Gillespie County, Texas
106 N. Adams
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
Phone: 210-997-6523
Fax: 997-8588
E-mail: [email protected]
Settled by German Immigrant families in 1846, many older buildings retain traditional German styles. German is still spoken occasionally, and old customs are regularly observed: Easter Fires, Schuetzenfests (marksmanship tournaments), Oktoberfest, Kristkindl Markt, and Kinderfest.
Points of Interest
Admiral Nimitz Museum and Historical Center, 210-997-4379, 340 E. Main Street. The Steamboat Hotel structure, originally built in 1852, contains three floors of the Museum of the Pacific War, dedicated to everyone who served in the Pacific under Admiral Nimitz. Features of the building include the ballroom, and four original refurnished guest rooms. The Japanese Garden of Peace is a gift from the people of Japan. The History Walk of the Pacific War, located a block from the garden, displays guns, planes, boats, tanks, etc. Nimitz Museum Bookstore. Open 8–5 daily. Admission.
Bauer Toy Museum, 210-997-9394, 233 E. Main. Open 1–4:30 weekdays and Sunday. Saturday 10–5. Admission by donation. The museum contains 3,000 toys, cars, trucks, lead soldiers, airplanes, boats, dolls, guns, miniature village, a forty-foot diorama of the Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."
Becker Vineyards, 210-644-2681, Hwy 290 E, 11 miles, right on Jenschke Lane. Open for tours and tastings Monday—Saturday 10–5, Sunday 12–5. Features an antique saloon bar and wood burning fireplace. Vineyard is surrounded by peach orchards and wildflower fields.
Bell Mountain/Oberhellman Vineyards, 210-685-3297, Highway 16 N (14 miles). Open for tours, tastings and sales Saturday from March through mid December from 10–5, with tours at 11, 1 and 3 and other times by appointment.
Dulcimer Factory & Factory Store, 210-997-6704. 715 S. Washington. Tours Monday—Friday 10:30, 1 on the half hour.
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, 915-247-3903. RR 965 N (18 miles). Park hours 8 AM–10 PM daily. Admission. Hiking, climbing, backpacking, camping, picnicking, nature study. Enchanted Rock is among the oldest exposed rocks in North America. Group Picnic area with a pavilion.
Fort Martin Scott Historic Site, 210-997-9895, 1606 E. Main, 2 miles east on Hwy. 290. Hours 9–5 Saturday and Sunday year round except Christmas. Admission. Pre-Civil War military post established in 1848 was the first U. S. Army frontier fort in Texas. The fort was home to at least eight Civil War generals including Confederate James Longstreet. Reconstruction includes the guardhouse, a civilian log cabin and two officers' quarters. Visitor Center includes exhibits about the post including documents and artifacts recovered from the site.
Fredericksburg Brewing Company, 245 E. Main, 210-997-1646. Beers are brewed in the German brewing tradition; located in a restored rock building.
Fredericksburg Herb Farm, 210-997-8615, 402 Whitney Street. Monday–Saturday 9:30–5:30; Sunday 1–4.
Fredericksburg Winery, 210-990-8747, 247 W. Main. Monday–Thursday 10–6, Friday and Saturday 10–8; Sunday 11–6.
Gish's Old West Museum, 210-997-2794, 502 N. Milam. Come by or call for appointment. Display of Old West relics, including collections of saddles, lawmen's badges and old guns, cowboy attire and an exhibit of western art.
Grape Creek Vineyards, Hwy 290 E (10 miles), 210-644-2710. Open for tour and tastings Monday—Saturday 10–5, Sunday 12–5. Vineyards feature antique roses, bed & breakfast, gift shop, tasting room.
Historic District includes "Sunday Houses," small structures usually with a sleeping loft reached by an outside stairway, erected in town by farmers and ranchers to have a place to stay when they came to buy needed staples, to sell their butter and crops, visit on Saturdays and then attend church on Sundays.
Jeep Collins Jewelry Workshop, 310 Post Oak Road, 210-997-7716 visitor center; 210-997-3135 retail shop. Tours Monday—Friday 9–10:30 and 1:30–3. Lost wax casting method as well as jewelry wrought by hand from silver, brass and gold.
Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, 210-997-4202, Texas Hwy 16 S, 3 miles. Hours 6:30 AM–11 PM (daylight savings) 6:30 AM–10 PM remainder of year. Includes an 18-hole golf course, two putting greens,swimming pool, baseball diamonds, volleyball and tennis courts. Lake for boating (no motors) and fishing. Picnic areas with BBQ grills, outdoor pavilions. Overnight camping areas.
LBJ State and National Historical Parks—Stonewall area, 210-644-2252, Hwy 290 E, 16 miles. Hours 8–5 daily, except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Visitor center, park store, Behren's "Dogtrot" Cabin (C. 1840s), outdoor amphitheater, nature trail and Sauer Beckmann Living History Farmstead 8–4:30 daily), depicting traditional German family living in the early 1900s. Exhibits, movie, slide shows, hiking, wildlife displays, picnic and rest areas, playground, dining hall, group picnic area, fishing, swimming, tennis, baseball facilities. Tour buses to see the LBJ Ranch depart from the state park visitor center.
Luckenbach, Texas, 210-997-3224, 5 miles southeast of Fredericksburg off FM 1376, consists of a dancehall, bar and general store. Dances are held monthly.
Pioneer Museum Complex, 210-997-2835, 309 W. Main. Hours Monday—Saturday 10–5; Sunday 1–5. Admission: $3 per person (12 & up). The main museum building, the 1849 stone Kammlah house and store, features eight furnished rooms, a wine cellar; three pioneer kitchens with open hearths, a stone covered hof (yard). Other buildings include the Fassel family limestone home furnished with buggies, a smokehouse, a barn and blacksmith shop, the Walton-Smith log cabin, the authentic Weber Sunday House, the one-room White Oak schoolhouse, and the Fredericksburg Volunteer Fire Department Museum. A home-cooked German meal is offered with a two week notice. Minimum of 15 people. Contact Gillespie County Historical Society, 312 W. San Antonio St., Fredericksburg, TX 78624
Round Up at Heard Ranch, 210-997-7217 or 824-3328, Tivydale Rd. Show and meal by appointment. A cattle roundup where Heard Ranch cowboys and vaqueros herd, rope, tie and brand calves for visiting spectators. After the demonstration, cowboys answer questions and converse with the guests. Includes a Texas style barbeque from the chuck wagon.
Vereins Kirche Museum, 210-997-2835. Hours Monday—Saturday
10–4, Sunday 1–4. Admission $1.50 per person (12 years and
up). Originally constructed in 1847 as a church, meeting hall, school,
and fort, this building is the landmark building of Fredericksburg.
Vereins Kirche translates to "Society Church." Features
pictures and artifacts about life in early Gillespie
County. Contact the Gillespie County Historical Society, 312 W. San
Antonio St., Fredericksburg, TX 78624
Wildseed Farms Market Center, 210-990-8080, Hwy 290 E (7 miles). One of the nation's largest working wildflower farms. Market Center includes seeds, wine, peaches, antiques and other Texas Hill Country gifts.
Annual Events
January: Midnight Volksmarch; Gillespie Co. 4-H
& FFA Livestock Show; Gem & Mineral Show
February: Masken Ball; Gun & Knife Show; Hug In; Pedernales
Promenade
March: St. Francis Xavier Parish Fest; Hereford Association
Sale; Mud Dauber Festival & Ball; Country Peddler Show; Nimitz
Museum Program; Easter Fires Program
April: Gun & Knife Show; Outdoor Expo; Spring Herb Fest;
Spring Real Antiques Show; Pitapat Dance; Wildflower Run & Walk
May: Founder's Day Celebration; Comanche Nation Pow-Wow; Memorial
Day Service
June: Artists Invitational Show; Country Peddler Show; Hill
Country Golf Classic; June—August Parimutuel Horse Racing; Volkssport
Festival; Stonewall Peach JAMboree & Rodeo; Antique Tractor &
Engine Show
July: Children's 4th of July Parade; Night in Old Fredericksburg
Festival; NIOF Parimutuel Horse Racing; Vor Schuetzenfest; Hill Country
Auto Swap Meet & Car Display
August: Bundes Schuetzenfest; Ecumenical Peace Program; Doss
Community Fair
October: Oktoberfest; Hill Country Cycle Tour: St. Joseph's
Hall Craft Sale; State Chili Championship & Ball; TX Mesquite
Art Festival; Nimitz Symposium; Food & Wine Fest
November: Die Kunstler von Fredericksburg Art Show; Veterans
Day Salute; Real Antiques Show; Gun & Knife Show; Regional Christmas
Lighting Tour Begins; Country Peddler Show
December: Jaycee Santa Claus Parade; Kinderfest; Pearl Harbor
Program; Stonewall Heritage Society Gala; Kristkindl Markt; Candlelight
Tour of Homes; Zweiter Weihnachten; New Year's Eve Dance
Accommodations
Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouse Reservations Services
Bed & Breakfast of Fredericksburg, 210-997-4712
Be My Guest, 210-997-7227
Gastehaus Schmidt Reservation Service, 210-997-5612
Hill Country Lodging & Reservation Service, 210-990-8455 or 800-745-3591
Motels
Best Western Sunday House Inn, 210-997-4484
Budget Host Deluxe Inn, 800-bud-host or 210-997-3344
Comfort Inn, 210-997-9811
Country Inn, 210-997-2185
Days Inn Suites, 800-329-7466
Dietzel Motel, 210-997-3330
Econo Lodge, 210-997-3437
Frederick Motel, 800-996-6050, 210-997-6050
Fredericksburg Inn & Suites, 210-997-0202
Frontier Inn Motel, 210-997-4389
Miller Inn, 210-997-2244
Peach Tree Inn, 800-843-4666, 210-997-2117
Save Inn, 210-997-6568
Stonewall Motel, 210-644-2661
Sunset Motel, 210-997-9581
Restaurants
Alfredo's, 505 W. Main, 210-997-8593
Altdorf Restaurant, 301 W. Main, 210-997-7865
Andy's Diner, 413 S. Washington, 210-997-3744
Auslander Restaurant, 323 E. Main, 210-997-7714
Biggardi's Restaurant, 1035 Hwy. 16 S
China Garden, 116 N. Crockett, 210-997-0231
Church's Chicken, 614 E. Main, 210-997-7333
Circle C Chuckwagon, Hwy. 87 S, 210-997-9893
Cookie Jar, 106 E. Main, 210-997-3499
Dairy Queen, 902 E. Main, 210-997-4648
Der Lindenbaum, 312 E. Main, 210-997-9126
Enchanted Inn, 3 miles N. from Main on RR 965, 210-997-5206
Engel's Deli, 320 E. Main, 210-997-3176
El Gallo Restaurant, 11 Miles out Hwy. 290 W, 210-669-2406
Fredericksburg Brewing Co., 245 E. Main, 210-997-1646
Fredericksburg Herb Farm, 402 Whitney, 210-997-8615
Friedhelm's Bavarian Inn & Bar, 905 W. Main, 210-997-6300
Gallery Restaurant, 230 E. Main, 210-997-8777
George's Old German Bakery, 225 W. Main, 210-997-9084
Golden Corral Restaurant, 518 E. Main, 210-997-6213
Ken Hall Barbecue Place, 1.5 miles S of Main, Hwy. 87, 210-997-2353
Harry's on the Loop, FM 1323, Willow City Loop, 210-685-3553
Lincoln Street, 111 S. Lincoln, 210-997-8463
Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant, 2 miles from Main, Hwy. 16 N, 210-997-5856
Luckenbach Inn, Luckenbach Road, 800-997-1124
Mamacita's Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, 506 E. Main, 210-997-9546
McDonald's, 611 E. Main, 210-997-7600
Navajo Grill, 209 E. Main, 210-990-8289
The Nest, 607 S. Washington, 210-990-8383
Peach Tree Tea Room/The Peach Tree After Hours, 210 S. Adams Street,
800-255-3355, 210-997-9527
Pizza Hut, 1104 E. Main, 210-997-7222
Plateau Cafe, 312 W. Main, 210-997-1853
Porky's Hamburger & Onion Ring Co., 904 W. Main, 210-997-6882
The Queen's Head, 419 W. Main, 210-997-9929
Sonic Drive In, 1106 W. Main, 210-997-7303
Spanish Cellar Bistro, 201 N. Llano, 210-997-9076
Stag's Leap, 755 S. Washington, 210-990-8881
Sunday House Restaurant & Convention Center, 515 E. Main, 210-997-9696
Wheeler's Restaurant, 204 E. Main, 210-990-8180
The White Buffalo, 304 N. Llano, 210-997-9127