Madisonville may be known by many travelers as home to one of the best Buc-ee’s locations in the Lone Star State, located on I-45 roughly midway between Houston and Dallas, but those fortunate enough to venture 5 minutes off the interstate will discover one of the friendliest communities around with plenty to do from an annual Texas Mushroom Festival to the largest dedicated Christmas store this side of the North Pole.
“Madisonville is a hidden gem nestled in the heart of East Texas and it holds treasures for everyone who ventures through its welcoming doors,” writes mayor William L. Parten in the 2024 Visitor’s Guide.
Madisonville: From the County Fair to the Sidewalk Cattlemen’s Steak Dinner
Madisonville, with its good schools, is a place to call home for just under 5,000 residents and a great day trip or weekend getaway with events such as the Madison County Fair & Rodeo in March, the Mudbug & Music Festival in April and the Sidewalk Cattlemen’s Steak Dinner and BBQ Cook-off in May.
It’s an area that is still home to farms and ranches with cowboy culture alive and well from Nettles Country Store, where you can purchase a pair of their world-famous wood and leather stirrups, handcrafted behind the store, and attend the 85th Cattlemen’s get together in 2025 – just be careful if you are a city slicker wearing cowboy boots!
“Watch out if you wear cowboy boots in Madisonville but don’t own at least two head of cattle. You might get dunked in a horse trough on the courthouse lawn. That’s the rule, according to the Madisonville Sidewalk Cattlemen’s Association,” explained Texas Time Travel. “The group formed in 1941 after newspaper editor Henry Fox coined the tongue-in-cheek expression “sidewalk cattlemen” to describe boot-clad folks who “talked cattle” but owned none. Each spring the association hosts a rodeo, dances, a parade, and a steak dinner.”
The Madisonville Sidewalk Cattlemen’s Association “Horse Trough” is a great Instagram spot today and in the past there were even black and white photos of legendary Texas congressman Charlie Wilson getting a good-natured dunking.
Madisonville Founded in 1853 at the Crossroads
Like many Texas towns, Madisonville can trace its roots back to an intersection of crossroads and a source of water.
Madisonville was founded in 1853 on Town Creek and lies today at the junction of State highways 21 and 90, U.S. highways 75 and 190, and Interstate Highway 45.
“Sale of lots began in the summer of 1853 on a 200-acre tract of land donated by Job Starks Collard, who had settled in the vicinity during the 1840s in what was then northern Montgomery County,” says the Texas State Historical Association (THSA) . “At the suggestion of Dr. Pleasant Williams Kittrell (also Sam Houston’s physician!), another early resident of the area, the town, like the new county, was named in honor of President James Madison. The site was chosen due to its proximity to the geographical center of the county and the availability of fresh water from a stream-fed lake northeast of the townsite.”
By 1854 Madison County had been created with Madisonville the county seat and a courthouse made of logs constructed. That courthouse would be one of three that burned down between 1854 and 1873.
“Madison County, reported to have been "wild and wooly" before and after the Civil War, was referred to as the "Free State of Madison," “says the TSHA.
By the 1860s the Madisonville area was known for raising beef, and cattle ranches remain a fabric of the land today.
Population grew steadily to 700 residents by 1896 and in 1903 the International-Great Northern Railroad ran a branch line from Navasota to Madisonville which operated until 1944.
Madisonville: The Mushroom Capital of Texas
Ralston Purina began operating a mushroom-processing plant near town in the 1970s and it was taken over by Monterey Mushrooms in the 1980s and sits on 100 acres where the company makes its compost, grows and harvests mushrooms, and packs them for grocery stores and restaurants in Texas, Colorado, Louisiana, and Arizona.
“The farm includes 50 growing rooms which produce about 400,000+ pounds of white mushrooms and 92,000+ pounds of brown mushrooms every week. About 30 percent of their production is certified organic,” says the company.
Each year Madisonville hosts the Mushroom Festival held in October which kicks off with the Shiitake 5K Run/Walk downtown. The festival includes plenty of mushroom-inspired food along with an auto show, Texas wine and craft beer tastings, silent auction, art and photography exhibits, a kid’s zone, quilt show and live entertainment.
“From very humble beginnings, the first event had exactly one tent, one entertainer, 10 T-shirts, and only a sprinkling of vendor booths. Technically it was a rain-out, but the seed for a wonderful future was planted that day,” explains festival organizers. “To some extent, the rain itself may have helped build the momentum of the Texas Mushroom Festival, as it re-directed many of those who braved the weather to the cooking tent that would expand 10-fold over the 23 years.”
Christmas 365 Days a Year in Madisonville!
Madisonville has always been known for its Christmas Parade in December, but the town is now home to Christmas year-round with the opening of the Madisonville Christmas Company last fall.
“A new must-see Christmas destination, Madisonville Christmas Company, opened its doors for its first season. The North Pole equivalent Christmas boutique located in central Texas is described as an experience unlike anything you’ve ever seen, with nearly 30,000 square feet of designer decor to shop,” reported the Brazos Valley Magazine.
The enormous store features themed rooms such as the Ribbon Room (wrapping needs) and Gingerbread Room (food-inspired gifts). There’s also an indoor tree farm to help you decorate your Christmas tree in any theme imaginable.
At the Christmas Decoration Ideas & Design Center designers are on hand for consultations.
And you won’t go hungry while doing all your Christmas shopping as the Madisonville Christmas Company offers four places to eat including Café Twelve 25 (with brunch all day and specialty latte’s), The Mantel sports bar, Nic’s Pizzeria, and Big Daddy’s Grill.
A visit to the Madisonville Christmas Company also features yard games, an array of lights, and photo op areas with oversized Christmas decorations.
Weekend Visit to Madisonville
Here are some things to put on your trip agenda when visiting Madisonville:
- Lake Madison: This 75-acre lake offers boating with bass and catfish to reel in plus baseball and softball fields, walking trails, playscapes, basketball courts, a fishing pier, grills and a pavilion for picnics and events and a Splash Park for the little ones.
- Madison County Museum: Located at 201 N. Madison St., this museum features the history of Madison with past exhibits such as Madison County Christmas Through the Years. Admission is free and the museum is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Bray’s Motor Museum & Playground: Check out the vast collection of vintage cars and even drive classic cars around their outdoor track.
- Woodbine Inn and Restaurant: Historic Victorian hotel that was built in 1904 as the Shapira Hotel. The building was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and became a Texas Landmark in 1982. It has 8 guest rooms, 2 parlors, a restaurant and pub, private event room, and landscaped grounds.
