Longview in Gregg County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Grove
Photographed by James Hulse, December 16, 2025
1. The Grove Marker
Inscription.
The grove was a natural timber stand within what became Longview in 1870. Tradition holds that the area's Freedmen gathered in the Grove for worship services as early as the 1860s. In 1871, John R. Magrill sold the one-acre grove tract to the town's African American population. Acting on their behalf were O.J. Taylor, Silas Billup and Alick Berry. Over the years, the Grove was an important gathering place for the local African American community. Efforts in the 1930s to acquire the land for oil production failed due to confusion over the title, and the city later adopted the land for use as a park, now known as Magrill Plaza.
The grove was a natural timber stand within what became Longview in 1870. Tradition holds that the area's Freedmen gathered in the Grove for worship services as early as the 1860s. In 1871, John R. Magrill sold the one-acre grove tract to the town's African American population. Acting on their behalf were O.J. Taylor, Silas Billup and Alick Berry. Over the years, the Grove was an important gathering place for the local African American community. Efforts in the 1930s to acquire the land for oil production failed due to confusion over the title, and the city later adopted the land for use as a park, now known as Magrill Plaza.
Erected 2003 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 12967.)
Location. 32° 29.973′ N, 94° 44.122′ W. Marker is in Longview, Texas, in Gregg County. It is at the intersection of North Green Street and Grove Street, on the right when traveling north on North Green Street. The marker is located at the Magrill Plaza. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 500 N Green St, Longview TX 75601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Piney Woods. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 17, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 96 times since then and 49 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 17, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
