Diana is an unincorporated community in Upshur County, Texas, United States. The community is North of Longview and South of Ore City on highway 259.
The community of Diana is made up of many smaller communities. These are Ashland, James, Diana, Graceton, Stamps, Sand Hill, Valley View, and part of Snow Hill.
The New Diana Independent School District serves area students. The district, located at the intersection of highways 154 and 259, was formed from local schools that were consolidated. At the time, many students did not have the opportunity to receive a high school education. After grammar school, they worked the local cotton and lumber industries. Stamps did not want to consolidate with the newly formed New Diana ISD but later was forced to do so. Valley View School did not consolidate with New Diana until the 1970s during integration. The original location of Diana is said to be further North of highways 154 and 259 at the intersection of highways 726 and 259.
Sometimes the community of Diana is incorrectly referred to as New Diana, the local independent school district's name. The mascot of New Diana ISD is the Eagle. While the population of Diana is unknown due to unincorporation, the school district itself is classified as a 2A by Texas guidelines. New Diana ISD receives quite a few transfers from neighboring schools, however. The school's longest and most intense rival is its nearest neighbor, the Ore City Rebels. Ore City high school students attended New Diana ISD until a high school was built in their city during the 1960s. Some from that generation report being treated unkindly.
The community's main employment opportunities still include the school, some restaurants, churches, and convenient stores. Most of the population commutes to Longview, Gilmer, or other nearby cities for employment. Longtime residents generally have substantial property tied to agricultural and recreational usage. Recent land developments offer myriad small lots and new homes to residents moving to the community from nearby locations.
|
||||||||||||||||||||