On our way home from Missouri, we took a scenic tour through the Ouchita Mountains in Arkansas and then a leisurely drive through Northeast Texas. Along the way, we came across Jefferson, TX, the county seat of Marion County.
Surprisingly, I had never been to Jefferson, TX. The town is named after Thomas Jefferson and the county is named after Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox" himself. That is impressive in its own right.
Jefferson experienced its heydays in the 1800's when riverboats came upstream on the Black Bayou and Big Cypress Creek. The town thrived with hotels, restaraunts, mercantilism, and farming. The railroads and later the highways made the riverboats obsolete.
Fortunately, there are some bright historical entreprenuers that recreated downtown Jefferson. The old riverfront district is now a thriving metropolis for visitors who would like to get away for a relaxing weekeing. There are now antique shops in what used to be general stores. The old restaraunts and pharmacies are now BBQ restaraunts, old-fashioned hamburger stands, and Texas roadhouses. The old hotels are now high quality bed-and-breakfasts.
The town also features riverboat rides up the bayou, historical stage coach rides along the cobblestone streats, and a steam train.
This hidden pearl of Texas is a shining jewel to folks like me who enjoy relaxing along the scenic by-ways in our grand state.
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