Two weekends ago, I decided the weather was too good to not go check out another county. I had already been to all of the ones that border the one I live in. Decided on Henderson County, in East Texas. The county seat is the City of Athens, about 75 miles away from Dallas.
For a place with a population just under 13,000 people, Athens is very well designed and has a lot of small town charm! Historic would also be fitting, as this place has been around since 1846, four months after Texas was annexed by the United States. As is the case with many of the smaller towns, the courthouse is situated in the middle of the town square. I really liked the layout of not only the courthouse and the surrounding memorials and monuments, but also the town square in general. There were a few other points of interest I checked out in the “Black Eyed Pea Capital of the World”.
- Trinity Valley Community College. A typical two-year community college situated within a few minutes of the town square, it appeared to be pretty well kept. Having graduated from a community college myself, these places sure deliver a lot of value!
- Lake Athens. I didn’t really get to experience Lake Athens up close and personal, as my Apple Maps took me down this narrow back road which ended in a lakehouse community cul-de-sac. I did see a bit of the lake though from there and it looks like a pretty good place to fish or just hang out.
- Athens Municipal Airport. As a pilot, the airport is always a must see. Compared to the many of the other airports I’ve been to, this one seems a bit on the low side. There is a small FBO(fixed base operator) which services and refuels aircraft, with a small ramp area next to it. Doesn’t seem to be much else going on out there.
All in all, it was a pretty fun little trip. There may not be much to do in the small towns, but if there is one thing I’ve learned from visiting lots of them, it’s that they are all unique in their own right and contain plenty of rich history.