I visited the small city of Denison, Texas, which looks mostly unchanged since 1960. But that will change soon, as the massive DFW Metro continues to grow towards it. Travel Vlog 101
I’m sure the Eisenhowers were SO pleased the railroad came a stones throw from their front door. And that two-story house you pointed out is, indeed, a beauty.
I appreciate your videos not only because of the hard work you and your wife go through but also I get to explore many places in America from my couch thanks to you. Keep up the hard work! **Fan from Savannah, ga**
Southwest of Denison is the old closed down Perrin AFB. I was stationed there in 1961-62. Perrin was closed in 1971 and definetely hurt the economy of Denison. In December of 1962, I got orders to Naha Air Base Okinawa, and away I went.
I had the great fortune of being stationed at Altus AFB. It was the ultimate AF experience for a young military member. As others were stationed at Okinawa, shoveling snow to unchain planes became a love dear to my heart and a passion. Working in and on snowfilled overcast days where feeling your hands and feet were a luxury afforded to only those willing to brave the hostile environment of Japan.
I find Dennison intriguing and charming. A place I would never know existed if it wasn’t for your video. Thank you! You cover the most fascinating places.
We just drove through Denison 2 weeks ago on the interstate. I wanted to stop and explore Denison and other towns, but my husband is bent on ..... getting there.... and not the Journey. I'm flying back to Texas in July and will be staying at my daughter's 3 miles outside Henrietta, another hidden gem just 20+ miles east of Wichita Falls. Thanks for the video, it helped satisfy my curiosity.
Very interesting video. Loved Dwight Eisenhower house!! I agree with you about the old large houses in the neighborhood- they should NOT ever be torn down. The Denison Hotel and the Rialto Theatre were once grand buildings, and hopefully, will be included in those coming plans to upgrade the city!!! At least most of the old homes around The Eisenhower house looked pretty well kept and people populated the area very well still. Though a throw back of 50 or so years, it is still very nice. Thank you for this video!!!
I wish homes had more spacious yard areas like they used to have. I remember my grandmother lived in a small rural Texas town. She wasn't rich but she had a huge yard area. It was so nice.
I also love your video's and I live here cause of the small town environment, the people and the old building's and not so busy and congested like Dallas is. .This is why I live here.
It is a nice, quiet place, Mark. That said, Dallas suburbia is coming. Dallas is growing north very quickly. I live in McKinney. I can still remember when it was a small town in the country. It’s not any more.
Nice video. Right within the first few seconds it brushes past a mural worth mentioning: It honors Sully Sullenberger, another famous son of this town.
" As are you! You might want to include this lovely phrase in all the rest of your videos. Sort of as a signature! It is so inclusive and representative of what you are doing! Thanks for all of it!
Enjoying your vids. The Old Grand Hotels, which were often the tallest in town have always fascinated me. I have stayed in a few of them. Much of my clan was from Denison before the journey to Cal. Speaking of old Grand Hotels the one in Yuma AZ (San Carlos) is a story.
Bought my little house in Denison 5 years ago and it’s almost doubled in value. The town is slowly recovering and revitalizing. The old Kroger is now a brand new Ace Hardware. A lot of the old houses are being renovated and flipped. I love living here after living in Austin and Plano for many years.
Many of those Grand Ole' Hotels have been saved being renovated into affordable senior apartments using historical state and federal tax credits, that could bring a boost to this downtown especially where it might not be no longer feasable to operate a hotel of that size.
4:08 Ashburn's Ice Cream. Ashburn's had ice cream in the Dallas area. I worked at his Richardson Tx store in 1967. Cowboy's Meridith etc use to come in with their family for Ashburn's fresh peach icecream! Best ever!
I realy enjoy your road trips, I have lived moat of my life in Michigan but I have also lived in Texas and in, my roots go back to Tenn and Texas. I have old home movies that my Dad took ( I'm 79). I have converted those to digital.
Hey, there is a town about 2 hours north of Houston a little ways off of I-45 called Bedias. It is a tiny rural town with some interesting buildings but it is old with not a lot of people there anymore. I've watched a few of your videos about small old rural Texas towns and thought this one and a few others around it might fit the bill. If you visit ask a local where to find the best bbq ribs and brisket. If they tell you to go anywhere besides the old man in the roadside trailer then they aren't long time locals. Find someone who can send you to the bbq man. 🙂 Happy and safe travels to you.
I have family who live in denison. We travel there all the time. There house is walking distance from the beatiful downtown. My dad bought a guitar there. I like the town alot.
If one high tech company moved in , restored the buildings to suite their needs , this would return to a vital town. It has the railroad, is one hour from the metroplex, and if it’s airport’s runways were lengthened ,it would have a new life.
It’s well on its way to becoming a vital town. Suburban Dallas is continuing it’s march northward. It’ll be up there soon. In the meantime, now’s a good time to buy some real estate there.
Texas had the conditions to become the most excellent state in America. It seems that once politicians got power and they became crazy. It applies to blue states and red states. Right now, I always look over my shoulder when I travel to Texas for business. I fear that one day a Texas ranger knocked on my door and arrested me for assisting abortion. Because once before, I had dropped off a colleague.
@@JoeandNicsRoadTrip I agree. It's already considered part of Dallas and Fort Worth's CSA(consolidated statistical area). Read an article once talking about the Sherman/Denison area having a very bright future. I have no doubt that it will.
There are some buildings worth saving, some are not. No matter how good our upkeep, things will eventually become too expensive to repair. While a lot of things were built to last in the past, we do have better building techniques and most buildings 100 years ago don't have the modern electrical/plumbing/air conditioning in them that people need today. We also know how to build better against earthquakes, flooding, tornados, and hurricanes than a hundred years ago. There's a balancing act. I don't have enough info on the buildings in this video to make a judgment call.
The downside with a lot of the older victorian homes across the US is if they are kept close to their original condition on the inside, some of the rooms the doorways are so small and narrow that you can't get today's furniture or appliances in them. And being 2 or 3 stories high unless equipped with some type of stair climber or an elevator somewhat limits that home being bought by an aging person who doesn't do well with stairs. Quite a few of those old homes don't even have a 1/2 bath downstairs , so you're forced to hop up the staircase to take care of business , then you'd be spending quite a bit of $$ putting a downstairs bedroom in and at least 1 full bath down stairs. What surprised be about Denison is there's not a lot of grocery stores for a city of 22K plus the surrounding area. I don't think HEB has a foot print in that area, that'll have to change if that town is going to see a population increase..
Lived in Lewisville tx as a teenager . Went to the high school for a little while . Miss that little town . Or at least it was little all of those years ago .
I have a playlist called “From The Beginning”, the second playlist down. It has all my travel videos in order. In answer to your question, we are heading to north and western NY next month. 😀
President Eisenhower left Denison soon after he was born there. I was born in Denison and my parents left soon also. There is a lot more history to Denison. I think there were at least two Presidents that stayed in that Grand hotel and there was a vibrant town farmers market just off Main Street. The Katy railroad is what made Denison.
Born there in 1946. Denison is not dying and is being reincarnated as a far North suburb of Dallas. If you think it’s dying, just check the present real estate prices!
Why are you so bearish on Dennison - did you say it wouldn't exist in 10 years? It has actually been slowly growing; adding 3,000 people in the last 10 years. For the most part it is a fairly clean modest city.
@@charleswillams9501 LOL - Dennison is 70+ miles north of Dallas! I agree that in 10 years Dallas will be bigger than it is now - but if Dallas were to expand its borders all the way around by ~ 70 miles it would then be the largest city the world has ever seen.
Oh, no, no relaxing, lol. We are starting our next phase of exploring the USA, this time smaller, more out of the way places like Tupelo, MS, Cody WY, Pierre, SD, etc.
"here I am now on a tree branch overlooking......Mrs WIlsons bedroom not a lot of people walking around at 10am in the morning which is good for me although I normally have a gilly suit on when Im in the tree...anyway later on I will be going to the state capital and picking up the wife stay tuned for that video"
Many, yes. But there is a steady flow of people toward the smaller towns, people who can work at home and who are fed up with big city crime, politics and expensive property.
@@redriveral2764 census figures for at least half the counties in Texas don't agree with you..the only areas that are gaining rurally are currently exurban communities that are within a commuting distance to the outer rim of the triangle.
You should have done your homework on the city. Lots going on here. Investors have put a lot of money in bringing the town back. Actually the Hotel Denison is being renovated. The overhead walkway was a catcall. This town has a long history of interesting stories you should really do a little research before saying it’s dead and will be gone in ten years.
Cars parked on every spot and you call the town dead and nothing happening? and in 10 years it will be gone? C'mon dude quit being such a Debbie Downer!
