I made this film in the spring of 2005 as part of a wider effort to prevent Dallas from condemning the river as a reservoir, or as I misspell it in the film, Dallas wanted to damn the Neches. Even as an idealistic 18 year old kid I thought that our chances of defeating the forces of development, in Texas of all places, were slim. Fortunately enough people cared, and the lobbyists were defeated by rural people and activists throughout the state who saw through these empty claims of progress. This video was also intended to be a catalogue of some of the reasons this stretch of river was unique and special. The film preserves the river, the people, and the wildlife in a particular time and place. Stopping the dam ensured that the Neches would continue to change and to shape our thoughts and dreams.
For more information on ongoing efforts to turn the Neches into an official wild and scenic river, please visit:
tcatexas.org/alliance-connections/neches-river/
