Day Tripping to Carthage

“East Texas Oil and Gas Blast, Feel the Energy!”
Great line, huh? And what timing, given that all the politicians are talking about energy now that prices at the pump are way up.
Well, we have to give our East Texas neighbors in Carthage credit for doing their part to keep us independent of foreign oil, by celebrating our rich oil and gas history with a festival.
Why not fill up the tank and mosey over to Carthage for the fun?
The Saturday, October 11th event, promises all day entertainment, from 10am to 5pm, including performances by special guests, Tony Booth and Johnny Lee.
The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame is in Carthage, of course, and worth a visit all by itself. But there’s plenty more to do while you are there.
There’s also the Old Jail Museum, built in 1891, featuring restored jail cells on the second floor and the Leila Belle LaGrone Family History Center, an active genealogical research library housed downstairs.
Blast special events will include arts and crafts, a pie contest, a car show, and hourly drawings for prizes.
But each and every Saturday night in Carthage means live music at the Esquire, an old downtown movie theater which is now the home of the Country Music Hayride, where “All shows are geared towards providing good family entertainment,” according to the East Texas Tourism Guide. When there’s a fifth Saturday night in the month, music is usually gospel.
While you’re in town, check out the historic downtown where music chimes all day long, and the streets are lined with boutiques and antique stores.
There’s the Emporium on the Square, at 102 N. Marshal/Henderson, specializing in antiques, sporting a nice collection of rhinestone jewelry.
At Blessings, 110 E. Main St., gifts have a faith-filled message; I bought ribbon-trimmed dish towels and tucked them away for stocking stuffers. Lunch is served daily at quaint tables in the back.
Speaking of lunch, there’s also the Texas Tea Room, 100 E. Sabine, where volunteers serve up fresh sandwiches and soups at reasonable prices in an effort to support the Heritage Museum which is devoted to the history of Panola County. Above the tea room, the museum is a tip o’ the hat to inhabitants of the county, including Native American artifacts, photos of early community leaders, and a history of education in the county.
Save room for desert because the Fudge and More Store, at 106 W. Sabine, serves fresh, buttery fudge to chocolate-seeking customers, prepared after-hours each evening by owners, Dean and Brenda Jones. My favorite was a chocolaty concoction of pecans and toffee filling, but the traditional toffee was good, too.
Carthage is also home to Panola College, where the manicured, park-like campus could even inspire an old person like me to re-enroll for classes.
With so many cafes to choose from, lunch could be just another excuse to come back and visit Carthage again, not to mention the shopping and the museums in this history-loving little Texas town.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.