Neal McCoy attends Walk of Honor event in Longview

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - An inaugural event in one East Texas city today, to recognize and honor the contributions of citizens, past and current, that have made a lasting impact on their community.

A celebration at Longview’s’ ‘Museum of Fine Arts’, was to recognize the significant contributions of citizens to the city, for the first ever recipients of plaques on Longview’s ‘Walk of Honor’.

“Thinking about downtown and how to bring in more business, and at the same time thought of Hollywood walk of stars so that started the process,” says Walk of Honor chair Tim Patrick.

a ‘Walk of Honor’ task force was set up to nominate the first five recipients, many of them business leaders in the past who shaped the future of Longview.

“The criteria, we really wanted people that have given a contribution back to their communities. And have done a great job in bringing opportunities.” Patrick says.

Business leaders Robert and Pauline Cargill,

“My grandparents were deeply passionate about improving Longview and East Texas,” said a relative accepting the honor.

Newspaper publisher Carl Estes.

Inventor and business mover R.G. and Evelyn LeTourneau, who founded LeTourneau university.

Dr. Isaac e. Willis jr. A champion for education and equality.

“He had a passion for working with people. Not just minorities, but with everybody,” said son Selwin Willis.

And country music artist Neal McCoy, who was nominated for his humanitarian efforts.

“I didn’t understand still how well it was going to be recognized and what a big thing it was going to be until I saw some of the families. That were speaking about their parents or grandparents and I said yeah, they have done a lot and should be recognized,” Neal says.

Plaques will installed in the sidewalks throughout the downtown area to honor individuals whose achievements will be made known for generations to come.

A display of all the recipients body of work and personal history will be on display at the Gregg county historical museum until October 28th,

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