Road Trip: Huntsville Texas

by Michael Satterfield

When you say Huntsville to people outside of Texas they either have no idea of where you are talking about, or they know it for the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville, an infamous prison that has been in operation since 1849. But Huntsville is a lot more than just a town with a prison, it is full of history, shopping, food, and is the gateway to the Sam Houston National Forest and Huntsville State Park. We packed up the 2021 Nissan Murano to take a day trip out to historic Huntsville. 

Huntsville is just 70 miles north of Houston in the Pinetree forests of East Texas off Interstate 45, for us it just 54 miles to the East of our home in Bryan, Texas. The drive is beautiful along Highway 30 through the farms and forests of East Texas. Our first stop is the 67-foot tall statue of Sam Houston, A Tribute to Courage, which stands alongside Interstate 45 and is the ninth-tallest statue in the United States. 

 

While many people do stop along the side of the Interstate, this is very dangerous, and the statue has its own parking lot, visitors center, and picnic area just off the next exit past the statue. The status was created by David Adickes, a Huntsville native, and was completed in 1994. Adickes is also the man behind the 76-foot-tall statue of Stephen F. Austin in Angleton, Texas.

From here we decided to stop in and visit the mimetic architecture of the Boot and Hat houses which are just outside of downtown, were built by the Phoenix Commotion, a local building initiative that is focused on developing sustainable housing using recycled materials. The homes are privately owned, so don't go past the street when you visit.

The Steamboat House is located at Sam Houston State University as part of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and is the home where the iconic Texas leader died on July 26, 1863. The museum offers a number of different exhibits including period buildings that would have been common in Texas during Houston's life. Housed in the main rotunda are exhibits that include Sam Houston's personal artifacts, as well as displays surrounding the Republica of Texas, Texas Annexation, the Mexican War, and Civil War. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children.

You can't miss visiting the Texas Prison Museum, on your trip to Huntsville, which attracts around 35,000 visitors a year, giving the general public a look into the reality of prison life over the last 170 years. The museum highlights the good, bad, and tragic stories of prisoners and the corrections department. One of the most chilling and controversial exhibits is "Old Sparky," the decommissioned electric chair in which 361 prisoners were executed between 1924 and 1964. Other exhibits cover the colorful history of the first Prison Rodeo and art made by inmates. The display called "Last Statement" is a photographic essay from the perspective of the victims of both sides who are left behind following an execution.  Admission is $7.00 for adults and children over six are $4.00.

If you are looking for the adventure of a lifetime, the Blue Lagoon in Huntsville needs to be on your list. Whether you are looking to become a certified diver, or already a diver and are just looking for a unique destination to dive, Blue Lagoon is one of the premier dive facilities in the state of Texas. They offer weekend and weekday classes that can be booked at texanscuba.com. 

The HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas is unlike most military museums that are focused on military weapons or vehicles or a specific campaign, HEARTS is focused on telling the story of the American Soldier. While there is plenty of cool hardware to look at the stories of everyday men and women who answered the call to serve is what you will remember. The museum is working on a new project to save David Adickes (See the Houston Statue above) 43 Presidental Busts by moving them to a new 6-acre park behind the museum. Admission is $8.00 for adults and $3.00 for students and children.

Huntsville State Park, is one of my new favorite destinations, with 21 miles of trails that wind through the pine trees and wildflowers. The park offers beautiful picnic grounds, fishing, a swimming beach, canoe and paddleboat rentals, and a beautiful nature center. If you plan on staying overnight you can rent a shelter, bring your RV, or select from over 160 campsites. They even have a great shop called Gator Junction that sells camping and fishing supplies, groceries, ice cream, and more. As the shop name implies there are alligators at the park so be sure to double-check where you pitch your tent. Book your trip online ahead of time as the park has limited capacity during peak season.