Henderson is the county seat of Rusk County, Texas, in the Piney Woods of East Texas, roughly midway between Tyler to the west and the Louisiana line to the east. With about 13,300 residents, it is the county's principal city and a place shaped by one of the defining events in Texas economic history. Henderson was a modest county seat until 1930, when the East Texas oilfield — one of the largest in the United States — was discovered near the city. The boom transformed the town almost overnight: its population surged from under 3,000 in 1930 to roughly 10,000 by 1933 before settling around 6,400 by 1940. Hotels, offices, and oil businesses rose around the courthouse square, and oil production remains part of the region's economy, alongside agriculture, timber, and county government. Today Henderson is an established East Texas county seat with a historic downtown. The Rusk County courthouse anchors the square, and nearby the Depot Museum Complex preserves local history across several buildings, while the Howard Dickinson House and Monte Verdi Plantation tell the area's story. The city hosts spring and fall festivals, a Christmas parade, and the popular Downtown at Christmas celebration. Education runs through Henderson ISD, with a small portion of the city served by West Rusk ISD and private options such as Full Armor Christian Academy. The Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary is also based in the city. Recreation centers on the lakes: Lake Forest Park, a 50-acre city park, offers fishing and picnicking in town, while Martin Creek Lake State Park provides camping, hiking, and boating nearby. Henderson suits people who want a full-service small city in East Texas, with history, schools, and lake recreation close at hand.