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Who We Are > Facility & Service
Area > Sites to See > Hardin County
Ice House Museum
Originally an ice house that produced
ice for local homes and businesses, the Ice House Museum has
become the home of local art work and the Hardin County Genealogical
Society. The Ice House Museum is located at 818 Ernest Ave.
and 4th Street in Silsbee. The hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday; Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday
1 to 4 p.m. Special shows and open houses are scheduled during
the weekends throughout the year. For more information call
409-385-2444.
Ghost Road
Its original name is the Bragg Road,
named after the town that was in that area at one time.
The name Ghost Road was attached in this century after a number
of tales that center around a ghostly light that is said to
be seen on certain occasions at night. One story about the
light is that it is a mystical phenomenon that frequents areas
where treasure is buried and that Spanish conquistadores are
looking for the golden treasure. Another story is that the
light is a little bit of fire never extinguished after another
famous historical spot in the county, the Kaiser Burnout,
or it could be the ghost of a man shot during the Burnout.
Yet another explanation of the phenomenon is about a railroad
man who was decapitated in a train wreck when the railroad
was still in place. The light is the body of the man looking
for his head which was never found. The light could also be
the night hunter who got lost in the Big Thicket decades ago.
The hunter still wanders, searching for a way out of the Thicket.
To reach the Ghost Road, take U.S. 69 at
Kountze to FM 326, from there take the turn onto FM 770 which
will take you directly to Saratoga. Go through Saratoga and
take a right on FM 787 turn, the Ghost Road is not far off
the beaten path.
Rural Life Museum - Pelt Pond Farm
Located in the Southeast part of the
Big Thicket, the Rural Life Museum features folk art, artifacts,
other media, and farm animals. It is a depiction of rural
life in early East Texas and South Louisana.
The Pelt Pond Farm is the home of Thunder
Cloud Domingo, one of the last true Medicine Hat Paint horses
in America. (Open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., April
thru November.Call 409-287-3300.
Kirby-Hill Home Museum
Located at 210 Main Street in Kountze,
this house has been a fascination for the people of Hardin
County for as long as anyone can remember. Purchased in April
of 1993 by the Hardin County Arts & Educational Foundation,
it is now a museum dedicated to the lifestyle and architecture
of the period. Built in 1902, the house holds papers, artifacts,
and furniture dating back to 1832. Hours are Tuesday thru
Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Big Thicket National Park
The Big Thicket Preserve was established
in 1974 by Congress to protect a rich biological environment.
Sometimes referred to as the Land of the Dancing Cypress,
it is described as "an American Ark,"
"a biological crossroads," and an "ecological
laboratory."
Big Thicket National Park includes nine major
hiking trails, ranging from 1/4 mile to 18 miles. There are
also many fishing and recreational areas. The information
station is located 7 miles north of Kountze, and 2.5 miles
east of Hwy 69 on FM 420 in the Turkey Creek Unit. The station
is open daily (except Christmas Day) from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Call 409-246-2337.
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