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Nacogdoches is a historic city of about 32,000 people in the Piney Woods of East Texas, about two and a half hours northeast of Houston. It proudly calls itself the oldest town in Texas, growing from a Caddo village and a Spanish mission settlement of the 1700s, and it played a large part in the struggles that led to Texas independence. Today it is home to Stephen F. Austin State University.
Visitors can walk brick streets in the historic downtown, visit the Stone Fort Museum, a reconstruction of a famous Spanish-era stone house, and tour the Sterne-Hoya House and the Durst-Taylor House. Oak Grove Cemetery holds the graves of several signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence, and Millard's Crossing Historic Village gathers restored nineteenth-century buildings.
Nacogdoches is also known as the Garden Capital of Texas, with the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden blooming each spring and the Lanana Creek Trail winding through town. Each June the Texas Blueberry Festival fills the downtown streets.
A museum on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus housed in a reconstruction of the Old Stone Fort, a stone house built in the 1700s by Antonio Gil Y'Barbo, a founder of Nacogdoches. Exhibits cover the Spanish, Mexican and Republic of Texas periods in East Texas. Admission is free; check hours before visiting.
One of the oldest homes in Nacogdoches, built in the 1830s by Adolphus Sterne, a merchant who supported the Texas Revolution. Famous visitors included Sam Houston and Davy Crockett. The house museum shows period rooms and family items, and a library is on site. Tours are free; hours are limited.
A restored early nineteenth-century home in downtown Nacogdoches with period furnishings, a heritage garden and exhibits on frontier family life and crafts. Guided tours explain how settlers lived when Texas was still part of Mexico. It is free to visit and easy to pair with the Sterne-Hoya House nearby.
A collection of restored nineteenth-century East Texas buildings moved to a wooded site on the north side of town, including log cabins, a chapel, a schoolhouse and furnished homes. Guided tours tell stories of pioneer life in the Piney Woods. Call ahead for tour times, as hours vary.
A historic cemetery near downtown, established in the 1830s, where four signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence are buried, along with other early Texas leaders. Old oaks shade the weathered headstones and historical markers. Walk quietly and read the markers for a short lesson in Texas history.
A handsome Greek Revival building completed in 1859 for Nacogdoches University, set on Washington Square near downtown. It is one of the oldest surviving college buildings in Texas and is now cared for by the city and used for tours and community events. Admire its columns from the square and check ahead for open days.
Part of the SFA Gardens on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus, this garden holds thousands of azaleas along with camellias and Japanese maples on the banks of Lanana Creek. It bursts into color from mid March to early April. Admission is free; visit on a weekday morning to avoid crowds.
A teaching and display garden on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus with themed beds, shade gardens, rare trees and plants tested for East Texas growing conditions. Paths are easy to walk and interesting in every season. It is free and open daily, and it hosts popular plant sales each spring and fall.
The historic downtown centers on brick-paved streets around the square, with restored nineteenth-century commercial buildings housing antique shops, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Historical markers explain the town's long story. Walk it in the late afternoon, and pick up a walking tour map at the visitor center.
A shaded walking trail that follows Lanana Creek through the east side of Nacogdoches, linking neighborhoods, the university and the gardens. It passes tall pines and hardwoods and offers a cool escape on warm days. It is good for walking, jogging and birdwatching; some sections can be muddy after rain.
A popular one-day festival held each June in downtown Nacogdoches celebrating the East Texas blueberry harvest, with fresh berries, blueberry treats, arts and crafts vendors, live music and children's activities. It draws big crowds. Arrive early to beat the heat and the lines, and bring cash for vendors.
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Photo: Michael Barera, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
