BASS FISHING AND DOMINOES IN THE SHADE

The lively community of Hemphill, located on the Toledo Bend Reservoir in the Sabine National Forest, knows just what to do under all that forest shade – fish for record bass and play dominoes. Toledo Bend is host to some of the most popular black bass fishing in the state. And the surrounding forest, in particular the cedar tree growing on the town square, is also a host of sorts. Domino players gather almost daily under its shady branches to champion the game’s dotted tiles, known as “bones”, in a Hemphill tradition that has been ongoing since the early 1900s. In fact, Hemphill offers up a great deal of its heritage due, in part, to its service as the Sabine County seat. Local historic sites include the Sabine County Courthouse, completed in 1910, and the Sabine County jail, now the Sabine County Historical Museum. The Museum, located on the courthouse square, houses exhibits, documents, and objects (including a length of hangman’s rope) inside the late-Victorian edifice, built in 1903 with bricks from the local kiln. If you’re in a hiking mood, tackling all or part of the 28-mile Trail Between the Lakes is an adventurous journey through the Sabine National Forest.