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Commerce, Texas: Bois d'Arc Capital of Texas

Horse apples are the hard fruit from a Bois d'Arc tree, and Commerce is the official Texas capital of them. The town holds an annual festival.

Address:
Main St., Commerce, TX
Directions:
Main St. and Park St.
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Bois d'Arc Capital of Texas

Commerce is home to Big Max, the second largest bois d'arc tree in Texas as designated by the American Forests Historic Tree Program. Commerce is located in the center of the tree's natural habitat.

The Bois d'Arc Bash is held on the 4th weekend in September each year.

[Sheryl Miller, 04/03/2016]
Bois d'Arc Capital

Commerce, Texas, was recently submitted as the "Bois d'arc Capital" of Texas. A bois d'arc, for the uneducated, is a horseapple -- a large, hard, green thing about the size of a softball. A ripe one can render you unconscious...so never nap under a bois d'arc tree.

Our official designation of "bois d'arc capital" was dreamed up the "publisher" of the local paper Rick Vanderpool who, over a few beers with his buddies, took out a map of Texas and determined that Commerce was at the exact center of bois d'arc country. Not the left or right but smack dab in the middle. Well, Vanderpool and his buddies started working to promote our town as the "bois d'arc capital of Texas" and took it all the way to the Texas House of Reps. The Bois d'Arc Bash is held the last weekend in September annually and is popular among locals.

Commerce has fewer than 50 large bois d'arc trees, none on its main streets or highways. Vanderpool insists that Commerce has the 2nd largest bois d'arc tree in the state, he's named it "Max", but since no one has ever cared enough to go around measuring bois d'arcs this fact is still in question.

[Cathy D. Reed, 04/24/1999]

Nearby Offbeat Places

Audie Murphy - America's Most Decorated SoldierAudie Murphy - America's Most Decorated Soldier, Greenville, TX - 14 mi.
Southwest Dairy Center and Museum - Big CowsSouthwest Dairy Center and Museum - Big Cows, Sulphur Springs, TX - 18 mi.
Big Swordfish and SeahorseBig Swordfish and Seahorse, Greenville, TX - 18 mi.
In the region:
Statue of Pyro the Dragon, Paris, TX - 35 mi.

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