Carthage Texas

Texas Country Music Hall of Fame in Carthage, Texas

The City of Carthage is located in Panola County, Texas, near the Louisiana border. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Highways 59 and 79.

The city is known as the "Gas Capital of the United States" and the home of the famous Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and the Tex Ritter Museum. Panola College is also located in Carthage.

Annual events include the Piney Woods Quilt Festival and the Panola County Cattlemen's Pro Rodeo.

The Carthage Zip Code is 75633, and its Area Code is 903. Its population is 6,569 residents according to the 2020 Census.

For more information about the City, visit the website of the City of Carthage

Texas Country Music Hall of Fame

The Texas Country Music Hall of Fame was initiated in 1998 to celebrate the contributions of Texans to the country music profession. The project highlights those individuals who are recognized nationally as outstanding in their field.

The impressive structure encompasses 13,000 square feet of space for exhibits, a gift shop and a large banquet room. The facility can accommodate groups of 300 for lecture-type seating or more than 200 for catered dinners.

Exterior of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame & Tex Ritter Museum

 

Inside the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame

With soaring ceilings, state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems and a commercial kitchen, the Hall of Fame provides unparalleled meeting space for local groups needing space for banquets and other activities.

Among the six inductees in 1998 was Panola County’s hometown hero and America’s most beloved singing cowboy, Tex Ritter.

Other inductees include the Gatlin Brothers, Ray Price, Roger Miller, Jimmy Dean, Ernest Tubb, Waylon Jennings, Dale Evans, George Jones, Bob Wills, Mac Davis and many more well known performers.

The Hall of Fame is located at 310 West Panola Street in Carthage. For more information, phone 903.694.9561 or visit the website of the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame

TX Country Music Hall of Fame Traveler reviews and photos at TripAdvisor

 

Piney Woods Quilt Festival

The annual Piney Woods Quilt Festival provides an opportunity for local and area clubs to highlight the growing interest in the skill and artistry of quilting.  Details about the Quilt Festival

 

Footprints in the Sand Monument

After years of work, a dedication for the "Footprints in the Sand" Monument on the loop in Carthage was held in July of 2016.

Footprints in the Sand Monument in Carthage

A local Panola County sculptor, Bob Harness, read the "Footprints" poem for the first time in a program while attending a local funeral. The poem ends with the words of the Lord: "The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you".

Intrigued by the words of the poem, he took the program home to his studio to sketch the scene and make a three-dimensional model. Friends of Harness told him, "This is so beautiful, it has to be built." The project took another four years to complete.

The sculpture depicts Christ carrying an old man, with 80 feet of footprints in the sand behind the sculpture.

Bronze Jesus stands 14 feet tall atop a five-foot pedestal; big footprints lead from the parking lot to the statue. The park features sandstone benches, with the sculpture itself sitting at the opening of a round, 50-foot diameter solid sandstone bench. 

It is the largest bronze statue of Jesus Christ in the United States. Local resident Don Clinton posed as Jesus, while William George and former Carthage Mayor Carson Joines posed as the other man.

The monument is located at the Pippen Memorial Park on the Southwest Loop in Carthage, at 1320 Dixie Lake Road.

Read more about the monument's inspiration and creation, along with videos and more photos, at www.FootprintsMonument.com

The "Footprints in the Sand" Monument in Carthage, Texas (Staff Photos)

 

Panola County Historical and Genealogical Society / Old Jail The Panola County Historical and Genealogical Association (PCHGA) was founded by ordinary people in the community who had an interest in family and local history and who wanted to preserve our heritage. So, they met and formed PCHGA to serve those ends. The Old jail in Carthage was built in 1891, and now features a free museum. It is located at 213 North Shelby in Carthage. The upstairs of the Old Jail is now used as a museum. The old cells and locks are still intact. The bottom floor of the jail is where the jailer's family lived and where meals were prepared for the prisoners by the jailer's wife. The bottom floor now has three book rooms with a good representation of states, counties and family history ; a computer room with four computers for public use; and an office with one computer for keeping up with the daily affairs of PCHGA. The PCHGA Old Jail Library is open three days per week: Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday afternoon. Phone 903.693.3388 for more information. Read more about the Panola County Museum and Old Jail

 

Carthage Area Motels and Accommodations

Carthage has several motels, hotels, and other lodging including those listed below.

Comfort Inn and Suites Carthage Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites Carthage Baymont Inn and Suites Carthage Super 8 Carthage Quality Inn Carthage Click here to find the best deal, compare prices, make reservations, and read what other travelers have to say about all hotels in Carthage

Carthage Area Links and Resources

Baker Library at Panola College in Carthage

City of Carthage

Texas Country Music Hall of Fame

Panola College

Panola County

Footprints in the Sand Monument

Carthage Independent School District (ISD)

Quilt Festival

Potlatch Festival

Map of Carthage Texas

Area Tourism and Attractions

While visiting the Carthage area, you may want to take other interesting day trips in East Texas: