Columbus: History, Art and Nature

Columbus, Texas, combines historic buildings and collections with activities on the Colorado River. When planning your trip, you can choose different areas of focus: architectural history, museum collections or time outdoors. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can first consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay. The following places and activities offer concrete ideas—from a distinctive theater history to three different activities on the river.

Historic Buildings and Their Stories

Built in 1886, the Stafford Opera House is the only surviving opera house in Texas with a flat floor. It originally served several purposes: a bank and dry goods store occupied the ground floor, while the upper floor housed a theater. The building, therefore, cannot be understood solely through its theater function. This combination shows how spaces with different uses originally came together in one building.

The Alley Log Cabin offers a different perspective on history. This two-room oak log cabin was built in 1836. The Alley Log Cabin & Antique Tool Museum displays tools used in farming, ranching and blacksmithing, as well as objects from early pioneer life in Texas. The collection also includes barbed wire from Colorado County. While the Stafford Opera House stands out for its original layout, the cabin’s simple historic form and tools from various trades are the main focus here.

Museums, Collections and Art

The Dilue Rose Harris House Museum is furnished with early Victorian walnut and Texas pine furniture. Some pieces come from families in the Columbus area. The museum thus focuses on furnishings and their connections to local families. Tours can be arranged through the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.

The Santa Claus Museum offers a very different collection: it houses more than 5,000 Santa Claus figures and related collectibles from around the world. The number may change as the collection grows. The Live Oak Art Center is housed in the historic Brunson Building in Columbus. This brings together two aspects: an arts institution and a historic building. Taken together, these venues offer no single, uniform museum experience, but a range of themes for you to choose from according to your interests.

Activities on the Colorado River and a Break in the Park

The Colorado River flows through Columbus and offers opportunities for kayaking, tubing and paddling. These three activities provide different ways to spend time on the water. The river offers a different focus from the historic houses and collections: here, the emphasis is on outdoor activities, while the buildings and objects relate to history.

Beason's Park has shaded picnic tables, free parking, restrooms and a pavilion. These amenities can make it a practical place to take a break outdoors: the picnic tables provide a place to sit and eat, while the restrooms and pavilion add other facilities in the park. So, alongside its cultural attractions, Columbus also offers a place whose listed amenities are geared toward spending time outdoors.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

You can choose among these different offerings depending on whether your focus is architecture, collections, art or activities on the river. If the Dilue Rose Harris House Museum is part of your plans, include arranging a tour through the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in your trip planning.

Discover more destinations: Eagle Lake, Weimar.

Return to the main travel overview: Colorado County.