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of Texas A & M - Commerce
Gateway to Cooper LakeThe
Commerce event calendar revolves around the September Bois d'Arc Bash.
The Bash occurs on the nearest weekend to Sept 25th, the anniversary of the town's
incorporation in 1885. Commerce
has taken this maligned and under-appreciated tree and only asks that we take
a closer look. The name is pronounced Bo-Dark (which sounds like a late night
AM Disc Jockey). The tree's seed was once a commercial export to foreign places
like Oklahoma, where it was planted in fence lines before the advent of barbed
wire. McKinney
and Bonham also have the tree in their history.
Blocks were cut of the durable wood and streets were paved with it. Max, the former
Champion Bois d'Arc in the State of Texas, recently lost his throne to a tree
in Corsicana (of all places), but can
still be visited (and consoled) inside the city limits of Commerce.
Since Bois d'Arc "apples" can't be eaten, the folks at Commerce also hold a Crawfish
Festival and 5K Run/Walk the first Saturday in May. Perhaps
due to the University, Commerce has a variety of restaurants and coffeehouses
that is unusual for a town this size. If you're driving from Dallas
to Texarkana,
it's worth the slight detour to become acquainted with this energized community.
There are 23 restaurants in Commerce - please contact the Commerce Chamber for
a list. | 
