That summer of 2008, I was having the time of my life. My Sherman-based advertising agency was expanding, and I was publishing the 7th issue of Texoma Living! Magazine.

With the ongoing and planned construction projects in Grayson County, we’re deep into billion-dollar territory.

I was excited about the Summer 2008 issue. Our magazine began as a “one-off” promotional publication for the Sherman Chamber of Commerce. My ad agency got the contract to write and publish what was usually just a membership directory packed with advertising and a handful of articles.

The chamber underwent a leadership change, and we didn’t get much direction. That was magic for my team to play without adult supervision. We used the opportunity to realize a long-held dream: publishing a real magazine.

“Wow, this looks like a real magazine!”

It took about three months to design, write, photograph, and print “Sherman Living!” (the original title).

Edward Southerland, who passed away on July 15, 2020, was the driving force behind the editorial; a handful of talented local photographers illustrated the stories, and I was giddy with excitement about doing the design.

The day the box of magazines arrived from the printer, we opened the box and held it in our hands. “Wow, this looks like a real magazine,” someone said.

Texoma Living! Magazine is born

It’s a complicated story, but in the end, I decided Texoma needed its own “city” magazine. Three months later, we published Vol. 1, No. 1 of the new Texoma Living!.

By the time we got to Vol. 2 No. 2, the Summer 2008 issue, the magazine had become a huge hit and a full-fledged “city” magazine for the region.

For that issue, I hired an independent journalist out of Dallas to research and write a story about the announced development of the Hwy 75/FM 691 corridor. It is my favorite issue of all.

You can download a PDF of the original story to see what was planned, then compare it to what you see on your daily rounds about town.