CROSSROADS OF HISTORY
Hearne calls itself the “Crossroads of Texas” for good reason. Platted in 1870, the city sits where two railroad lines converge, and where U.S. Highways 79 and 190 and State Highway 6 meet. Railroad enthusiasts enjoy the restored Hearne Railroad Depot, now a Museum and Visitor Information Center offering exhibits and local tour information. The arrow-shaped depot opened in 1901 with a ticket office that served segregated waiting areas.
WWII POW Camp Hearne took advantage of the city’s crossroad location. Established in 1942, the camp housed thousands of prisoners of war, mostly from German General Rommel’s Afrika Korps. A reconstructed barrack displays artifacts of prisoner daily life and exhibits chronicle events and people. Tour the grounds to see miniature landscape castles and fountains built during leisure time, and the theatre where members of German General Rommel’s orchestra performed as internees.
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Camp Hearne12424 Camp Hearne Road
Hearne, TX 77859