New Braunfels is situated in Comal and Guadalupe counties. Braunfels means “brown rock” in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city’s population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000 census population of 36,494.
It is the seat of Comal County. New Braunfels has a sizable German Texan community. During the 19th century, its name was often spelled Neu-Braunfels, even by English speakers.
New Braunfels was founded in 1845 by German settlers. It is reported that in 1850 New Braunfels was the fourth largest town in Texas. Many German names can be seen on the billboards and street names throughout the city. Every fall the city hosts Wurstfest which is one of the largest German festivals in America. Some of the best antique shopping can be enjoyed year around.
The Main Plaza was built in 1845. Then the Fountain was added in 1895 to celebrate the 50th anniversary and the Bandstand was added in 1905.
