Athens, Texas

Athens is a city in Texas, located almost equidistant from Dallas and Tyler.

It is named after the Grecian capital, somewhat ironically it houses a community college (the main campus of Trinity Valley Community College). It calls itself the "Black-Eyed Pea Capital of the World" and is among several cities claiming to be the origin of the hamburger.

It is a popular day vacation destination for residents of Dallas due to its proximity to three nearby lakes: Lake Athens (a small lake on its southeast side, which notably houses the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center operated by the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife), Cedar Creek Reservoir to its northeast (a popular lake for Dallas residents, some of whom own second homes on or near the lake), and Lake Palestine to its east (popular for Tyler residents). In addition the East Texas Arboretum and Botanical Society (located in the northwest portion of the city) is a popular destination.