Columbus is one of the oldest Anglo-American settlements in Texas, and it still wears its history right out in the open. Big live oaks shade the streets, a copper-domed courthouse rises over the square, and the Colorado River curls around the edge of downtown. It’s a quiet Colorado County town that makes for a relaxing day off Interstate 10.
Columbus sits right off I-10, a little over an hour west of Houston and about an hour and 45 minutes east of San Antonio. Austin is roughly an hour and a half away via Highway 71.
Start at the courthouse square
The Colorado County Courthouse was finished in 1891. It originally had a clock tower, but a 1909 hurricane knocked it down, and the county replaced it with the copper dome you see today. Inside, the upstairs courtroom has a stained-glass dome of its own. Even if you don’t go in, the building is the centerpiece of downtown and the best place to park and start walking.
The Stafford Opera House and Columbus history
Across from the square stands the 1886 Stafford Bank and Opera House, built by cattleman R.E. Stafford. The Columbus Historical Preservation Trust, which operates the building, describes it as the largest flat-floored opera house in Texas. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and still hosts events and rentals.
The Trust also looks after several other small historic sites around town, including:
- Alley Log Cabin – A two-room oak cabin built in 1836 by Abraham and Nancy Alley, moved to Columbus and restored in 1976. An antique tool museum sits alongside it.
- Dilue Rose Harris House Museum – Named for Dilue Rose Harris, remembered for her firsthand memoir of early Texas life.
- Mary Elizabeth Hopkins Santa Claus Museum – A collection of thousands of Santas from around the world, gathered by a local woman who started with a single figure she received as a baby.
These sites don’t keep regular daily hours, so call the Trust at (979) 732-5135 (weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to arrange a visit.
Plan ahead for December
If you’re thinking about a holiday trip, the Santa Claus Museum opens with free admission on Fridays and Saturdays in December from 1 to 5 p.m. For 2026 that means December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19, plus Saturday, December 26. It’s closed on Christmas Day. The rest of the year, visits are by appointment for $5 per person, with young children free.
Get out on the Colorado River
The Colorado wraps around Columbus on three sides, and the town is home to the Columbus Paddling Trail, about 6.5 miles of mostly calm water with a few gentle riffles and islands for a picnic break. Paddlers put in at the Business 71 crossing and take out at Beason’s Park on Highway 90, about a block from downtown. Depending on water levels, plan on two to five hours. Beason’s Park has shaded picnic tables, restrooms, a pavilion and free parking, so it’s a nice stop even if you stay on dry land.
Look for the big trees
Columbus is known for its live oaks. One of them, often called Grandma’s Oak, has been recognized as the state champion coastal live oak and is estimated to be centuries old. It lost a large limb in 2023, but it’s still an impressive sight and a good reminder of how long people have been gathering in the shade here.
Combine it with a Highway 71 or I-10 drive
Columbus pairs well with nearby Fayette County. Hruška’s kolaches in Ellinger are about 15 minutes up Highway 71, and La Grange is about 30 minutes beyond that. If you love old courthouse towns, our guides to Waxahachie and Granbury are good next stops on your list.
Good to Know
- Where: Columbus, Colorado County, off I-10 between Houston and San Antonio
- Historic sites: Columbus Historical Preservation Trust, 425 Spring St.; (979) 732-5135; office open Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Call to arrange visits.
- Santa Claus Museum: 604 Washington St.; free on Fridays and Saturdays in December 2026, 1–5 p.m.; otherwise by appointment, $5
- Paddling: Columbus Paddling Trail, about 6.5 miles; take-out at Beason’s Park on Hwy 90
- Drive time: A little over 1 hour from Houston; about 1.5 hours from Austin; about 1 hour 45 minutes from San Antonio
Hours, dates and prices can change. Check the Columbus Historical Preservation Trust before you head out.
Columbus doesn’t try to be flashy. It just offers a beautiful courthouse, a river worth paddling, some of the grandest oaks in the state and a downtown full of stories. That’s more than enough for a good Texas day trip.
Featured photo: Larry D. Moore via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
