Haskell County: Discover Waterscapes and History

Haskell County combines the wide-open Rolling Plains of northwest Texas with a diverse history and several destinations on the water. Covering 901 square miles, the county features rolling plains shaped and drained by tributaries of the upper Brazos River.

Rolling Plains, Roads, and Water

Haskell County is crossed by U.S. Highways 277 and 380, State Highways 6 and 283, and numerous Farm-to-Market roads. These transportation routes help you initially organize your search for suitable accommodations around a preferred base without combining the individual attractions into a single route.

The landscape includes Lake Stamford, a 5,124-acre reservoir on Paint Creek, a tributary of the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. The lake lies 10 miles east of Stamford. Lake Stamford has fish habitat structures that anglers can locate using GPS and a fish finder. Anchor Marina in Haskell County's Silo Scott Memorial Park offers another connection to the water. It provides a boat ramp and shoreline access for anglers fishing from the bank.

Haskell City Park, located at Avenue D and South 4th Street in Haskell, is also designated as a Community Fishing Lake. For 2026, the park lists a total of 294 adult rainbow trout. These different water destinations give your trip planning a clear direction: You can center your itinerary on days at the lake, bank fishing, or exploring the natural structures of the body of water.

Museums and Historic Places

In the city of Haskell, the Fort Sam Museum displays military artifacts from the Civil War as well as World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War. Also in Haskell, the city operates the Haskell County Railroad Museum. Those interested in the region's development will find different historical perspectives here: military history and railroads stand alongside the history of settlements and ranches.

A particularly multifaceted site is the restored Sublette Santa Fe Depot. It houses the Haskell County Historical Society Museum, with memorabilia, artifacts, and other objects from the county's history. The building was once slated for demolition. County residents purchased it along with the loading platform and moved both to a new location north of the fairgrounds on the outskirts of town. According to the earliest records, C. A. Woodson was appointed railroad agent in 1916.

Other historic sites include the Johnson House and the Independence School House. The Johnson House was built in Santa Fe and moved to Sublette in 1913. It was once owned and cared for by two prominent ranchers from early Haskell County. The Independence School House is a 16 × 32-foot wood-frame school building in District #40, where all eight grade levels were taught. The 1898 Texas Cowboys’ Reunion was a significant event in local history and represents the preservation of Texas’s ranching heritage. An expedition led by Capt. Randolph B. Marcy crossed the area of Haskell County along Paint Creek in 1849.

Choose Accommodation Based on Your Travel Focus

If you are primarily interested in exploring museums, historic buildings, and the history of ranching, a base near Haskell or Sublette is a natural choice. In May, Haskell hosts the Frontier Days Celebration and Rodeo. This event complements the historical themes with a firmly established annual tradition.

For additional travel destinations, you can also consider Orange, Carson County, San Patricio County, Ector County, Somervell County, Gaines County, and Motley County.

For the broader travel overview: Texas.