Nacogdoches......ain't this place a geographical oddity? (Houston, Dallas: spring break, 2009)

[Pontificator]

Well, friends and fellow travelers upon the fruited plain of Texas......went to visit Nacogdoches (and surrounds), and just as Everett queried in O Brother, wondered, "Ain't this place a geographical oddity??"

Being a history buff, I much looked forward to delving into the early story of Texas, and all the the cultures which converged in the area. Alas, the story is poorly told in and around Nacogdoches, and I found not so much to see and do. The Old Stone Fort was closed for spring break, so that was not a possibility. Probably the most interesting site was the Oak Grove Cemetery, which shelters four signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and other notable historical figures.

The Azalea Trail was a riot of beautiful springtime color amid towering woods, so that made for a spectacular stop. And the Caddo Indian mound on.....Mound St. was interesting, but very little info, in fact the historical marker reads, "Ancient Mound."

I found more historical interest and wonder by simply following Hwy 21, which is the El Camino Real de Los Tejas. This route had numerous historical markers, and it was easy to gain a sense of wonder and awe about the events that have taken place. Very worthy was a visit to the Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site near Alto -- this story is well told.

The folks of Nacogdoches were just as friendly as could be, but I would really like to see the city (and state) do a better job of telling the incredible story that really is there......

[case44]

It is the oldest town in all of Texas, believe it or not, but a lot of people would probably end up guessing something else. And, oddly enough, as much as I've been to Tyler, Longview, Kilgore, and East Texas, I've never been to Nac physically, but have read quite a bit about it. I've got to get in my car and head out there sometime.

[East Texan]

Would recommend stopping by the Convention and Visitors Bureau in the town square. Lots of info and some good displays on Nacogdoches history. Also recommend the Millard's Crossing collection of historic homes, on the north side of town on Hwy. 59.
A pretty good overview here: Handbook of Texas Online - NACOGDOCHES COUNTY

[Pontificator]

Originally Posted by East Texan

Would recommend stopping by the Convention and Visitors Bureau in the town square. Lots of info and some good displays on Nacogdoches history. Also recommend the Millard's Crossing collection of historic homes, on the north side of town on Hwy. 59.
A pretty good overview here: Handbook of Texas Online - NACOGDOCHES COUNTY

Alas, we did stop by the Convention and Vistor's Bureau, as well as the Chamber of Commerce. The Bureau had a very limited bit of historical display. We skipped Millard's Crossing, because we felt it was more of a pre-fab recreation, rather than offering a "real" sense of history. I hate to say, but the sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana really blows Nacogdoches out of the water. That is a fascinating visit for a history buff!

[East Texan]

Note - re: Caddo history in Nacogdoches. There is talk of creating a Caddo interpretive center in the Washington Square National Historic District. Meanwhile, as noted earlier, the Caddoan Mounds Center west of Nacogdoches is very good.
Re: comment on Millard's Crossing - these are all authentic buildings, saved and moved to this location by the Thomas family from destruction. These structures range from log cabins from the 1830s to several 1860s-to-1890s structures. Millard's Crossing - Home
Natchitoches is a beautiful, historic community just two hours east of Nacogdoches.
The fort is, of course, a re-creation, but still of great value.
About midway is Los Adaes, birthplace of Gil y Barbo, founder of Nacogdoches.
I recommend visiting all three. Sometimes history takes a little advance research, some fieldwork and an open mind. Hope you come back to East Texas and West Louisiana soon.

[East Texan]

This, by the way, is a great year to visit the Old Nacogdoches University Building. Founded in 1845, the university's grand brick structure was dedicated in 1859 - making this the 150th anniversary of the only remaining structure from the six universities dedicated during the Republic of Texas period. In fact, it is the oldest educational structure in the state. So if you are a teacher, come visit the Mecca of Texas education.
Old University Building's 150th anniversary
The building is open Tuesday-Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Special events are planned through the year. An historic play will be staged this fall.
A good time to visit Nacogdoches is the Texas Blueberry Festival, Saturday, June 13, 2009, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Texas Blueberry Festival Home Page

[Pontificator]

Originally Posted by East Texan

Sometimes history takes a little advance research, some fieldwork and an open mind. Hope you come back to East Texas and West Louisiana soon.

Thanks for the info, really glad to hear that the Caddo Center is planned! We researched every website we could find in advance, on Nacogdoches and the region. While in the town, we just really felt that there was no "there" there, historically speaking. We were armed with advance info, pamphlets, brochures, and as I mentioned, stopped at the Convention & Vistor's Bureau. In addition, I have read biographies of historical figures from the area, and that helped prepare me for the visit. Alas, the story is just not told well in Nacogdoches -- I hope that any historical society members take note!

We did find the city to be beautiful, and really appreciated the azalea garden on the campus.

Millard's Crossing still does not appeal to the true history buff -- this offers a look into early pioneer life that is not truly unique. And, they rent the location for events -- see excerpt from the site:

Historic Village
"Nestled among the pine trees of the oldest town in Texas is this charming reconstructed historic village which enables visitors to imagine East Texas as it was in the 19th century. Weddings, receptions, reunions, and other events can take place in this unique and enchanting setting."

Hmm......where to visit next?

[East Texan]

"We did find the city to be beautiful, and really appreciated the azalea garden on the campus." -- Pontificator

The Ruby Mize Azalea Garden in Nacogdoches is becoming a real tourist attraction. Even though azalea season is short-lived (mid-March through about the first week of April) the garden has so many other wonderful plants - including 80-foot loblolly pines - that its a natural wonder year-round.

It is true that there's not a massive history-based museum in Nacogdoches. That would be a nice addition. Perhaps our big-city neighbors like Houston (two hours south) or Dallas (three hours northwest) can take on that challenge.

Meanwhile, visitors enjoy the many historic buildings in the fabled downtown district of Nacogdoches. Probably a dozen of the buildings have plaques posted by the local historic society. These are available to read 24/7 - at no charge! In the downtown area are about half a dozen life-size bronze statues that commemorate historic figures such as Sam Houston, Thomas Rusk, Gil y Barbo and Cherokee Chief Boles. All have annotated text on plaques to help tell the story of Nacogdoches. Recently, Ab Abernethy and Charles Bright have added more plaques, set in stones at historic sites such as the Sterne Hoya Museum, the Durst-Taylor Home, the Plaza Principal Square and the Lanana Creek Trail. While some might wish for a compact indoor setting with docents to guide, others enjoy this large outdoor history book, available free to history-loving visitors.

One ongoing project also downtown is the Zion Hill Baptist Church restoration. Located just north of the Oak Grove Cemetery, this African-American Church has had extensive roof and structural work done in the past four years. As funds become available, the interior will be restored and the building open to the public. It makes for wonderful photos even now.

Millard's Crossing - a monument to one woman's love of historic buildings and a treasure for all Texas - really shouldn't be missed. In fact, Susie Lower, the executive director, was recently named the top tour guide in Texas.

I think Pontificator's points are heartfelt, and certainly Nacogdoches should keep trying to live up to its title of "The Oldest Town in Texas."

Come see for yourself!