Welcome To Athens, Texas,
county seat of Henderson County, where the past and
the future collide in some of the most beautiful land in North East Texas!
The Courthouse Square in Athens has a
historic flavor with brick storefronts and a beautiful
courthouse that speak of the history of this East Texas county seat. The square is
still
a hub of activity with businesses surrounding the courthouse, just as it did in the past,
but like other East Texas towns, Athens has a newer side and as you leave the square
you see the mixture of historic homes and churches with more modern buildings and
businesses of the modern Athens. This thriving county seat has over 12,000
residents*.
Henderson County has 949.0 square
miles and a county wide population of 68,962*. That
is less than 73 people per square mile. Compare that with Collin
County (Plano) which has
491 people/square mile or Dallas County with 2236 people/square mile.*
Growth of the
County has been slow yet steady, as people discover the beauty of the county which is over
1/3
forested with Sandy Loam and Clay soils, temperate climate, and a
beautiful rolling terrain,
similar to the Texas Hill Country. In addition, the county is the Land of
Lakes with these
lakes within the County: Cedar Creek Lake, Lake Palestine, and Lake Athens. These
lakes provide recreational benefits for Henderson County residents as well as many folks
who
maintain summer and vacation homes on the lakes. Purtis Creek State
Park also provides recreational facilities to the area.
*The statistics on population,
area, and geographical features taken from the Millennium
Edition of The Texas Almanac, 2000-2001, published by The Dallas
Morning News.
Suggestions for Visitors to Athens and Henderson County:
East Texas Arboretum
The East Texas Arboretum is a great
place (100 ac) to enjoy the nature trails, herb garden, and
more that is maintained by volunteers to share the joy of the agricultural
heritage of the county. Many
school children are served with these visits as well as the visits by Henderson County
residents
and visitors. This an ever growing attraction and they always need more help.
Learn more
about this endeavor at this link:
East Texas Arboretum in Athens
Another great place to visit in
Athens is the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center:
This Center was opened in 1996 and is located just 4 miles E of Athens on FM 2495.
It features as
23,000sf visitors center, 300,000 gallons of aquariums, a theater
for educational videos, and a
fishing museum. Activities include a 1.2 AC fishing pond with a catch and release
program for
Catfish & Rainbow Trout, that even includes rods, reels and bait without additional
cost.
This is a favorite for the children. There are also educational programs in the
theater, tram rides, a
farm pond to feed the fish, a pond area with aquatic plant guide, an overlook of the
hatchery
operation, a wetland trail, plus alligator and reservoir exhibits. Come see this
great attraction
in Henderson County and see why so many people love to call Athens and Henderson
County Home! To learn more about hours of operation and prices visit this link:
Texas
Freshwater Fisheries Center at Athens
Athens is famous for their
Black Eyed Pea Jamboree in the Fall and their Fiddler's
Reunion in the Spring, but there are many other activities in the area for residents
and visitors. To learn more about these festivals plus more about the
City of Athens, check out this link:
www.athenstx.org
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