Several months ago, when talk of Longview’s 150th celebrations were still in the works, a newspaper editor asked me a question. She wanted to know if, in my opinion, Longview would have ever developed had the founding father, O.H. Methvin, not acted when he did to bring the railroad to this area. I had to think about an answer. The railroad conversations were the seminal development for this area. Notions led me down a rabbit hole of would Longview even be here today had Texas not won the battle of San Jacinto during the Texas Revolution. She asked me to develop that strange idea, and if inclined, turn the idea into serial for the local paper’s features magazine.
I know enough about actual Texas history to be conversant, but had never studied the pioneer movement that lured discontented southerners across the Red River. This initiative led me to some books, and fertile playing grounds for the “what ifs?” The paper took a leap of faith, and published Chapter One of the serial in the winter. I’ll post the link here.
As soon as I can, I’ll post the second installment. There will be six chapters to this short story, and I hope to showcase the grit and tenacity of early Texas settlers and the twist of culture they’d live in had Mexico held on to this territory with a firmer grip.
Let me know what you think.
