When you think Huntsville, you might not think scuba
HUNTSVILLE, TX (KTRK) -- In this week's Texas Road Trippers segment, Pooja Lodhia and Steve Campion visit Huntsville!
The first thing you'll notice as you drive up I-45 to Huntsville is the giant Sam Houston statue towering over the side of the interstate.
"The statue itself is 67 feet," said Leara Phillips with the Sam Houston Statue Visitor's Center. "It's on a ten-foot base, so overall it's 77 feet."
The statue was built in 1994 by Houston artist, David Addicks.
Huntsville may be best known for the prison system housed there. If you're not interested in doing hard time, spending an hour or so at the Texas Prison Museum is your safer bet.
"It's the oldest prison in Texas and took in its first inmate in 1849," said Jim Willett, the director of the Texas Prison Museum.
Digital Extra: Behind the Scenes at the Prison Museum
Probably the most infamous criminals affiliated with the prison were Bonnie & Clyde.
You can also find a chair that inmates called "Old Sparky."
"This is the Texas electric chair and the only one that was put into use in 1924," said Willet. "It was used up through 1964 when they stopped doing electrocutions. More than 360 men died in that chair."
But who would have thought Huntsville would be home to a premiere diving school! Brian Avenarius with Blue Lagoon Scuba helped Pooja and Steve dive right in. For $435, you can spend a weekend at the beautiful Blue Lagoon and get SCUBA certified.
Digital Extra: Steve and Pooja's entire swimming lesson
