Chosen as the seat of Henderson County in 1850, Athens was so named because it was expected to become the cultural center of the state, as was its namesake, Athens, Greece. The...

Chosen as the seat of Henderson County in 1850, Athens was so named because it was expected to become the cultural center of the state, as was its namesake, Athens, Greece. The city is 76 miles southeast of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex on U.S. 175. Home of Trinity Valley Community College.

According to local lore and research of Texas historian Frank X. Tolbert, the hamburger is said to have originated here. The story goes that after serving hamburgers in his downtown diner, Fletcher “Uncle Fletch” Davis introduced his creation to the world at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. City celebrates Uncle Fletch and his creation at the Heritage Festival in September.

Also home to the Annual Texas Fiddlers Contest and Reunion. At 78 years and counting, it is the longest running event of its kind in the U.S. Held the last Friday in May on the Courthouse lawn.