Center: Park Trails, History and Festivals

Center is nestled in the pine forests of East Texas. If you are looking for a hotel in Center, you can start by considering the purpose of your trip: options include park trails, historic sites, a museum and festivals. Whether you would rather spend time outdoors, explore local history or plan around an event schedule can be determined by specific details about trails, historical dates and event dates.

Parks and Trails

Center’s public parks program includes two walking trails. Center Park is a 45-acre community park on Roughrider Drive. It has a fishing pond with a pier and a 0.25-mile multi-use trail. The trail length provides a specific measure for planning; the pond and pier offer a different focus within the same park.

Center’s parks and services are available to the public, free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis. Check the conditions at each location before your visit; park amenities may change. Portacool Park has a seasonally operated splash pad and an accessible playground for everyone. If the splash pad is important to your plans, check whether it will be operating during your trip.

Local History and Museum

The settlement that became Center was originally called White Cottage; a post office was established there on April 6, 1848. The First United Methodist Church Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Shelby County; its first burial took place in 1861. The cemetery has a stone-slab walkway, and several family plots are enclosed by antique iron fences.

Center’s courthouse was completed in November 1885 and still stands today. The historical timeline therefore covers both the early settlement and later sites and buildings. The Shelby County Museum is located at 230 Pecan Street in Center. Its listed hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; confirm the hours before you travel.

Festivals and Dates

The East Texas Poultry Festival celebrates Center’s poultry production tradition. The festival includes the annual 5K Chicken Trot. Arts and crafts booths offer a wide variety of creative items; exhibitors and offerings may vary. The What-A-Melon Festival is usually held on the first weekend after July 4. Plan around the specific dates for the year you want to attend.

For trip planning, the two festivals differ in the information that helps with choosing dates: for the East Texas Poultry Festival, check the current program as well as the date; for the What-A-Melon Festival, its usual timing is a starting point for planning. Confirm the specific dates for the year you want to attend rather than treating the usual period as a fixed date.

Discover more destinations: Joaquin.

For the broader travel overview: Shelby County.