Nacogdoches: The Oldest Town in Texas
By Caroline Stiff
Off of U.S. 59 in the heart of Texas’ piney woods stands the city of Nacogdoches. This small town, steeped in history and restoration, feels anything but small with access to its surrounding nature and thriving community.
History
Known as the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches was originally founded in 1779. While Texas as a whole has famously flown six flags, the city of Nacogdoches has flown a total of nine flags: Spain, France, a banner for the Gutiérrez-Magee Expedition, the Long Republic, Mexico, the Republic of Fredonia, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. This piece of the town’s history is displayed above City Hall, located downtown.
Red brick streets lead the way into Nacogdoches’ downtown square. As an upgrade from previously used wooden blocks, these streets were originally assembled brick by brick. The first brick was placed in 1923, and the streets have stood as a symbol of the town for more than 100 years.
Nacogdoches is also known as the home to Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) which opened its doors in 1923. The campus sits in the heart of town, and is open to be explored in all its charm.
Restoration
Restoration is a large part of preserving the rich history of the city. Throughout the years, various buildings have been restored, including buildings like The Old Stone Fort. Originally built in 1779, this building used to be integral to the happenings of the town and sat in the center of Nacogdoches. It’s now been reconstructed on the SFA campus and serves as a museum. The rotating exhibits inside detail various eras of Nacogdoches history, and if you follow the click-clacking of typewriters, the path will lead to plenty of hands-on installments.
The Fredonia Hotel is another piece of restoration that serves as a face of Nacogdoches. This restoration is an ode to the history of the town, and according to its historical marker, the hotel was seen as an integral part of the community. Built in 1955, the hotel served the citizens and visitors of Nacogdoches for 58 years, then closed in 2013. It was then bought and restored, reopening in 2017. While the inside is fully renovated and modern, the shape and exterior of this hotel keeps the history front and center.
Nature
Nacogdoches is truly the town for forest lovers, which is fitting considering its locations in the piney woods. SFA is home to an explorable experimental forest, an area used for land management research. The city is also located within close proximity to not one, not two, but three national forests: Davy Crockett, Angelina and Sabine.
For those who prefer to observe nature within city limits, Nacogdoches has an extensive list of parks and trails waiting to be explored by the public. On top of this, it’s also home to the SFA Gardens.
The gardens started in 1986 near the university’s agriculture building and have now spread to 128 acres across five different gardens.
“It’s still thriving. It’s still surviving after 35 years as an entity, and that’s important,” said David Creech, the director of the SFA Gardens.
The Ruby Mize Azalea Garden, arguably SFA’s most well-known garden, is 11 acres of bursting color during seasons of bloom. Creech calls the garden a “perfect combination” of Japanese Maples, Camellias and Azaleas.
“We have 450 varieties of Azaleas,” Creech said. “Some are early, some are mid-season and some are late, so it’s a pretty long season of bloom. We’re probably hitting full stride on most of them right now.”
Texas Blueberry Festival
One of the unique attractions in Nacogdoches is the annual Texas Blueberry Festival. While it only lasts one day, the second Saturday in June, the festival brings a crowd of 20,000 people to the streets of downtown Nacogdoches.
“Nacogdoches is known for its history and heritage, so the Texas Blueberry Festival kind of encapsulates that Americana feel: the hometown, small town, neighbor feel,” said Kelly Augustine, the president of the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce.
This blueberry themed day includes a variety of activities for attendees and plenty of blueberry infused food and drink.
“People can come in and have their blueberry pancakes right there on the brick streets. They can watch live music entertainment on the outdoor stage,” Augustine said. “They can roam around with their lemonade and their festival food, or jump into a pie eating contest if they want to. They can view cars. They can watch the pet parade. There’s a lot of interests.”
I grew up visiting family in Nacogdoches, so I’ve been to my fair share of blueberry festivals. Some of my favorite memories include roaming the chaotic vendor-lined streets with friends, trying wildly inventive blueberry filled foods, and simply seeing the amount of people that can fit in the downtown square.
“There is an energy that builds in our town leading up to this,” Augustine said. “We are there before the sunrise, and when that first ray of sunlight peaks over and you know that something good is about to happen. Even though this will be my 16th or 17th festival, I still get that feeling when I’m there in the morning.”
This year’s festival includes new attractions including a carnival in Festival Park, scavenger hunts through participating downtown businesses and tours of the murals located on downtown buildings.
In addition to the mural tours, a new paint-by-number mural gives the opportunity for those who partake to place their mark on the town.
“I think it’s going to be a neat experience for a lot of people,” Augustine said. “And then just think, even if you don’t live in Nacogdoches and you only come back to visit or whenever you’re passing through, you can go back and look at your work of art.”
Wether your interests lie in nature, history, restoration or community, this small town has no shortage of adventures to offer.
Know before you go: If you’re looking to go when the Azalea Garden is in bloom, plan for March or April. For the Blueberry Festival this year, schedule a trip for June 8.
