Federal Judiciary

It's That Time of Year Again: The Northeast Texas Bar searches for Miller's Cove

By Michael C. Smith

It's an annual ritual around here - the annual pilgrimage of the lawyers to the Northeast Texas Bar Association's spring meeting (well, it's the only meeting, actually) at Miller's Cove (pop. 120, elevation 443 feet according to the aptly named Epodunk.com).  "Pilgrimage" is a charitable term because most pilgrims presumably know where the hell they're going, while this place is nearly impossible to find each year, even with the help of the much-copied map from 1981 with boxes marked "store" "store" and "place" that gets sent out every year.  It would really be more helpful if it noted that after leaving the interstate you have to drive past the closed gas stations on what may have once been a road, through the trailer park (I am not making this up) and past the fairgrounds, and that the "stores" have been closed for years.  (It might also be more helpful if somebody would send out the map from Google - it actually has the roads on it, and there's even a satellite photo, which means some NASA satellite has got way too much time on its hands). 

Median income is $24,000 a year, compared to the national average of $41k, but that's from the 2000 census.   More recent statistics in 2008 indicate that median home values have actually doubled - to $19,852, up from $9,999 in 2000.  So somebody's bought a new double wide, it looks like. 

But the fellowship is good, and the tamales, barbecue, fried pies and beverages make the trip worthwhile.  Or maybe it's the other way around.  Regardless, I am closing up shop right now and headed that way.

Full post as published by Eastern District of Texas Federal Court Practice on May 20, 2010 (boomark / email).