Brimstone is a small Texas college town, nestled in the northeast corner of the state. Roughly 2 hours from Dallas and an hour’s drive to Shreveport, Louisiana, the town in the late 1800’s was a part of the oil boom within the region. For decades now oil and natural gas reserves have dried up. Farming, both agriculture and catfish, is the primary economic driver for the town of 17,000. That and the local college, Northeast Texas University.
NTU has a reasonable student population of 11,000. Primarily an undergraduate university, the college does have a smattering of graduate programs. NTU's Chemical Engineering, Geology, Literature, and Anthropology doctorate programs are the only ones of some national prominence.
The town was founded in 1815 and years later was part of the Mexican territories. The town was a focal point of major battles for Texas Independence and during the Civil War. To this day there is some Spanish cultural influence, however its demographics have long drifted towards the white settlers that populated the area with only a pittance of minorities being the town’s residents now.
Another point of interest is due to the recent federal decision to recognize past territory allotments awarded to Native American Nations. The Caddo Indian tribe has had members migrate from Oklahoma to settle as a satellite community in the area, with roughly 300 members establishing a new reservation. This includes the recent construction of a casino, much to the irritation of Brimstone government officials.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.
