Tatum
Sunday DriveExcepts
from "The East Texas Sunday Drive Book" by
Bob Bowman
" ... Texas 43. Turn south here and proceed
through the town of Tatum. Enroute
you will cross the Sabine River, one of the major tributaries in East Texas.
The name Sabine comes from a Spanish word meaning cypress and refers to the great
growth of cypress trees found on the river's lower regions. The river, which becomes
the border between Texas and Louisiana further south, was probably named by Domingo
Ramon in l716; it is so designated on a map from l721 giving the route of the
expedition led by the Marquis de Aguayo. At
Tatum, you'll find a restored Sante Fe railroad depot dating back to the days
when the town bustled with railroad commerce. The depot is located in a city park
about a block east of Texas 43. Tatum
was laid off in l8853 on land donated by the Tatum family when the railroad arrived.
Not far from Tatum is Hendrick's Lake, which has been attracting treasure
hunters since l913 when a man name Miller supposedly dredged up three silver bars.
Treasure hunters have probed the 470-acre lake (located on private property) time
and time again, using everything from ox-drawn scoops to electronic equipment.
If they've found anything of value, they've kept the secret well.... When
you leave Tatum, drive a a few miles south of the community on Texas 43
and take a left on Farm Road 1716. You'll come to a dead end at historic
Harmony Hill Cemetery, one of the last vestiges of the old town of Harmony
Hill, once a trading settlement. Just down the road from the cemetery is Martin
Creek Lake State Park, a small but attractive lake overlooked by an electrical
generating plant. ... Back
on Texas 43, return to Tatum, take Texas 149 southeast to the settlement
of Beckville ... more | 