific abandoned the line in 1985, closing a chapter to the community's early economic prominence.

Even though Reese lost one connection, it still has another. The community is bisected west to east by U.S. Highway 175, providing residents with direct access to the nearby cities of Jacksonville, Cuney, and Frankston, as well as distant cities like Athens and Dallas, farther west. This access provides the current economic lifeline outside the community.

All utility services available to community residents come from outside of Reese.

ocial life

Various forms of social activities and get-togethers have taken place in Reese over the years: ice cream socials with hand-cranked ice cream, trick-or-treating at Halloween, and Christmas caroling, to name a few. Occasionally, "dinner on the ground", a primarily outdoor event held usually in the afternoon, would take place outside the community church. Meals were similar to potluck dinners or covered-dish suppers and were a way for those of the church's congregation to be together outside of church services.

The church, historically a Church of Christ for the most part, was a focal point in Reese over many decades. Baptisms would take place in nearby creeks or would be hosted by other area Churches of Christ until a building renovation in the 1970s would bring a baptistry, as well as indoor plumbing, central air conditioning, and much-needed extra space. By the 1990s, though, a majority of the church's congregation had either died or moved away from the community. Sadly, the decision was made to disband the congregation, most of whom found their way to churches in larger nearby towns. The building, alongside what had been the railroad through Reese, was sold and moved to another church group elsewhere in Cherokee County.

In the mid-1970s, it was decided to have a community center for the residents of Reese, and by July 1976, one was completed on the grounds of a former school. The Reese Community Center has played host to several parties, dinners, and receptions since. Several times a year, a hamburger supper takes place at the center; this acts as a fund-raiser for upkeep of both the community's cemetery and of the Community Center. Once a year, the Reese Reunion is held there and is a draw for many who have called Reese home at one time or another.

Education

For many years, a school was located in Reese, but by the 1950s, after a long transition, classes were no longer held in the community. Now the area is a part of the Jacksonville Independent School District. The building that once housed the school was razed in the mid-1970s to make way for the construction of the Community Center.

Recreation

Residents of Reese have many options nearby for fun and relaxation. A few miles to the northwest, along the Neches River, is Lake Palestine where many boating and fishing opportunities await. Golfers aren't far from [http://www.pinedunes.com/ Pine Dunes] (south of Frankston), [http://www.eaglesbluff.com/index.asp Eagles Bluff] (on Lake Palestine's east shore), or [http://www.thewoodsatjacksonville.com/ The Woods at Jacksonville] (formerly Cherokee Country Club) in Jacksonville. Those in Jacksonville can also find bowling, movie theaters, festivals, live theatre, an annual rodeo, and the area's nearest lodging there, as well. Dining out can bring many choices in Frankston, Palestine, Jacksonville, Bullard, Noonday, and especially Tyler. Rusk is home to the [http://www.texasstaterr.com/ Texas State Railroad] , an interesting and historical train excursion.

The future

Descendents of the first settlers of Reese still call the area home and more newcomers are moving to northwestern Cherokee County, finding rural life appealing as well as staking a place for themselves in advance of Tyler's southern growth. Planners at Texas' Department of Transportation may have changes up their sleeves for Reese, as a re-routing is planned for U.S. Highway 175, which will transform the busy 2-lane into a divided 4-lane to run slightly north of the present alignment. This move, while needed, could mark a turning point in the future of Reese; will those not displaced by the construction embrace change, or will disagreement find itself louder than the traffic?

References

External links

*Handbook of Texas|id=RR/hnr20|name=Reese, TX