Nature lovers will enjoy the longleaf pines, rock bluffs, and spring blooms of honeysuckle at Wild Azalea Canyons. Visitors can see the influence of pioneer families and sawmill towns at the Newton County Historical Center and Museum, which houses memorabilia dating to 1846. Nearby, the restored Powell Hotel, open for tours but not for overnight lodging, has an unpretentious charm recalling its 1914 conversion to a hotel from its original purpose as the W.H. Ford Male and Female College. Across the street is the historic Newton County Courthouse, which was gutted by a fire in 2000. The 1902 Second Empire building was restored through the Texas Historical Commission’s Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program.