In the history of East Mountain there are several colorful incidents, and several major steps in its final development. The bare story of this community’s development is intensely interesting to its present day citizens. It is interesting to go back to when your grandfather and his companions blazed the first trails, when deer, fox, turkey, and other wild game were plentiful, and when the Indians held their pow-wows on the summit of the picturesque little mountain. Settlers Buck Smith, grandfather of County Superintendent Frank T. Smith, settled here some time in the 1870’s, where C. H. Landers now lives. W. W. Bowden settled here about the same time. Sam Salter Sr. also settled here in the latter part of the 1870’s. He ran a horse-power cotton gin. William Ramey lived at the Jones place. Mr. Caldwell settled in the northern part of the community at what is still known as the Caldwell place. Mr. Mackey, father of Charley Mackey, lived here in the early days and helped to develop the community. Mr. Jones, father of John and Lee Jones, settled at the E. S. Salter place. Fayett Loden settled at the J. M. Everett place. J. M. Everett settled here in 1882. Thomas Wells came here from Erath County in 1885 and settled where his widow still lives. In the following year, A. G. Loden settled at the Allison place. In all, up to this time, there were about twelve families in the community. Schools There were no free schools in those days. Parents had to pay for their children’s tuition. Money was scarce and the teacher’s salary was low, and the terms of school short. They put up a log school house somewhere about where the cemetery is now located. They hired Tom Jones to teach a two months school at a salary of twenty-eight dollars a month. He had only seven pupils. After the discovery of oil in this part of the county, East Mountain entered upon a period of sure-enough development. People became rich overnight, and new homes, new churches, and new schools were built. The East Mountain High School was organized in 1933-34. It is now one of the outstanding high schools of East Texas. The building and equipment cost $250,000. They are affiliated with the State University with 33 credits. They operate six buses in carrying the pupils to and from school. They have a cafeteria in the building, and maintain a brass band. They use 18 teachers and have 330 students. Churches The first church established at East Mountain was a congregation of Primitive Baptists. It was organized sometime in the latter part of the 1870’s, in a little log school house, where they continued to meet for a while. H. B. Jones was the first pastor. Caldwell and Smith were the first deacons. A church building was put up in 1881, and the present brick building was erected in 1933. A Missionary Baptist Church was organized in 1914.