Discover Lamar County

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas, is 65 feet tall. Lamar County also offers a rich architectural and local history, as well as recreational opportunities on its lakes. You can tailor your visit to your interests—from architecture and memorials to music, markets and outdoor activities.

History and Architecture

The Sam Bell Maxey House in Paris was built in 1868 for Sam Bell Maxey and his family. The Lamar County Courthouse tells a later story of construction: the current building dates to 1917. It incorporates granite from the damaged 1896 courthouse, after the 1916 fire destroyed most of downtown Paris. Reusing the stone connects the history of the earlier building with that of its replacement. Architecturally, the courthouse combines Classical Revival elements with distinctive Romanesque details, including arches and columns.

Evergreen Cemetery is also part of the history of Paris and Lamar County: many prominent citizens of both places are buried there. The cemetery is home to the “Jesus in Cowboy Boots” monument, which draws visitors from across the country. Another memorial site has a regional focus: at the center of the Red River Valley Veterans Memorial is a Ring of Honor bearing the names of men and women from the five-county Red River Valley area who died in combat serving their country.

Music, Markets and Evenings

The Culbertson Fountain is located at Downtown Plaza. The illuminated trees around the fountain make the area a place to visit in the evening. The Plaza Theatre stands at the northeast corner of the plaza, where it has been for nearly a century. These three places offer different points of interest for a stay downtown: a fountain, a plaza area with evening lights, and a theater with a long history.

Music also has a regular seasonal place in Paris. The City of Paris Municipal Band holds the record as the longest continuously performing municipal band in Texas and puts on a concert season every summer. Its concerts take place on six Friday evenings in June and July at Bywater Park. If you’d like to plan your trip around music, check the dates for that summer.

Another part of the weekly rhythm is the Paris Farmers and Artisan Market, which draws more than 35 vendors from the region every Saturday. Its offerings range from vegetables, fruit and flowers to eggs and meat. Bread, pastries, locally roasted coffee, kombucha and elderberry products round out the selection. The market is an opportunity to discover a variety of regional products on a set day of the week.

Lakes and Trails

Lake Crook is an 800-acre reservoir offering fishing and boating. The site has a fishing pier, boat ramps, a playground and a pavilion. Amenities may change, so check the latest information before your visit. The approximately 2.7-mile Lake Crook Trail is a loop that runs along the shore for part of its route. At the same reservoir, you can choose between water-based activities and a walk along the shore.

The landscape at Pat Mayse Lake, north of Paris, is different. The Barber Hills Mountain Bike Trails are located there. Fishing is another draw: crappie fishing is particularly good, and channel and flathead catfish are also found there. The lake offers especially good sport fishing for channel catfish. Lake Crook and Pat Mayse Lake thus offer two distinct ways to enjoy the outdoors, without treating the lakes or their activities as the same.

More Recreation and Getting There

Heritage Park has a pavilion and can be visited without a reservation. Pump Track Paris is part of the Paris Sports Complex. If you’re traveling by air, note that Paris–Cox Field is a general aviation airport and is not currently served by commercial airlines.

Discover more destinations: Paris, Starr, Gillespie County, Kleberg, Jeff Davis, La Salle County, Collin, Nolan.

For the broader travel overview: Texas.