Crockett: Historic Sites and Nature

In Crockett, historic buildings meet a variety of ideas for a stay: you can explore the history of the county seat, discover Ozona on foot, or focus on nature and off-road activities. Local stories range from an earlier town founding and a contested county seat to stagecoach lines and the search for oil fields.

Architectural History and Regional Turning Points

The Crockett County Courthouse was built in 1902 in the American Gothic style, based on plans by Oscar Ruffini. The Crockett County Jail is older: it was built in 1892 and has been designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark since 1966. An unusual possibility from its construction history has also been passed down: its tower may have been intended for executions, but a gallows was never installed. The Perner House has also been designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark since 1975.

The Old Ozona Hotel was built around 1893 and accommodated teachers, visiting sports teams, and business travelers. Between 1919 and 1921, it was associated with geologists and leaseholders seeking to develop the Crockett County oil fields. This earlier role gives the building a different historical connection from the courthouse and jail: it is also about the people who came to the area for work and business.

Another story leads to Emerald. The town was founded in 1889 as the first platted town in Crockett County. In the 1891 county seat election, it lost to E. M. Powell’s water well site, which is now the site of Ozona. Emerald thus became a failed colonization settlement in West Texas. The Emerald House was moved, along with other houses from the former town, to the new county seat. Today, it stands off 11th Street.

Ozona on Foot and Along Historic Trails

Ozona’s Historic Town Square has been the heart of the community for more than a century. You can explore the square on foot among historic limestone and stucco buildings. If you’d like to learn more about Crockett County’s past, you can plan to take the approximately one-hour History on the Square walking tour. Confirm its availability locally.

The former transportation routes are also part of local history. The High Lonesome Stage Stand was built in 1902 and served one of Texas’s last commercial stagecoach lines. Wagon tracks are still visible at the site of the Comstock-Ozona Stage Stand. Together, these places tell of a time when stagecoach lines and travel routes shaped everyday life differently than they do today.

Nature and Outdoor Activities

The Crockett County Interpretive Trail combines nature observation with information about the landscape. A Rain Harvest Exhibit explains rainwater collection; there is also a wildlife viewing area and a watering station for birds and butterflies. More than 200 plants representing over 75 species grow along the trail. A color brochure helps visitors explore on their own. The trail is free and designed for year-round visits. Check in advance for visitor access.

For motorized off-road activities, Escondido Draw Recreational Area offers a different kind of outing: the site covers 3,500 acres and is intended for ATVs, side-by-sides, dirt bikes, and four-wheel-drive vehicles. Its 110-mile trail network includes routes of varying difficulty. This lets you treat nature observation and off-road driving as distinctly different focuses for your stay.

Planning Your Stay

When planning a hotel stay in Crockett, a useful starting point is the focus of your visits: the buildings and Town Square offer historic sights, the Interpretive Trail is for observing plants and wildlife, and Escondido Draw is for motorized off-road activities. Crockett County DeerFest hosts a Hunter Appreciation Dinner every year on the first Saturday in December. If you’d like to plan your trip around the event, check the event details in advance.

Ozona Municipal Airport is one mile north of Ozona. Its all-weather runway is 6,000 feet long and can accommodate aircraft weighing up to 70,000 pounds. If you plan to arrive via the airport, make your personal travel arrangements in advance.

Discover More Destinations

Ozona, Dallas, Dimmit, Hood County, Comanche, Falls County, Fisher County, Lee County

For the main travel overview: Texas.