Several black families were residing in Gillespie County by the 1870s. A schoolhouse was built in 1877 on property adjacent to this later church site. Blacks probably met in the school for worship...
Central Texas
Central Texas is characterized by prairies and lakes, two lane roads that twist and climb, green valleys and limestone cliffs. It's rich in German heritage, wineries, abundant wildflowers, crystal clear rivers lined with cypress and oak, music, cafes offering ample country cooking, and history.
It's also a great outdoor destination for hiking, tubing, swimming, and camping.
Map of Central Texas Points
Things to See & Do in Central Texas
Boerne
Founded in 1852 by German settlers and incorporated in 1909, the City of Boerne was one of the area’s most strategic transportation locations on routes for those traveling into San Antonio or...
Lake Belton
Belton Lake is located on the Leon River 16.7 miles upstream of the confluence of the Leon River and the Little River. It is in the northern part of Bell County, Texas about three miles north of the...
Brenham
Brenham, the county seat of Washington County, is on U.S. Highway 290 seventy-two miles northwest of Houston. The Hickory Grove community changed its name in 1843 to Brenham in honor of Republic of...
Bellville
Bellville was initially settled by Thomas and James Bell who immigrated from Florida in 1822, as some of Stephen F. Austin's earliest settlers. They donated over 145 acres to Austin County. Bellville...
Bluff Dale
Bluff Dale, on U.S. Highway 377 and the North Paluxy River in northeastern Erath County, was originally called Bluff Spring by the pioneers who settled near the site’s artesian wells. Bluff...
St. Stanislaus in Chappell Hill
In 1888, Rev. James Grabinger, announced that a church would be built in Chappell Hill — St. Stanislaus. The great hurricane of 1900 that devastated Galveston destroyed this first church. The...
Giddings
Giddings, county seat of Lee County, is on U.S. highways 290 and 77, fifty-five miles east of Austin and 100 miles west of Houston. The land was originally part of Stephen F. Austin’s colony...
Stonewall
Stonewall is on the Pedernales River thirteen miles east of Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County. The town was named after Confederate General Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson. The settlement...
St. James Episcopal in La Grange
In 1885, St James Episcopal Church was built in La Grange on a lot donated by the Shropshire family for a parish formed in 1855.
Luckenbach
Luckenbach maintains a ghost town feel with its small population and strong western roots. The post office closed April 30, 1971 and its zip code retired.
Bend
Bend is an unincorporated community in Lampasas and San Saba Counties in Central Texas. It is located on Farm to Market Road 580 on the western leg of a horseshoe-shaped bend in the Colorado River...
15 Texas Best Sunrises
The BEST Texas sunrises? Well, that's not exactly true because there are just so many more than 15 of them.
Salado
The Village of Salado is the best small town in Texas! With several bed and breakfasts and only a short drive up I35, between Waco and Austin.
Navasota
Navasota was founded in 1831 as the stagecoach stop of Nolansville. Its name was changed in 1858 to Navasota, a name perhaps derived from the Native American word nabatoto (“muddy water”).
Sunset in McKinney Falls
Sunset in McKinney Falls State Park, located at the southeastern edge of Austin around the confluence of Onion and Williamson Creeks and is administered by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department...
Starlite Drive-In in Schertz
The ticket booth and marquee are still standing. In its day, capacity was around 200 cars. photo by Noel Kerns
24 Hour Pecan Pie Vending Machine
Vegas may have champagne-filled vending machines, but the South likes to do things a little bit bigger and (dare we say?) better.