24 Hours in Jefferson
East Texas’s BnB Capital is one of its best kept secrets
The BnB & Bigfoot Capital of Texas
The tiny town of Jefferson, Texas bears not one, but two distinguishing titles: it is the bed and breakfast capital of the Lone Star State; it is also the Bigfoot Capital of Texas.
How did it earn this latter prestigious designation, you wonder? According to the mayor’s 2018 proclamation, Jefferson happens to be the geographic epicenter of numerous reported Bigfoot sightings in and around Marion County; the town also hosts the annual Texas Bigfoot Conference (yep, you read that right), where bigfoot believers, researchers, and enthusiasts gather to connect and compare field notes on the legendary beast.
Such an oddity, combined with Jefferson’s possession of a museum dedicated to the subject of “measurement and time,” was just peculiar enough to shape a portrait of place and to pique my curiosity. The once-bustling town—home to a population of just over two thousand today—was the state’s largest inland river port during its heyday. From the mid-to-late nineteenth century, Jefferson was a gateway to the West for steamboat traffic off the Red River. Over one hundred years later, its historic character and Southern charm pose for a quiet getaway in a sleepy bayou town.
"...the town also hosts the annual Texas Bigfoot Conference (yep, you read that right), where bigfoot believers, researchers, and enthusiasts gather to connect and compare field notes on the legendary beast."
On a recent cloudy Thursday afternoon, I scooped up my sister Lanie in Lafayette, and into the piney woods of northeast Texas we went, passing through Natchitoches and Shreveport up west toward Dallas and Fort Worth, rolling hills and ranches gradually replacing crawfish fields and Cajun prairies.
House of the Seasons Historic BnB
Nearly four hours later, we arrived at the House of the Seasons, a historic residence-turned-B&B. The easy-demeanored general manager, Shirley Reiman, was already waiting for us. She opened the door to the residence’s carriage house, where we would be staying for the night, with a “here you are, my dears.” To my sister’s delight, the defining feature of the Epperson Suite was an in-room jacuzzi, an interesting contrast to the green paisley patterned carpet. Next to a saran-wrapped plate of lemon-glazed pumpkin spice cookies, the room’s guest book was filled with entries addressed to Shirley, all the pages of loopy cursive or messy scrawl thanking her for her cooking and caretaking, promising to return again.
To my sister’s delight, the defining feature of the Epperson Suite was an in-room jacuzzi, an interesting contrast to the green paisley patterned carpet.
Local Eats in Jefferson, TX: GcGarity's Saloon No. 61
For dinner we decided on one of the few local eateries, McGarity’s Saloon No. 61, easily finding our way to its neon-green lit 1861 brick exterior while exploring downtown—no need for Google Maps when there’s only two stop lights (which seem like formalities at that). Original artifacts and remnants of Jefferson’s history remain intact and scattered throughout town, like the old hitching posts in front of McGarity’s where patrons would tie their horses. Inside, it was warmly lit and intimate, with various memorabilia and taxidermied creatures adorning the walls and ceiling, including a moose with one particularly searing stare. As we finished our shared entrees of white cheddar mac and cheese and a french dip sandwich, our server returned and, leaning over the remaining chair, said in a low tone that had our meal had already been taken care of by someone in the large party seated next to us, but he couldn’t reveal who. A good first impression, indeed. “That’s just living in a small town for you,” remarked Pam Thomas, from the Jefferson Convention and Visitors Bureau, when I later mentioned the gesture to her over the phone.
[Read about five ways to experience the island city of Galveston here.]
The next morning, the sound of classical music wafted through the kitchen doorway of the main house as Shirley served us a delicious breakfast spread of fresh fruit and yogurt, homemade banana bread, and a hearty slice of quiche paired with seasoned potatoes and cherry tomatoes. Once we’d eaten enough to last three lifetimes, she gave us the tour of the three-story home, its grandeur and finery striking. For twenty years, Shirley has overseen the care and upkeep of the House of the Seasons, herself trained in home restoration. The home was built in 1872 in the Greek Revival and Victorian styles by Colonel Benjamin Epperson, who was a prominent lawyer and Texas politician, as well as a confidante of Sam Houston. It was purchased by Richard H. Collins and restored from 1974 to 1976. Jeannie Epperson, Ben’s youngest daughter, who lived in Jefferson as a schoolteacher up until her death, sold the original home’s artifacts and furniture back to Collins, allowing for visitors like us to enjoy them today. The House of the Seasons gets its name from the multicolored cupola atop the roof, where each windowpane of stained glass represents a different season: green for spring, red for summer, orange for fall, and blue for winter. On the first floor, an interior dome looks up to artfully painted murals of the goddesses of the seasons on the second, and then all the way up to the peak of the cupola on the third floor. Every room is a thing of meticulously crafted and restored beauty. The property’s Victorian gardens and grounds, normally in full bloom this time of year, were still thawing from the recent freeze. Luckily, color persevered within the clear-glass confines of the greenhouse, where there were more than a few blooms to behold that had been saved from the frost.
It’s the kind of no-frills joint with white folding chairs and communal tables, a roll of paper towels atop each—this is how I knew we were about to eat good, especially considering that Texas Monthly included it in its ranking of the fifty best purveyors of smoked meat in the state (which, in Texas, is saying something).
Museums & Shopping in Jefferson, TX
Lanie and I spent the rest of the day walking about town, visiting the Port Jefferson History and Nature Center, the historic homes and landmarks, the Jefferson Historical Museum, and the many antique shops. The Jefferson General Store is a longtime local gem filled wall-to-wall with souvenirs, gifts, and old-time candies and treats.
Local Eats in Jefferson, TX: Joseph's Riverport Barbecue
For lunch, we opted for the highly-recommended Joseph’s Riverport Barbecue, located downtown on North Polk Street. It’s the kind of no-frills joint with white folding chairs and communal tables, a roll of paper towels atop each—this is how I knew we were about to eat good, especially considering that Texas Monthly included it in its ranking of the fifty best purveyors of smoked meat in the state (which, in Texas, is saying something). We ordered a couple of pork and brisket sandwiches with their signature swamp fries on the side, and let me tell you—this lunch alone was worth the drive. On our way out, we stopped by to see Caddo Lake State Park, home to one of the only natural lakes in Texas. Framed by thick cypress trees, it felt like home; I suppose that’s the appeal of this place, radiating with all the warmth and welcome of a proper homecoming.