Things to Do in Linden, Texas

Linden's heart is its courthouse square, anchored by the Cass County Courthouse — built around 1860 and widely recognized as the oldest courthouse in continuous use in the state of Texas. The Classical Revival landmark is a genuine piece of frontier-era history that has served the county for more than a century and a half, and it's worth a stop just to walk the square around it.

The historic downtown that surrounds the courthouse has the look and feel of a classic small Texas county seat. Strolling the square, taking in the courthouse, and visiting the local shops and eateries make for an easy, pleasant outing steeped in local history.

Linden's most distinctive draw is musical. Celebrated as 'Music City Texas,' the town claims ties to a remarkable lineup of musicians: blues guitar pioneer T-Bone Walker, born here; Don Henley of the Eagles, who grew up in the area; and a heritage that links the town to ragtime composer Scott Joplin.

That legacy is kept alive at the Music City Texas Theater, a nonprofit live-music venue on Legion Street that hosts regional and nationally known acts of many genres in an intimate setting. For years the town also held the T-Bone Walker Blues Fest, a tribute to the hometown blues legend.

Spring is festival season in Linden. In April the town has hosted the Wildflower Trails of Texas, a festival centered on the season's blooms. It's the town's signature community event.

For outdoor outings, the big lakes of Northeast Texas are within a drive — Lake o' the Pines, Wright Patman Lake, and the cypress-draped Caddo Lake — offering fishing, boating, and camping. Nearby towns add more: Atlanta about fourteen miles northeast, historic Jefferson about eighteen miles south, and Texarkana to the north. Between the courthouse, the music, the festival, and the lakes, Linden offers a well-rounded menu of things to do.