Center, TX

Center sits deep in the Piney Woods of East Texas, just a short drive from the Louisiana border and the waters of Toledo Bend Reservoir. With around 5,000 residents, it serves as the county seat of Shelby County, anchored by a historic downtown square with a striking 1885 courthouse modeled after an Irish castle. Timber and poultry farming drive the local economy, giving the community a hardworking, down-to-earth feel where neighbors know one another and daily life moves at an easy, unhurried pace.

Community life centers around the square and the surrounding outdoors. Annual events like the East Texas Poultry Festival in October and the What-A-Melon Festival in July draw crowds for live music, parades, and local food, while the restored Rio Theatre offers weekend movies downtown. For outdoor enthusiasts, the nearby Sabine National Forest and Toledo Bend provide great fishing, boating, and camping, making Center an appealing spot for anyone seeking quiet, small-town Texas living.