Photograph of the Kaufman County Courthouse. An American flag flies from the building, and cars are parked in front of the building.

Photograph of a historic plaque. It reads "Colonel Isham Chisum (1818-1884) One of the leading early citizens of Kaufman County. Represented the county in Texas Secession Convention, Jan. - March 1861. Later in 1861, he fought in Confederate Cavalry of Col. Tom Green in New Mexico campaign. As Colonel of 2nd Partisan Rangers, Walker's Division, fought at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill (La.), in Red River campaign to prevent a Federal invasion of Texas in 1864. A cousin of Jesse Chisholm, who pioneered famous Chisholm Cattle Trail, and of cattle baron John Simpson Chisum, Col. Chisum married Charlotte Martin. They have many descendants in Texas. (1971)"

Photograph of the First National Bank in Kaufman. It has four columns in front of the entrance. The two innermost columns have signs on them. The left sign reads "Gift shop" and the other says "Tea room".

Photograph of a Confederate monument. It reads: "Erected to the memory of the Confederate Soldiers by the people of Kaufman County, 1861-1865." At the top of the monument, there is a carving of two pistols crossed.

Photograph of a Confederate Memorial in Kaufman County, Texas. It is a tall monument, with a statue of a soldier carrying a rifle at the top of it. There is a carving of a pair of crossed rifles under the statue, and text around the base of the monument.

Photograph of a family posing outside the Henderson County Courthouse.

Photograph of a lovely seasonal fall display with pumpkins, flowers, cornstalks, and hay bales, arranged around a tree outside the Henderson County Courthouse.

War Memorial, Henderson County. Dedicated Nov. 11, 1979. Placed during the tenure of Judge Winston Reagan 1971-1991. Commissioners Court, Jim Blakeney Prec. 1, Fred Box, Prec. 2, Weldon Featherston, Prec. 3, Leland Tarrant, Prec. 4.

War Memorial, Henderson County.

Navy Recruitment Sign on the grounds of the Henderson County Courthouse. "Navy. It's not just a job, it's an adventure."

Photograph of a historic marker. It reads: "Courts Under the Oaks. Henderson County was established in 1846, the year after Texas was annexed by the United States. In 1850, after previous reductions in the county's original size, the present boundaries were set by the Texas Legislature. The restructuring resulted in the need for a new county seat, and the legislature appointed a Commissioners Court to select possible sites and to conduct an election that would determine the permanent seat of government. The voters chose the property of Matthew Cartwright, a prominent east Texas landowner, for the townsite of Athens in Samuel Huffer's survey for the new County seat. This site was set aside as the public square. Before a courthouse was constructed here, early district court sessions were conducted on the square under a large shady oak tree. The first district court term, held in October 1850, was presided over by Judge Oran M. Roberts, later a Texas Supreme Court Justice and Governor of the State. Cases he heard included charges of murder, larceny, gambling, defaulting jurors and assault and battery. Begun before the development of Athens, the Courts under the Oaks reflected the democratic goals and ideals of the …

Photograph of the Henderson County Courthouse.

Time Capsule. Athens, Henderson, Texas. Buried July 4, 1976, to be opened July 4, 2076. So you might better know us.

County Judge Winston Reagan Commissioner Pct. I - Jim Blakeney Commissioner Pct. II - Fred Box Commissioner Pct. III - Cleburn Shavor Commissioner Pct. IV - Joe Young A Sesquicentennial Project J. R. (Bob) Pickle County Chairman Dedicated to the Athens Fiddlers Association Bob McGee - Chairman

Photograph of the Henderson County Courthouse, built 1913 by Architect L. L. Thurman

Photograph of the Cherokee County Peace Officers Memorial. It reads: "Lest we forget, This monument is dedicated to all the men and women who have served and who will serve Cherokee County. Their devotion and sacrifice for peace, law enforcement, safety and justice will not be forgotten. Dedicated 1994. Bill Brunt, Aug. 3, 1939; Dean Chapman, Dec. 31, 1954; Roscoe Lee, June 30, 1979; Randy Zimmerman, Oct. 2, 1992; William Clark, killed 1883; H. Floyd Hooker, July 21, 1913."

Photograph of the Cherokee County Veterans Memorial, on the grounds of the Cherokee County Courthouse. There are three stones. The stone in the middle has the logos for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, as well as that of the United States. It says "Cherokee County Veterans Memorial, Dedicated May 31, 2004." The stone on the left reads: "In honor of all veterans: Men and women who answer the call to duty during war and peace, who serve our country with honor, often making the ultimate sacrifice to insure our nation's freedom. Veterans of the past, present, and future, we salute you. From the grateful citizens of Cherokee County. Erected by Rusk VFW Post 3406 and Ladies Auxiliary Post 3406. American Legion Post 293." The stone on the right reads: "Tribute. It is the soldier not the reporter who has given us freedom of press. It is the soldier not the poet who has given us freedom of speech. It is the solder not the campus organizer who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the solder not the lawyer who has given us the right to a fair trial. It is the soldier …

Photograph of the Confederate Solders Memorial in Cherokee County. It says, "C. S. A. Men and Units. Two thousand men from Cherokee County were in Confederate Service, including Brigadier General Joseph L. Hogg who died in Mississippi in 1862. Companies Organized Were: Co. A. 2nd Texas Cavalry, Co. K. 4rd Texas Cavalry, Co. F. 7th Texas Cavalry, Co. I. 10th Texas Cavalry, Co. B. 17th Texas Cavalry, Cos. F and T, 35th Texas Cavalry, Co. B. 28th Texas Cavalry Dismounted, Cos. A. and D. Borders Cavalry, Co. K. 1st Texas Partisan Rangers, Co. E. 7th Texas Infantry, Cos. A, C, K, 18th Texas Infantry."

Photograph of the Cherokee County Courthouse, in Rusk, Texas. It is made of stones, and stands three stories tall. There are trees and a bench in front of the building.

Photograph of a marker on the Cherokee County Courthouse building. It says, "Federal Works Agency, Work Projects Administration, Project No. 13196. Gill and Bennett, Architects and Engineers."

Photograph of a historic plaque. It reads: "Cherokee County Courthouse. This courthouse, the fourth to serve the citizens of Cherokee County, was built in 1940-41 with the assistance of the Federal Works Progress Administration. Designed by the architectural firm of Gill and Bennett, the moderne structure is built of native red and white limestone and features a central block with two-and-one-half story wings. Large windows on its two primary facades and decorative art deco grillwork are also prominent. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1991."

Photograph of a historic marker. It reads: "Cherokee County has a rich and varied history. Spanish and French explorers of the seventeenth century found Tejas and Hasinai Indians living in this area, and Spanish Missions were established in the region. Driven out of the United States, the Cherokee Indians migrated to this area about 1822, and were here at the time of the Anglo-American colonization in the 1820s and 1830s. Under the administration of Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar, the Cherokee were expelled from the area in 1839. Following formal creation of Cherokee County from Nacogdoches County in 1846, settlement of the area increased rapidly. Family farms and towns soon sprung up throughout the county. The building of roads and the advancement of railroads and river navigation contributed further to settlement. The chief economic base of the county from its beginning, agriculture remained a vital force as industrialization and business interests developed. The establishment of schools and churches formed the basis for the area's social history. Cherokee County has been the birthplace of two Texas Governors, one Governor of Wyoming, and one Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986."

Photograph of the windows at the Cherokee County Courthouse. They are set into a three-story stone building, and there is a pot of yellow flowers in the bottom right of the photo.

Mural of the Texas State Railroad, Rusk, Texas.