In 1941, the city of Quitman in East Texas, adjacent to Lake Fork, was municipally incorporated.
Quitman is the seat of Wood County, known for its fishing, outdoor activities, and historical sites.
The city has several parks and lakes that offer opportunities for people who love the outdoors.
Summers in this region are hot and humid, whereas winters are often moderate to chilly.
According to historical records, John A. Quitman, a key player in the Mexican-American War of 1846–1847, gave the town its name.
US Army General Winfield Scott appointed Quitman as the Military Governor of Mexico City for the duration of the US occupation.
Quitman was the only American to hold executive power inside the National Palace.
He served as governor of Mississippi from 1850 to 1851.
Here are the best things to do in Quitman to help you get started on your East Texas trip:
The lovely Wood County Arboretum & Botanical Gardens is perfect for a stroll or a picnic lunch.
The 23-acre Wood County Arboretum was initially forested and unimproved, save for two overlooked walking pathways and a notable pony arched footbridge.
Among its features are a walking route, pavilion, sensory and shade gardens, water-wise gardens, and various rose and flower beds.
It also features the old Stinson House.
In 1869, James A. Stinson built the house, which the city relocated in 1968.
You can volunteer at the Wood County Arboretum & Botanical Gardens and help with weeding, mulching, planting, and repairing the Stinson House.
If you love planting, you can buy plants during their Spring Plant Sale in May.
The Quitman Public Library is on East Goode Street in Downtown Quitman.
The Quitman Public Library has an impressive collection of books, magazines, newspapers, and audio-visual materials.
It also offers reference services, genealogy research, and computer and internet access.
Library users can access print and electronic reference materials.
You can also view and admire Quitman Public Library’s exhibits or attend one of the library’s many events.
In addition, the Quitman Public Library is home to the Wood County Genealogical Society.
Established in 1983, the Wood County Genealogical Society was a gathering place for people looking for their relatives.
The Society’s members are passionate about helping you find your roots.
The Governor Hogg Shrine State Historical Park is small but significant.
The park commemorates the life and accomplishments of James Stephen Hogg, the first Texas-born state governor.
Two homes and a tiny museum make up the 26.7-acre Governor Hogg Shrine State Historical Park.
Sarah Ann Hogg’s parents lived in the bigger house, where Stephen and Sarah Ann tied the knot in 1874.
The smaller home replicates the cottage where James and Sarah Ann Hogg enjoyed their wedding.
Constructed in 1969, the Ima Hogg Museum is also in the state park.
The museum is the Park’s administrative center and holds exhibits on Northeast Texas history.
In 1941, the Wood County Old Settlers Association inaugurated the Governor Hogg Shrine State Historical Park.
Considered the most practical marina on Lake Fork, Minnow Bucket Marina Bucket offers three types of lodgings for lakeside campers.
You can find a lodge, motel rooms, RV hookups, and tent sites.
Rent the Big Bass Lodge if you’re traveling with a larger group.
Take advantage of its full kitchen and large screened porch that offers a stunning view of the lake.
The motel rooms are perfect if you’re looking for a more cozy and intimate setting.
Meanwhile, the RV hookups and tent sites are excellent for camping in the great outdoors.
In addition, Minnow Bucket Marina also has a ship store that carries everything you need for a fun and enjoyable stay at the lake.
Get live bait, fishing supplies, groceries, and souvenirs.
Minnow Bucket Marina is on the Lakeside, just minutes from some of the best fishing spots.
The marina also has a bait shop, a store that sells tackle and other fishing supplies, a dive shop, a cleaning station, and a gas dock.
If you want to find a place to relax and relish the great outdoors, then go to the Fork In The Road RV Park.
The RV park is south of Taylor and Searcy Branchheart of Quitman, just minutes from all the city’s best shops, restaurants, and attractions.
Fork in the Road RV Park offers a variety of amenities to make your stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.
You can enjoy full hookups, a Bunk House, water, electricity, and sewer.
The RV Park also has several activities, such as fishing and picnicking with a barbecue.
Likewise, the RV Park is an excellent place to gaze at the lake and the beautiful scenery.
Since 1948, the Fork in the Road RV Park has featured covered docks to charge your boat’s batteries.
James A. Stinson created the Stinson House in 1869 in the Speer neighborhood, about 15 miles east of Quitman.
Jim Hogg and Sallie Stinson, the daughter of James Stinson, wed in April 1874 at the Stinson House.
Eventually, Jim Hogg would become the first native-born governor of Texas.
Even though no one lives in the Stinson House anymore, it offers every visitor the chance to travel back to the 1870s.
This wonderfully preserved historic property is in the middle of Governor Jim Hogg City Park.
The Stinson House is open for tours and rentals, but it also opens to people interested in exploring local history.
Visitors can take a seat on the spacious front patio, ideal for those looking to unwind in the traditional rocking chairs.
Admire the historic home’s lovely gardens and virgin pine and hardwood.
Otherwise, stroll through the parks over the bridges surrounding this East Texas home.
The Oak Ridge Marina is on the north side of Lake Fork Reservoir, an hour east of Dallas.
Oak Ridge Marina is a full-service marina that first opened in 1981, providing one of the earliest boat ramps in the city.
Along with a fishing pier, you can find covered boat docks, and a fish cleaning facility.
The Oak Ridge Marina also has waterfront amenities on the site, including a lodge, restaurant, and tackle shop store.
Likewise, the marina has two unique peninsulas along the waterfront: the RV park and the boat ramp with parking for trucks and trailers.
Offering a wide variety of services and amenities, Oak Ridge Marina is the perfect place to enjoy all that Lake Fork has to offer.
If you want a place to call your home away from home, bring your family to Providence RV Park.
Situated in a relatively low-key area, this RV park is perfect if you’re looking for a temporary escape.
You can still enjoy modern conveniences like WiFi access, laundry facilities, and clean and well-maintained restrooms.
Providence RV Park offers lush green areas for you and your family to explore and relax.
Likewise, it is close to Lake Fork; you can go fishing, boating, or swimming.
The park is a peaceful, well-lit RV park where everyone knows and respects one another.
Providence RV Park is pet-friendly.
Likewise, plenty of activities keep everyone in the family happy in the great outdoors.
The Oak Ridge Restaurant is at the Oak Ridge Marina and offers a wide variety of menu items, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
After a long day of fishing, you want to go to a restaurant like Oak Ridge Restaurant.
They offer good service and delicious food in a nice cozy setting.
Three discrete non-smoking dining rooms make up the restaurant at Oak Ridge, which has seating for roughly 100 patrons.
The first dining area you see as you walk in is a central social hub.
Guests converse while sitting down, talking about their fishing adventures.
Large TVs in the second dining hall show the big game or the latest newsworthy event.
Large bay windows in the third dining room provide a lake view.
The menu at the Oak Ridge Restaurant includes burgers and other traditional East Texas dishes.
Likewise, they provide a vast assortment of specialty salads and a wide range of sandwiches.
The Oak Ridge Restaurant offers a variety of hand-cut, expertly seasoned, and cooked-to-order quality steaks.
One of the best tackle shops on Lake Fork is the Oak Ridge Tackle Shop, and you’ll see why as soon as you come in.
Due to its customer-driven inventory, the Oak Ridge Tackle Shop has a fantastic range of tackles.
Likewise, they have the best assortment of what’s new and hot for Lake Fork.
In the Lake Fork region, the Oak Ridge Tackle Shop is the exclusive distributor for several manufacturers.
These companies include Shimano, Jackall, Imakatsu, and RAID.
These businesses value excellence and have confidently entrusted Oak Ridge to represent their goods.
Oak Ridge Tackle Shop constantly explores the tackle industry in search of the newest products or lures they can sell exclusively.
They import complete Japanese lures and colors, which you can only buy at Oak Ridge.
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The Caldwell Zoo is a small zoo located in Tyler, about 20 minutes from Quitman.
This place is perfect for animal lovers because the Caldwell Zoo has more than 3,000 animals from over 00species.
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Every environment is uniquely constructed to offer its occupants a secure and cozy place to live.
Many species living in the Caldwell Zoo are endangered or threatened in the wild.
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Two of the zoo’s top responsibilities are providing these animals with a secure environment and assisting in maintaining the genetic variety of the species.
Caldwell Zoo welcomes guests to peruse each habitat and discover more about the inhabitants.
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The Lake Fork Reservoir is on Lake Fork Creek, a significant tributary of the Sabine River between Quitman and five other cities.
Lake Fork spans 27,690 acres with 315 miles of shoreline.
Likewise, it holds records for 34 of the Top 50 largemouth bass captured in Texas.
Anglers frequently catch trophy-sized largemouth bass at Lake Fork Reservoir.
The large, V-shaped Lake Fork Reservoir is primarily undeveloped.
Meanwhile, the hills surrounding Lake Fork have many trees and gentle slopes.
Lake Fork Reservoir is also near the best entertainment and dining spots near the lake.
Relax at a spa, rent a boat, eat at a particular place, or play a paintball game.
The reservoir is 18 minutes from Quitman.
With an area of 814 acres and a maximum depth of 25 feet, Lake Quitman sits near the edge of the Piney Woods region of northeast Texas.
Dry Creek, a tributary of the Lake Fork of the Sabine River, feeds Lake Quitman.
Lake Quitman is relatively tiny compared to other Texas lakes.
However, you can see several lakeside settlements along the shorelines, comprising a rustic environment.
The largest islands in Lake Quitman are in its northernmost region, while its shore has many post oak and blackjack oak trees.
Fishing in Lake Quitman is fantastic; you can catch abundant bass, catfish, and crappie there.
This lake is 11 minutes from Quitman.
Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Mineola Historical Museum is a small building that will give you a glimpse into the past.
The Mineola Historical Museum is 12 minutes from Quitman.
It also contains over 35 exhibits on the history of Mineola.
As you enter the museum’s main doors, go on a journey through Texas history.
UltimateRiff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Check out more than 4,200 square feet of installations that describe the people, heydays, and historical events that shaped Mineola.
Constructed in 1937, the Mineola Historical Museum building is a superb illustration of a Depression-era postal station.
The City of Mineola bought the structure in 1998 and turned it into a history museum.
In 1999, the Mineola Historical Museum became a Texas Historical Marker.
The Waldo Way Dairy Farm is a working dairy farm in Mineola, Texas, six minutes away from Quitman.
The Waldo Way Dairy Farm produces high-quality milk and cheese using traditional methods while offering a unique tourist experience.
When you visit the farm, you’ll see a lush green forest that lets you breathe fresh air.
Its store at the Mineola Farm is clean and full of fresh produce, dairy products, and a wide range of cheese.
Besides milk, the Waldo Way Dairy Farm also sells skincare products, meat, bone broth, honey, and granola.
The Waldo Way Dairy Farm is the perfect place to visit if you want to learn more about where your food comes from.
The Links at Land’s End is a championship golf course that offers well-manicured fairways and greens.
This place is excellent for those who love playing golf because it has a driving range, chipping green, and putting green.
The Links at Land’s End’s golf course is in Yantis, Texas, 16 minutes from Quitman.
The Williams, Gill & Associates, Inc.-designed course opened in 2000.
Its fairways comprise 419 Bermuda grass, and its greens are Tifeagle Bermuda.
Sitting along the lake, this remote but gorgeous course offers breathtaking views, many animals, and demanding golf thrusts.
Numerous magazines have continually named the course one of Texas’ top remote golf courses.
There are many places to go in Quitman, which should provide entertainment and relaxation for the whole family.
From learning about the Quitmans to playing a game of golf and fishing, this city has everything you need.
Plan your trip today and discover the best things to do in Quitman, Texas!
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