Area Information
The Panola County region is primarily thick in pine trees, hence the nickname "Pineywoods", along with mixed hardwoods. There is also pastureland, some rolling terrain, and a little bit of bottomlands especially around the Sabine River and Murvaul relief areas. The soil conditions here range from sandy loam and acidic, down to the prevalent layer of clay. If you have never lived in the South, there is going to be the humidity to get used to and the not uncommon triple digit summer weather. In the winters you can expect 20's-30's, but the last couple years we have had the occasional single digit days. Snow is not a common occurrence in these parts, but when we do see snow, we are always out in it and enjoying it while it lasts! Spring and Fall months are absolutely gorgeous in my opinion here. Our population numbers hover around the 22,000 mark, with Carthage being the county seat. Beckville and Tatum are other cities in Panola County, along with the town of Gary. There are numerous communities surrounding this area which include Clayton, Deadwood, DeBerry, Galloway, Longbranch, Murvaul, Panola, Riderville, and Woods just to name a few. Something to see when you arrive here, is the oil and gas wells that dot the land. Some are new, some are old, but you can be sure they are a staple in these parts. There is also the chance of a nearby pipeline running underground in the rural areas. That's just one of the things that make Texas.. well Texas.
Things To Do
Carthage is known for our very own local Tex Ritter and Jim Reeves, of which both has a place at the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame along with many others, and there is also a Jim Reeves Memorial out 79 N if headed to Shreveport. We are also so very blessed with the Footprints in the Sand statue over on the west side of the loop. We have several parks like the brand-new College View Park which is a park for all ages and all abilities. There is also the Davis Park and the Splash Pad, the Walking Trail and Disc Golf at the ballpark, and Anderson Park right on the square. If you are looking for a new church home, there is a good list here provided by the city website. We have rodeo's, Potlatch, Piney woods quilt festival, Lake Murvaul, numerous church events, and more! I will include a link here for the City of Carthage event page, as well as a link here for the Panola County Chamber of Commerce event calendar. There is sure to be something for everyone! If you can't find what you're looking for in Carthage, then we are conveniently centrally located in between several bigger cities that has many different options to please. Longview, Marshall, Henderson, Nacogdoches, and Shreveport are all a short distance away.
Food
If you are looking for some good eats, here are a few of my favs.
- Texas Tea Room - "We offer a range of food items from light items like salads and sandwiches to burgers, steaks and our famous Shrimp and Grits! We offer catering, delivery and a newly renovated second floor for events!" 100 E Sabine Street, Carthage
- Main Street Cafe - "The best new cafe in town! With different lunch specials every day." 433 W. Panola, Carthage
- Rancho Grande - "Authentic Mexican cuisine with added Tex-Mex options." 212 N. Adams, Carthage
- Circle M Cafe - "Circle M Cafe offers home cooked food an affordable price...all set in a laid-back family atmosphere." 1122 W. Panola, Carthage
- Nene's Mexican Food to Go - "Family owned and operated. We accept credit/debit cards!" 427 W. Holly, Carthage
- Kountry Fresh Pizza - "Crafted in our kitchen, baked in your oven." 636 W. Panola, Carthage
- Circle H BBQ - "Catering, Birthdays, Weddings, Anniversaries, Graduation just about anything." 308 Pecan Street, Carthage
- 903 Bakery - "903 is a small town, family owned and operated Bakery!" 509 N. Daniels, Carthage
- Chuck's Country Smokehouse - "Best BBQ on Lake Murvaul" 4934 FM 1970, Carthage
- Amazing Graze - "Charcuterie & More!" 7135 FM 2517, Carthage
As with most towns, we have our array of fast-food options like Sonic, Subway, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Whataburger, Chicken Express, Panda Express, Wendy's, Pizza Hut among others. We also have a few specialty items available like spicy crawfish and shrimp, homemade treats and eats that are offered across local Facebook pages, and we have a growing number of yummy options through food trucks.
Schools
Here is a link of the nearby schools and their contact information provided by the City of Carthage.
Carthage ISD
Beckville ISD
Gary ISD
Panola College
Panola Charter School
Northside Christian Academy
Utilities & More
If you are coming from out of state, try utilizing Google Maps and looking at the addresses and streets, both aerial and street view to see what all is around.
Another good thing to look into is the tax rates for any interested areas. Panola County Tax Office and the Panola County Appraisal Office both have public information on their websites that anyone can research.
If you have already decided on your next perfect place to live, start thinking on moving companies and/or storage options if needed. Do you have a plan for your pets? Whether flying or road tripping, make sure your fur babies are as comfortable as possible.
Once you have decided on your next place, be ready to change that driver's license pretty quickly and make sure your change of address gets done.
The City of Carthage has a new resident guide page here, that has lots of information on utility service providers, hospital information, transit and more. They have also provided an excellent "FAQ page" and a "How do I" page on their website for any other questions that may not have been answered for you yet. If you can't find what you're looking for with these, don't forget about the Panola County Chamber of Commerce page. They also have tons of good information there.
I hope some of this information helps you along your way. If you need my help, don't hesitate to reach out!
Melissa Summers
Hi there! I am the Broker & Owner at Country Roots Realty, and I am here to help sellers or buyers with all their real estate needs here in the heart of the Pineywoods of East Texas.
