History buffs in Texas have a reason to journey north to Clarksville, where a tiny steamboat town once opened up the Lone Star State to some of its most iconic settlers. According to a recent piece by TxDOT, the now-defunct settlement of Jonesboro in Red River County, famously known as the "Gateway to Texas," was the entry point for historical figures such as Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin, and Davy Crockett.
Amidst the modern sprawl of highways and bustling cities, TxDOT works to continuously commemorate the state's deep transportation roots. Chief engineer of TxDOT’s Paris District, Noel Paramanantham, explained the significance, stating, "This part of Texas is steeped in transportation history starting with the "Gateway to Texas" to the birthplace of President Eisenhower, the father of the interstate system. As we move into the future of transportation, as TxDOT, it is our duty to preserve this heritage along our network by working with our communities." Indeed, the humble beginnings of these paths helped to carve the destiny of what has become an emblematic American region.
Ownership of one of the earliest ferries across the Red River goes to Henry Jones, after whom Jonesboro was named. He also laid down the footprints of a hunter across the shoreline. Back in the early 1800s, the now vanished Jonesboro was peppered with nothing but Caddo trails, until 1824 saw Nicholas Trammel cut a 180-mile road suitable for wagons, whose eventual use included the illegal smuggling of horses.
Trammel's Trace, a rudimentary road into the beating heart of Texas, met the Camino Real at Nacogdoches. These interconnected trails paved the way not just for commerce but also for settlers seeking their fortune in the undomesticated West. Although a flash flood in the 1840s devastated Jonesboro, leaving little more than a monument alongside FM 410, those who yearn to reconnect with this storied past can still trace the legacy. Today, Sam Houston Park in Red River County houses historic monuments honoring the brave souls who once crossed the "Gateway to Texas."
Texans, current and diasporic alike, frequently pilgrimage to these sites. As part of a longstanding local tradition, many opt to immortalize their presence by etching their initials into the cacti. It's a small yet poignant act, a nod to the indelible mark left by those who forged the Texan identity in the crucible of its nascent trails.
