County Seat: Kountze * County Population: 54,635 (2010 U.S. Census)
The Hardin County Courthouse was erected in 1959 in a Modern style as designed by Dickson, Dickson & Associates.
Hardin County was created in 1858 with Hardin as the county seat. However, establishment of the railroad led citizens to successfully push for relocation to Kountze in 1887.
The interesting story behind the demise of the inaugural county capitol is detailed by June Rayfield Welch in “The Texas Courthouse Revisited.”
According to a 1972 Dallas Times Herald story, Kountze partisans persuaded 
Gus Hooks, the county’s fastest man, to burn the old courthouse. (Hooks is supposed to have outrun the Denton mare – the horse Sam Bass raced – on a quarter-mile path around the courthouse to Cypress Creek.) According to legend, Hooks ran to Hardin, did his duty, and was at home in the Big Thicket – five miles away – and fast asleep when the sheriff arrived. Whatever the cause, Hardin’s courthouse did burn, and a new temple of justice was built in Kountze.
Hardin County, like other counties in the East Texas Big Thicket, has a rich history of pioneer culture, oil boom towns, and forest industry giants, replete with a hefty supply of legends like the Keyser Burnout, Ghost Road and scurrilous outlaws. Several museums chronicle this rich history:
- SourLakeMuseum, the town where Texaco drilled its first well;
- Silsbee’sIceHouseMuseum;
- Kountze’s Kirby-Hill House, where one visits an early lifestyle; and
- Batson’sOilPatchMuseum.
In addition, the Hardin County Historical Commission marks numerous historic sites throughout the county.
Hardin County is rich in natural resources that make the county a playground for the State of Texas and the nation. Big Thicket National Preserve protects diverse remnants of a once-lush forest and offers an outstanding introduction to the area at itsVisitorCenternorth of Kountze. The Preserve’s nine units are connected by stream corridors that offer visitors opportunities to hike trails, canoe or kayak streams, learn about ecosystems, and practice nature photography. Fishing and hunting by permit are allowed.
A similar resource isVillageCreekState Parkwith more trails, a nature center and camping facilities. Nature Conservancy’s Larsen Sandyland Sanctuary near Silsbee offers trails through a fabulous mix of longleaf pine savannahs, bottomland hardwoods, and arid sand lands.
Fall migrations of birds provide opportunities for superb bird watching with several sites on the Texas Coastal Birding Trail. Bicycle riders also find scenic byways to explore.
The county celebrates at numerous festivals: Village Creek Festival inLumberton, Old Timer’s Day inSourLake, Musicfest in Kountze, Cruisin’ Silsbee, Old Glory Days at Wildwood, Oil Patch Festival in Batson, and lighted Christmas parades all over the county. Finally, the Silsbee Little Theater offers frequent performances.
COUNTY JUDGE
Billy Caraway
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Precinct 1
Kenneth “Frank” Riedinger
Precinct 2
Chris Kirkendall
Precinct 3
Ken Pelt
Precinct 4
Bobby Franklin
