Kilgore is a city in Gregg and Rusk counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas. Over three-fourths of the city limits is located in Gregg County, the remainder in Rusk County. Kilgore was the childhood residence from age six of the noted classical pianist Van Cliburn, the namesake for Van Cliburn Auditorium on the Kilgore College campus. The population was 12,975 at the 2010 census; and the population is 14,820 at the 2020 census.

Henderson is a city and the county seat of Rusk County, Texas, in Northeast Texas. Its population was 13,712 at the 2010 census. Henderson is named for James Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas. The city has functioned as a major crossroads in Northeast Texas over the last two centuries. Several major highways pass through the business district of the town, including U.S. Route 259, Texas State Highway 64, U.S. Route 79, Texas State Highway 43, Texas State Highway 42, and Texas State Highway 64. Annual events in the city of Henderson include the Heritage Syrup Festival in November, celebrating the East Texas tradition of syrup making, and the East Texas Sacred Harp Convention in August featuring shape note music. The city has a vibrant downtown historic district, with many buildings dating to before the American Civil War. The city has 19 historical markers, including homes dating from the 1880s, churches, and colleges. Downtown Henderson is one of the most dramatic and charming downtowns in the East Texas area. Colorful, canvas awnings highlight the ornate buildings that house Henderson's downtown merchants, and offer shade to downtown shoppers visiting the various antiques stores, clothing stores, and restaurants lining the main streets.

The Texas Highland Lakes is a chain of six fresh water reservoirs in Central Texas formed by six dams on the lower Colorado River. The Texas Colorado River winds southeast from West Texas to Matagorda Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The dams and lakes are (from northwest to southeast, upstream to downstream): Buchanan Dam — Lake Buchanan Inks Dam — Inks Lake Wirtz Dam — Lake LBJ Max Starcke Dam — Lake Marble Falls Mansfield Dam — Lake Travis Tom Miller Dam — Lake AustinThe lower Colorado River basin has a history of major flooding. The Lower Colorado River Authority built the dams to manage floods and generate hydroelectric power in the 1930s and 1940s. The two largest lakes—Buchanan and Travis—are the reservoirs that store water supply for the region. The smaller lakes—Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls and Austin—are pass-through lakes that are operated within a certain range.

Jefferson is a city in Marion County in Northeastern Texas, United States. The population was 2,106 at the 2010 census, and 2,533 as of 2018's census estimates. It is the county seat of Marion County, Texas, and is situated in East Texas. The city is a tourist destination, with popular attractions including: Jay Gould's Railroad car, the Sterne Fountain, Jefferson Carnegie Library, Excelsior House, the House of the Four Seasons, and the bayous formed by Big Cypress Bayou located in and around the city.