Texas Historical Commission
East Texas
Historical Sites
Four Sites To Visit
East Texas
East Texas Historical Sites
The THC’s State Historic Sites Exemplify The Breadth Of Texas History
1. Starr Family Home State Historic Site
Nestled in the heart of Marshall’s museums and cultural activities, Starr Family Home State Historic Site is composed of several elegant structures that map the 150-year history of the Starr family in Texas. Period furnishings, clothing, and antiques trace the transition of the buildings through four generations of the Starr family in Texas history. Read more about the Starr Family home history here.
Hours
Tuesday–Saturday
10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday
Noon–4 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Admission Fees
Adults: $4
Seniors: $3
5 and under: Free
Ages 6-18, College Students, Adult Tour Groups: $3 Per Person
Family Fee (2 Adults/1 Child or 1 Adult/2 Children): $8
Each additional child: $1
School Groups (Reservations Required): $1
Contact:
407 West Travis St.
Marshall, TX 75670
GPS: N32° 32′ 29.8″ W94° 22′ 15.4″
Phone: 903-935-3044
Email: starr-family-home@thc.texas.gov
2. Mission Dolores State Historic Site
Mission Dolores was a Spanish mission built in 1721 in what is now San Augustine County, just 20 miles west of the Texas-Louisiana border. The site tells an important history about the Native American experience with Texas’ earliest European settlers. Today, there are no historic above-ground remains of the mission. The mission site has been confirmed by archeological investigations and historical records. Mission Dolores is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a designated State Antiquities Landmark. El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail also passes through the property. Visitors can explore the site’s history at the museum where interpretive displays tell the story of Mission Dolores. The property also has a campground, picnic area, and group pavilions.
Hours
The Site is currently closed for renovations but the RV Park is open.
Call 936-275-3815 to reserve a campsite.
Admission Fees
Free
Contact:
701 South Broadway St.
San Augustine, TX 75972
Phone: 936-275-3815
GPS: 31.52413N,-94.11355W
Email: missiondolores@thc.texas.gov
3. Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site
The location of a significant Civil War battlefield, Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site tells the story of Confederate Lt. Richard “Dick” Dowling and his 46 men who thwarted a Union assault on Sabine Pass, a primary Texas port for Confederate shipments of supplies and vital to the war effort. In a battle lasting less than an hour, Dowling and his men destroyed two gunboats, resulting in significant casualties and the capture of nearly 350 prisoners. Thanks to their efforts, area ports escaped capture and Union forces never penetrated the Texas interior in the Civil War. Read more about the battleground's history here.
Hours
Daily
8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Extended summer hours May 1–Aug. 31
8 a.m.–8 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
Admission Fees
Free
Contact:
6100 Dowling Rd.
Port Arthur, TX 77641
GPS: N29° 43′ 42.8″ W93° 52′ 29.6″
Phone: 512-463-7948
Email: sabine-pass-bg@thc.texas.gov
4. Caddo Mounds State Historic Site
More than 1,200 years ago, a group of Caddo Indians known as the Hasinai built a village 26 miles west of present-day Nacogdoches. The site was the southwestern-most ceremonial center for the great Mound Builder culture. Today, three earthen mounds still rise from the lush Pineywoods landscape, where visitors discover the everyday life and the history of this ancient civilization. Read about the Caddo Mounds history here.
Hours
This site is currently closed due to tornado damage.
Admission Fees
Adults: $4
Seniors: $3
5 and under: Free
Ages 6-18, College Students, Adult Tour Groups: $3 Per Person
Family Fee (2 Adults/1 Child or 1 Adult/2 Children): $8
Each additional child: $1
School Groups (Reservations Required–Contact the Site):
$1
Contact:
1649 State Hwy. 21 West
Alto, TX 75925
GPS: N31° 35′ 46.9″ W95° 8′ 55″
Phone: 936-858-3218
Email: caddo-mounds@thc.texas.gov
