The Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation which opened in the early 1850s, due in part to efforts of Sam Houston, offers bus tours and a living history village. Big Thicket Bus Tours take visitors through a dense forest past native flora and fauna, and into the Living Indian Village. Tribe members showcase their traditions through weapon making demonstrations, dance, crafts booths and food preparation. The Indian Chief Train Ride offers exploration of the Big Thicket National Preserve by rail. Additional attractions include a gift shop, Inn of the Twelve Clans Restaurant and a lake for swimming and fishing. An on-site campground operates tent sites year around.
Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation
751 State Park Rd.
936-563-4735
alabama-coushatta.com
Old Santa Fe Days is a weekend-long event held annually in October to highlight Native American culture and ceremonies. The event, billed as a heritage and art festival, attracts Native American from the state of Texas and across the United States. Tribes that routinely participate in this Texas festival include the Cherokee, Creek, Lakota, Kiowa, Zuni, Pawnee, Navajo and Hopi. Typical happenings at the event include the ceremonial corn dance, live music from handcrafted traditional instruments, Native American cuisine and drum circle competitions. Booths, featuring work created by Native American artists, dot the landscape of downtown Carrolton. Visitors can purchase one-of-a-kind wood toys and home decor. Workshops offer the opportunity to learn how to make pottery and jewelry.
Old Santa Fe Days
I-35E Beltline Rd.
Carrolton, TX
972-242-6453
santafedays.com
Fort Tumbleweed offers a glimpse back in time to the Wild West era and features 12 historic structures. Pages of history come alive through daily re-enactments of skirmishes and discovery of life on the open plains of Texas. Tours of the facility allow visitors to view 100-year-old Native American relics, and walk through structures built during the 1850s. Highlights on the 16-acre living history site include log cabins, a Pony Express post and a pioneer era museum. The gift shop features typical souvenir items, along with jewelry and paintings created by local artists celebrating the historical legacy of both cowboys and Indians. Special events, which routinely occur at this Texas attraction, include hayrides, live music and Native American craft workshops.
Fort Tumbleweed
P.O. Box 1479
Cedar Park, Texas 78630
512-630-4619
forttumbleweed.org
