Cherokee County, Texas

  Interesting Sites

 

Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site  

Photo courtesy of Earl Nottingham,
Texas Parks &Wildlife Department

Caddoan Mounds State Historic Site, a 93.8-acre park in Cherokee County, was acquired in February, 1975 from Walter E. Gundermann, Jr. Development of facilities was completed and the park opened to the public in June 1982. It was the home of Mound Builders of Caddoan origin who lived in the region for 500 years beginning about A.D. 800. The park offers exhibits and interpretive trails through its reconstructed sites of Caddo dwellings and ceremonial areas, including two temple mounds, a burial mound, and a village area. Group tours are offered by appointment only. Per person tour fees apply. Adult, student, and senior citizen fees; group tour rates available.

Cherokee Trace Drive-thru Safari

                    

pictures courtesy of  Cherokee Trace

Cherokee Trace Drive-thru Safari is a wildlife park that is home to an amazing variety of wildlife. There are over a dozen exotic and endangered species that thrive in an open habitat similar to their native territory. Enjoy a self-guided drive
through the hills and open savannahs of this 300-acre preserve. 
 
Love's Lookout
picture courtesy of  Jacksonville  Chamber of Commerce
 
Love's Lookout is one of East Texas' most breathtaking views. It is north of Jacksonville in Cherokee County, part of a long, flat-topped hill that extends north and south about nine miles.  The east side looks over a broad valley - a wide expanse of beautiful scenery, (30-35 miles).  Love's Lookout Scenic Park highlights a 5,500  square foot facility housing restrooms, vending machines, an information center and a sheriff's sub-station.  Along the lookout ridge are 5 picnic arbors which resemble the tomato shed style of the main building.

 

       Rusk Footbridge

picture courtesy of  Rusk Chamber of Commerce

The Rusk Footbridge is believed to be the longest footbridge in the nation at 546 feet. It is located in Rusk, TX, just off the Courthouse square. It is a beautiful point of interest. During the town's early years, before streets connected a residential area with the downtown business district, the bridge served as a means to cross  a small valley when the creek flooded. The original bridge was built in 1861 by Howard Barnes.

Museums

Heritage Museum
    
                                             
                         Early 1900's medicine                                            Civil War era rifle                                 Early tools and implements
                                                                               pictures courtesy of Kevin Stingley
 
The Heritage Museum  had a wide variety of displays including, Arrowheads, Indian Artifacts,  A Civil War era rifle, Early 1900's medicine memorabilia,  and much more. Their mission is to acquire, preserve, and display artifacts of historical significance to Cherokee County, TX. It is located at 409 N. Henderson St., one block south of the Cherokee County Courthouse.
 
Vanishing Texana Museum
 
The Vanishing Texana Museum is located in the Jacksonville Public Library. It contains a display of artifacts representing the history of Texas and Cherokee County. Included in the display are Native American relics, farm equipment, photographs and much more. The museum is open during normal library hours at 502 South Jackson, in Jacksonville, Texas.

PARKS

 

    

 

Buckner Park

Buckner Park features include volleyball, basketball, tennis, walking track, picnic areas, play area for children and two covered pavilions. Public restrooms are also available. Located off of Newborn Street in Jacksonville, Texas.

 

Butler Park

 picture courtesy of  Rusk Chamber of Commerce

Butler Park was once the site of the institution known as Rusk College. At one time it had a grand three story building offering classes from first grade through junior college, with six building on a 12 acre campus.  It had several reorganizations and name changes. It functioned until 1928.Located in Rusk, TX.

 Jim Hogg Historical Park

             

pictures  courtesy of  Rusk Chamber of Commerce

A memorial to Texas' first native born governor, James Stephen Hogg, 1891-1895, this 177-acre park offers a scale replica of the birthplace, housing, museum, historical markers, and a family cemetery. Park is for day-use only and has a nature trail and picnic area. A strip mining area from the late 1880s (iron ore) can be viewed from a rise on the nature trail, where there is an interpretive display. The parks offers self-guided and guided museum tours and nature trail tours. The park is located two miles east of Rusk off Highway 84 East and Fire Tower Road.

 

 

Nichols Green Park

Nichols Green Park has basketball courts, soccer fields, baseball fields, picnic areas, covered pavilion, walking track in beautiful scenery, bridges over walkways and new children's playground equipment. Located  off Hwy 69 South in Jacksonville, Texas.


 

The Texas State Railroad

 

 

       

Photography courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

 

The Rusk State Park is adjacent to the Texas State Railroad Depot. The 100-acre park offers camping pads and RV hookups, playgrounds, picnic sites, a bathhouse, 15-acre lake, paddleboats.  It is located just off Hwy 84 West.