Things to Do in Carthage, Texas

Carthage's signature attraction is the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, which opened in 1998 to honor Texas-born contributors to country music. Housed alongside the Tex Ritter Museum — devoted to the Carthage-area singing-cowboy star — it's a must for country fans, with exhibits, memorabilia, and tributes to the many Texans who shaped the genre.

The museum celebrates Carthage's remarkable musical heritage as the home of both Tex Ritter and Jim Reeves. For a small town to anchor the state's country music hall of fame speaks to how deep that heritage runs here, and it's the first thing most visitors come to see.

Just east of Carthage along US 79 stands the Jim Reeves Memorial, honoring the beloved country singer known as 'Gentleman Jim.' The site features a statue of Reeves and his final resting place in a memorial park, set along the highway near the town he came from. For fans of classic country, it's a moving pilgrimage and a fitting tribute to one of the genre's smoothest voices.

Together with the Hall of Fame, the memorial makes Carthage a genuine destination for country music history — a town that has given the music two legends and honors them both.

Carthage's historic downtown, anchored by the Panola County Courthouse on the square, has local shops, restaurants, and a small-town feel — including Grind & Grain Beverage Co., Panola County's first family-owned microbrewery and winery, a fun downtown stop. Panola College adds the events and energy of a community college to local life.

Carthage is also famous regionally for its high school football: the Carthage Bulldogs are one of the most successful programs in Texas, with multiple state championships, and a Friday-night game at the local stadium is a quintessential small-town Texas experience. The town's events calendar and its proud, tight-knit community add to the appeal.

For the outdoors, Lake Murvaul, a Panola County reservoir southwest of Carthage, is a popular local spot for bass, crappie, and catfish fishing, plus boating and camping in a quiet, scenic setting. It's the go-to lake close to town.

The bigger prize lies to the east: Toledo Bend Reservoir, one of the largest and most famous bass-fishing lakes in the country, straddles the Texas–Louisiana line within easy reach of Carthage. World-class fishing, boating, and lakeside recreation draw anglers from across the nation. Between Lake Murvaul and Toledo Bend, the Carthage area is a serious destination for fishing and time on the water.