Why visit Henderson
Townapedia lists 27 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 13 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Plaza 3 Cinema, Henderson Commercial Historic District and Depot Museum.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; January lows average 36°F.
Weather in Henderson
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Henderson
Henderson is a city and the county seat of Rusk County, Texas, United States. Its population was 13,271 at the 2020 census. Henderson is named for James Pinckney Henderson, the first governor of Texas.
From the Wikipedia article Henderson, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks27
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Henderson Commercial Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic district in Henderson, Rusk County, Texas
Crim, Elias Fleming and Mattie Spharler, House
Monument and historic site · 0.5 mi
15 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes13
Taco Bell
Fast food · Tex-Mex · 0.9 mi
300 Highway 79 South, Henderson
Mo-Th 09:00-02:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-03:00; Su 09:00-02:00
1 more on the map.
History
The city of Henderson was established by European Americans before the State of Texas was founded. It was developed on land donated by W.B. Ochiltree and James Smith; it became the county seat of Rusk County when an act of legislature created Rusk County on January 16, 1843. The First Methodist and First Baptist Churches were established in 1842 and 1845, respectively. Though a Baptist church was organized in 1845, the current First Baptist Church was reorganized in 1850. The first courthouse, made of wood, was completed in 1849. After the Civil War, the International and Great Northern Railroad crossed through Rusk County, but bypassed Henderson. In 1869, a White mob lynched five Black men without trial, including two preachers, in the public square outside the courthouse. In 1874, the Henderson and Overton Branch Railroad Company built a stretch of railroad connecting Henderson to the tracks running through Overton. This stretch of railroad was later sold to the Missouri Pacific Railroad (now Union Pacific) and remains in use to this day.
In 1878, a fire destroyed the courthouse, and a brick courthouse was built in its place. This encouraged the construction of several other brick buildings, including the Howard Dickinson House, now a historical site.
From the History section of Henderson, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship21
South Main Church of Christ
Church · Church Of Christ · 0.7 mi
402 South Main Street, Henderson
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries17
Healthcare2
Map of Henderson
96 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 36°F | 4.1 in | 0.2 in |
| Feb | 63°F | 39°F | 4.1 in | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 70°F | 45°F | 4.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 77°F | 52°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 84°F | 62°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 90°F | 69°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 72°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 95°F | 71°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 89°F | 65°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 54°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 68°F | 44°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 61°F | 38°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Henderson (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Rusk County has had 18 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-07-09: Hurricane Beryl (Hurricane)
- 2024-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-08-24: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
East Texas Regional Airport (GGG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 16 miles away.
- New London 11 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Overton 13 mi northwest, about 21 min by car
- Lake Cherokee 16 mi northeast, about 26 min by car
- Arp 16 mi west, about 25 min by car
- Kilgore 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Lakeport 18 mi north, about 28 min by car
- Troup 19 mi west, about 31 min by car
- Tatum 20 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- Longview 25 mi north, about 40 min by car
- Tyler 32 mi west, about 51 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Another look at downtown Henderson, TX IMG 2975, Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Henderson July 2017 09 (Depot Museum), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 08 (Calvary Baptist Church), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 07 (Calvary Baptist Church), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 06 (Henderson ISD Higher Education Center), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 11 (Henderson ISD Administration), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 05 (First United Methodist Church), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 12 (Henderson ISD Administration), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson ISD Schools Administration Building, Texas (47476544052), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Henderson July 2017 04 (First United Methodist Church), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 31 (Rusk County Chamber of Commerce), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 32 (Rusk County Chamber of Commerce), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 10 (Yates Park), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 34 (Rusk County Tax Office), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 30 (Rusk County Justice Center), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 33 (Rusk County Courthouse), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 35 (Rusk County Courthouse), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rusk County Courthouse, Henderson, TX IMG 2967, Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Henderson July 2017 36 (Rusk County Courthouse), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 29 (Old City Cemetery), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 02 (Opera House), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 03 (E Main Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 01 (Rusk County Library), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 13 (Elias Fleming and Mattie Spharler Crim House), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 14 (Elias Fleming and Mattie Spharler Crim House), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 22 (E Main Street), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 23 (Mojoe's Coffee Cafe), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 27 (First Baptist Church), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 28 (First Baptist Church), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 24 (Central Fire Station), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 25 (City Hall), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 21 (Brick Street Grill), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson July 2017 26 (Municipal Court), Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Henderson Texas Downtown, Sword Fern, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Thomas J Rusk Statue - Front Text, Cartwright80, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thomas J Rusk Statue, Cartwright80, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Thomas Jefferson Rusk statue IMG 2966, Billy Hathorn, Public domain
- Suddenlink Cable Internet Provider Store (33648739458), Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Fannie Ratchford 1970 0667 (10331919675), Texas State Archives, No restrictions
- Fannie Ratchford 1970 0668 (10331919645), Texas State Archives, No restrictions
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