The historic Morris County Courthouse was built in 1882 with Classical elements as designed by Peterson & Stuckey. The current county capitol was erected in 1973 in a Modern style, following the design of Pierce, Pace & Associates.
Morris County was named for William Wright Morris, an early legislator and judge; the county seat of Daingerfield refers to London Daingerfield, an Indian fighter and troop captain.
Before representing Morris County, Daingerfield was named the seat of Paschal County, established for judicial and other purposes on Jan. 28, 1841. This short-lived county included all of the future Hopkins, Franklin, Titus, Morris and Cass counties and most of the future Marion County. Paschal County was abolished by a Texas Supreme Court decision, Stockton v. Montgomery (1842), which declared judicial counties unconstitutional.
Daingerfield is the fourth-oldest town in Texas and home to Daingerfield State Park, a 551-acre recreational area which includes an 80-surface-acre lake. The park landscape is known for its blooming dogwoods in spring along with its calm beauty. The lake is circled by a 2.5-mile hiking trail and offers picnicking, camping, boating, fishing, swimming and nature study.
The county seat plays host to Daingerfield Days Fall Fest every October with a wide spectrum of activities including a chili cook-off, carnival, parade and a 5-K run.
Visitors and homefolks, alike, enjoy Lake O’ the Pines, which extends into the southern end of the county and offers largemouth bass, spotted bass, channel and flathead catfish, white bass and chain pickerel, to name just a few!
The area’s rich history is detailed in several historical markers displayed throughout Morris County:
Caddo Trace: Daingerfield 1967