Welcome to the City of Carthage. We have it all–temperate weather, lots of jobs, a low tax base, good schools and churches, and the world famous Texas Country Music Hall of Fame.
Panola College
Panola College’s wide ranging curriculum offers two-year associate degrees, foundation courses that lead to university degrees, certificate programs for trade and technical careers, a nursing school, and adult & continuing education programs. Students have the options of selecting day, evening, internet, or distance learning courses.
Texas Country Music Hall of Fame and the Tex Ritter Museum
A popular tourist destination, this outstanding 13,000 sq. ft. facility highlights the great country music professionals from Texas and how significant Texas is to the overall scene of country music. Since its opening in 2002, over 30,000 country music fans have stepped back in time to re-live great moments in country music history.
Camp Pirtle
Nestled in the Piney Woods of East Texas, George W. Pirtle Scout Reservation is located on the banks of Lake Murvaul. Camp Pirtle has facilities for a wide range of activities from a Rifle Range, newly remodeled Archery and Shotgun Ranges, a COPE course, a 35′ “Mountain” and a 60′ climbing wall to a Waterfront , a lovely outdoor chapel, swimming pool and newly refurbished Council Ring.
Jail Museum
Historical building houses the LaGrone Family History Center, genealogical library, and history of law enforcement in East Texas.
Lake Murvaul
Lake Murvaul, covering 3,820 acres, provides excellent fishing and weekend escapes for locals and out of town property owners alike. The lake features designated swimming areas, trails, a children’s park, a pavilion, campsites, and cabins.
Panola County Heritage Museum and Texas Tea Room
The restored building of the 1903 Bank of Carthage, located on the southwest corner of the downtown square, now houses the Panola County Heritage Museum and the Texas Tea Room, which serves delicious lunches to locals as well as tourists. The second story offers a video of Panola County history beginning with the Caddo Indians and ending with the industrial influence which has distinguished the county since the 1940s. On the third floor, a wall-length mural depicting a Caddo Indian village and relics of early settlers greet visitors. Other exhibits focus on events from the Civil War era as well as the present.
Jim Reeves Memorial
The native of Panola County was a top recording artist of the 1950s and 60s until his tragic death in a 1964 airplane crash near Nashville, Tennessee. The Jim Reeves Memorial is located about three miles east of Carthage on US Highway 79.The inscription on the memorial reads, “If I, a lowly singer, dry one tear, or soothe one humble human heart in pain, then my homely verse to God is dear, and not one stanza has been sung in vain.”
Country Music Hayride
The Country Music Hayride, striving to keep the country music heritage alive in Panola County, hosts live musical entertainment each Saturday night at 7:00PM. It is located in the old Esquire Theatre, one block off the square in downtown Carthage.
Through fund-raising activities and donations, Carthage Furniture and its employees contribute to a variety of local and regional organizations including:
- Relay For Life
- Carthage Independent School District Education Foundation
- Chamber of Commerce All That Glitters
- Boy Scouts
- CHS Athletics
