Huntsville
Around Huntsville
Photo: Renelibrary · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Texas · 83k people
Huntsville
“Prison City”, “Bearkat Country”
Where Texas history meets the piney woods
Sam Houston State orange
Welcome to Huntsville, the heart of the Piney Woods! Whether you're here for the history, the lake, or the Bearkats, you'll find a friendly community and plenty of outdoor adventures. Come explore the square, hit the trails, and enjoy some Texas hospitality.
Clubs for Huntsville
No clubs for Huntsville yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Huntsville. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
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Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Huntsville. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Sam Houston Statue Largest statue of an American hero, 67 feet tall.
- Huntsville State Park Piney woods park with Lake Raven, hiking, and camping.
- Texas Prison Museum Exhibits on Texas prison history, including old electric chair.
- Sam Houston Memorial Museum Historic home and grounds of Sam Houston.
- Historic Downtown Square Shops, eateries, and events around the courthouse.
- Sam Houston State University Home of the Bearkats, with Bowers Stadium and campus.
- Outdoors Hiking at Huntsville State Park
- Outdoors Fishing on Lake Livingston
- With kids Visit the Sam Houston Memorial Museum
- With kids Explore the Texas Prison Museum
- Evenings Catch live music at downtown venues
- Evenings College bars near SHSU
- Locals love BBQ joints
- Locals love Lake cabins
Through the year
- Walker County Fair April Annual fair with livestock shows, carnival rides, and local food.
- Sam Houston Folk Festival April Live folk music, crafts, and history at the Sam Houston Memorial Museum.
- Bearkat Football Games Fall Sam Houston State home games at Bowers Stadium.
- Christmas on the Square December Holiday lights, carolers, and festivities around the historic courthouse.
- Lake Livingston Fishing Tournaments Year-round Regular bass and catfish tournaments on the lake.
Humid subtropical with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Best: Spring and fall are ideal for outdoor activities.
Talk like a local
- “Bearkats”
- Nickname for Sam Houston State University athletes and students.
- “Piney Woods”
- The region's piney woods area.
- “the Square”
- The historic downtown area.
- “the Lake”
- Lake Livingston.
Getaways
- College Station (Brazos Valley) Aggie culture, museums, and dining.
- Houston Big-city attractions, museums, and professional sports.
- Brenham Bluebonnet trails, historic downtown, and Blue Bell Creameries.
- Lufkin Gateway to the Angelina National Forest and Ellen Trout Zoo.
Local flavour
Teams
- Sam Houston State Bearkats NCAA Division I
Eat and drink
- Texas-style BBQ Smoked brisket and sausage, a staple of East Texas cookouts.
- Kolaches Czech pastries popular across Central and East Texas, often filled with fruit or sausage.
- Chicken fried steak A classic Texas comfort dish served with cream gravy.
- Piney woods honey Local honey from the surrounding pine forests, a regional specialty.
Where people go
- Sam Houston statue A 67-foot statue of Sam Houston along I-45, a local landmark.
- Huntsville State Park Piney woods, Lake Raven, and hiking trails.
- Texas Prison Museum Highlights the region's deep ties to the Texas prison system.
- Sam Houston Memorial Museum Historic site dedicated to Sam Houston's life and legacy.
- Historic downtown square Charming small-town shops and courthouse square.
Heritage and traditions
Huntsville is proud of its deep Texas roots as the home of Sam Houston, the towering figure of Texas independence, and its unique identity as the heart of the Texas prison system, where history and heritage meet the Piney Woods.
This time of year in Huntsville
- Deer hunting season Fall Fall brings hunters to the national forest and private leases, a major local tradition.
- Fall foliage in the Piney Woods Fall October and November offer colorful leaves, especially in the national forest.
Say it like a local: “bless your heart” — a polite expression of sympathy or mild annoyance
Festivals
- Lovelady Blueberry Festival June Held each June, this small-town festival celebrates the blueberry harvest with pie contests, live music, and family activities.
Landmarks with a story
- Oakwood Cemetery Final resting place of Sam Houston and his wife Margaret, a reverent site for Texas history buffs.
- The Walls Unit (Texas State Penitentiary) The oldest prison in Texas, dating to 1849, with a distinctive red brick wall that gives the unit its nickname.
- Walker County Courthouse A 1910s-era courthouse in Huntsville's historic square, a symbol of local governance and architectural pride.
- Sam Houston's Law Office A preserved log cabin where Houston practiced law, now part of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum complex.
Food traditions
- Blueberry pie Lovelady's blueberry farms inspire a local love for fresh blueberry pie, especially during summer harvest.
- Catfish fries Along the Trinity River and Lake Livingston, community catfish fries are a staple, often at churches or fire stations.
- Deer sausage Hunters share their harvest, and smoked deer sausage is a common gift or potluck dish in the fall.
- Prison-style chili A quirky local tradition: some residents joke about 'prison chili' served at cookoffs, reflecting the town's penitentiary history.
Music and arts
- Piney Woods folk music Traditional folk and country songs, often passed down through families, reflect the region's rural heritage.
- Prison work songs Historic blues and work songs from the prison system influenced Texas music; local musicians sometimes revive these in performances.
A little history
- 1836 Huntsville founded as a trading post
- 1863 Sam Houston dies in Huntsville and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery
- 1879 Sam Houston Normal Institute established, later becoming Sam Houston State University
- 1931 First Texas Prison Rodeo held at the Walls Unit, a tradition that ran until 1986
- 1964 The 67-foot Sam Houston statue unveiled on Interstate 45, a landmark for travelers
Rivalries
- Sam Houston State vs. Stephen F. Austin Bearkats vs. Lumberjacks – a classic Texas football rivalry.
- Game day High school football Fridays
- Game day Bearkat tailgating
- Outdoors Hunting in the Sam Houston National Forest
- Outdoors Canoeing or kayaking on the Trinity River
- With kids Picking blueberries at Lovelady farms
- With kids Visiting the Sam Houston statue
Locals speak with a classic East Texas drawl, stretching vowels and dropping 'g's in words like 'huntin'' and 'fishin''. You'll hear Southern courtesy phrases and a few prison-adjacent terms like 'the Walls' (the state penitentiary).
Only here
- The 67-foot Sam Houston statue, one of the tallest statues of an American hero in the world.
- Huntsville is nicknamed 'Prison City, Texas' due to its multiple TDCJ facilities and the historic Walls Unit.
- The Texas Prison Rodeo, held from 1931 to 1986, was a unique event where inmates competed in rodeo events.
- The Sam Houston Memorial Museum sits on the actual grounds where Houston's home once stood.
New here? A few tips
- Expect hot, humid summers and mild winters—air conditioning is essential.
- Don't be alarmed by the prison presence; the Walls Unit is a working facility, and you'll see staff and visitors around town.
- Try a blueberry pie from a Lovelady bakery or farm stand during summer.
- Learn a bit about Sam Houston; locals are proud of his legacy and love to share stories.
- If you're outdoorsy, explore the Sam Houston National Forest—but wear bug spray for mosquitoes and ticks.
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Part of Greater Houston
Nearby
Every areaBig ThicketTexasWhere the pines whisper and the cypress stand tall.NavasotaTexasWhere the blues meet the pinesCrockettTexasPiney woods, river bottoms, and good people.Bryan–College StationTexasWhere the 12th Man stands tall.BrenhamTexasWhere the bluebonnets bloom and the ice cream is always sweet.LufkinTexasWhere the pines meet the waterHoustonTexasFrom bayous to space, Houston's got heart.PalestineTexasWhere dogwoods bloom and the pines whisper
Huntsville, TX. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.