District Overview
According
to the 2000 U.S. Census figures, over 2.9 million people make their homes
in the Eastern District of Texas. As with Texas generally, the Eastern
District has sustained remarkable population growth in the past 15 years,
particularly in the suburban counties north of Dallas.
The Beaumont Division, which is located in the southern portion of the Eastern District lies on the upper Texas Gulf Coast, an area which is heavily industrialized with petrochemical plants. There are four seaports in Jefferson County. In addition to normal shipping, the Port of Beaumont serves as a major port for transportation of military equipment.
The Eastern District
is also crisscrossed by a number of major traffic arteries. U.S. 59 runs
from the Texas/Mexico border through Houston, then traverses the length
of the District until it intersects with Interstate 30 at Texarkana.
Moving northward, the heavily forested areas of the Piney Woods in the Lufkin Division
are dominated by the lumber and forest products industry, along with recreational
opportunities afforded by Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn reservoirs.
The Tyler, Marshall and Texarkana areas are marked by the vestiges of the East Texas Oil Field and by agricultural interests. Due to the natural beauty of the area, there has been an increase in the number of businesses relocating there, particularly light manufacturing and high tech industries. Tyler has become a regional medical center for upper East Texas with a large influx of health care professionals to the area.
The Sherman Division includes Collin and Denton Counties, which contain the northern suburban communities of Dallas/Fort Worth. Plano, in particular, has become the corporate headquarters for a number of large companies.
Most recently, Congress has authorized the creation of another federal district court which will convene in Plano, Texas, the district's largest city in terms of population.
Staffed offices are located in Beaumont, Lufkin, Tyler, Texarkana, Sherman and Plano. There is no staffed office in the Marshall Division.