A 1913 railroad depot and the wetlands of Cooper WMA show two different sides of Delta County. Alongside landscapes and water activities, historic buildings and places shape the character of the region.
Nature, Water, and Activities
Cooper WMA includes bottomland hardwood forests, mixed hardwood stands in higher terrain, and native prairies. It also features flooded standing dead trees, riparian habitats, a riparian zone, managed wetlands, and numerous natural wetlands. Forest, prairie, and wetlands each represent a different aspect of the nature theme.
Cooper Lake State Park is 70 miles northeast of Dallas, in Delta and Hopkins Counties. At Jim Chapman Lake, you can fish from a boat, a pier, or the shore. For cycling, the South Sulphur Unit has the 4.6-mile Coyote Run Trail.
The Doctors Creek Unit has a designated sandy beach for unsupervised swimming. Two day-use areas offer water, tables, and grills; there is also a playground. The unit is accessed via State Highway 154 and FM 1529. The options listed differ clearly according to what you want to do during the day: fishing with several access options, a measured cycling route, or beach and day use.
Architectural History and Historic Places
The Cooper Rail Depot was built in 1913 for the Texas Midland Railroad as a brick depot in the Spanish Revival style. It is one of only two surviving depots along the route that are still standing. Harry Patterson bought the depot and dedicated it as a local history museum showcasing the heritage of Cooper and Delta County.
The Delta County Courthouse also makes its own architectural statement: Hoke Smith designed the building, which the WPA constructed in the Art Moderne style. Its design includes a stepped massing of cast stone and fluted pilasters between the windows. Together, the depot and courthouse offer different examples of architectural history in Cooper.
Oaklawn Cemetery has been designated a Historic Texas Cemetery since 2009. The original site of East Texas Normal College at 600 SE First St. in Cooper has Recorded Texas Historic Landmark status; its historic marker dates from 1967. Both sites add other forms of remembrance and historic preservation to the architectural history.
DeSpain Bridge was located where the Bonham-Jefferson Road crossed the South Sulphur River. It served the region’s cotton trade for about 20 years. The Pioneer Smith Brothers commemorative marker honors men who helped build Delta County on the Texas frontier. The settlement story is also represented: a two-room schoolhouse was built at Hobbs Thicket in the early 1880s.
Chiggerfest is held every October in Cooper. If the event matters to your trip, include October in your plans and check the specific event dates in advance.
If you are looking for a vacation rental, first decide whether nature and water activities or architectural and local history will shape your stay more. This thematic focus gives you a concrete starting point for your search for accommodations in Delta County.
Discover more destinations: Klondike, Hunt County, Gonzales, Milam County, Sutton, Austin County, Harris, Cherokee County.
For the broader travel overview: Texas.
