Fayette County Record Visitors Guide

There’s so much more in Fayette County.

Where heritage comes to life!

THE OFFICIAL

FAYETTE COUNTY, TEXAS 2012 VISITORS GUIDE

Visit • Live It • Love It Published by the

FAYETTE COUNTY RECORD

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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You’re Here...Now What? Over the Next 70 Pages, Let Us Show You

Page x • Day, Date xx, 2009

THE FAYETTE COUNTY RECORD

So Glad You’re Here

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Fayette County.

Fayette County Judge Edward F. Janecka

ORS ISIT D V FIN ERE WH WAYS LY D AL IEN !

A FR COME L WE

We in Fayette County are extremely proud of our county and the people that live here and believe in preserving our heritage and history. You will find the citizens of Fayette County friendly, courteous and always willing to help. Please make yourself at home and visit our historical sites and our many points of interest.

You will find the food delicious and accommodations comfortable. I hope your experience is a pleasant one and hope you will come back to see us soon.

Edward F. Janecka Fayette County Judge

Welcome, Y’all There’s so much more in Fayette County.

Where heritage comes to life!

THE OFFICIAL

FAYETTE COUNTY, TEXAS 2012 VISITORS GUIDE

Visit • Live It • Love It Published by the

FAYETTE COUNTY RECORD

The Fayette County Visitors Guide is produced annually by The Fayette County Record, in support of all the many communities of Fayette County.

The independently owned Record is in its 90th year of service to its readers and has the sixth largest paid circulation of all twice-weekly newspapers in the state of Texas.

This Visitors Guide is available free on the web. Go to www. fayettecountyrecord.com and click on View Our Print Edition.

“We love it here.”

That’s what newcomers to Fayette County hear over and over as they meet others who’ve moved to this most surprising of Texas counties.

Fayette County isn’t just one community, it’s many communities – each proudly preserving its own church, its own chamber of commerce, its own ethnic traditions, its own school, its own dance hall, even its own Farm Bureau!

But there’s nothing clannish or cliquish about it. All these communities are proud of each other, too. And together they create Surprising Fayette County – a richly diverse collection of friendly, welcoming families and businesses.

Square dance or polka, symphony or bluegrass, hunting or fishing, black-tie or blue jean, you’ll fit right in, here in Fayette County. No wonder so many say, “We love it here.”

Come see for yourself.

Larry Jackson

Editor and Publisher The Fayette County Record

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Face of Fayette

By JEFF WICK The Fayette County Record

X

AS

Monument Hill State Park in La Grange, above, is a nice place to play or to pay respect to men who lost their lives fighting for Texas Independence.

CA

S

WE BUILD ON

U

YOUR

S

C

O LAND TTAGE

AL 

 TE

Here smack dab in the middle of the big triangle formed by Houston, Austin and San Antonio life is pretty good.

In this visitor’s guide we’ve tried our best to highlight just a few of the reasons why 25,000 people call this county home – and why that number doubles on weekends.

But it’s no easy task to describe an area as diverse as Fayette County.

This is an area settled by farmers and ranchers, but made famous by antiques lovers, musicians and a little something called The Chicken Ranch.

College kids compete every summer for the honor of coming here to put on Shakespeare plays – in a barn.

The best kolaches in the world are made here. The best fruitcake and pralines too.

We’re named after a French guy (LaFayette) but we’re mostly of Czech and German descent.

We’re home to the famed Painted Churches, four of the most famous houses of worship in Texas.

We’ve produced NFL All-Pros and baseball major leaguers.

Some 12,000 cyclists spend the night here every April as part of the largest charity bike race in the world.

The state’s only meadery is located here and the historical remnants of one of Texas’ first beer breweries.

The only traffic jams here are during the county fair.

The most ornate quilts ever made in this state are on display at the Texas Quilt Museum here.

Lately there’s some new millionaires walking around thanks to the oil boom, and our unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the state.

We’ve got a winding river and a huge lake that never drops an inch – even during last year’s drought.

We’ve got the biggest hill this side of the Hill Country. But we call it the bluff.

The oldest continuous Independence Day celebration West of the Mississippi is celebrated here.

Every spring and fall thousands of antique vendors set up their tents in our cattle pastures.

Fayette County surprises people like that.

Get out and let it surprise you too.

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

ShoppedCARMINELately?

Be sure to check out the Little City with the BIG Heart.

Carmine City Hall 979-278-3273 www.cityofcarmine.org Chamber of Commerce 979-278-4200

HALLS for RENT Carmine Lions Club 979-278-3613 Carmine Hall 979-278-9990 Carmine Volunteer Fire Dept.

979-278-3250 Carmine’s Muehlbrad- Albers Pavilion 979-278-3273

Market Realty 979-830-9600 Wellmann Insurance 979-836-3613

FOOD 4G Convenience Store 979-278-3000 JW’S Steakhouse 979-278-4240

BUSINESSES D&T Antiques 979-865-2136 Hour Glass Trading Co. 979-278-4040 Jayne’s Place Antique Mall 979-278-3866 MUSEUMS Carmine Train Depot & Museum Emily & Company 832-514-9345 979-278-4200 Hill Country Collectibles Texas Basketball Museum 979-278-3314 979-278-4222 Texas Trash & Treasures 979-278-3404 SERVICES Neese’s Antiques & Collectibles Carmine Charolais Ranch 979-278-3280 979-278 3270 Stoney Creek Antiques Carmine State Bank 713-898-7667 979-278-3244 Texas Casual Cottages www.csbcarmine.com 979-278-3015 Carmine Feed & Fertilizer Trendy Chicks 979-278-3111 832-928-4398 City Garage Unique Antiques 979-278-3377 979-278-3690 Darlene’s Custom Sewing West of Brazos 979-278-3325 Diane Langley, Realtor Associate Trading Co. 979-278-3010 Round Top Real Estate 979-525-1324 Honest to Goodness Growers 979-278-3053 J.R Flasowski Septic Service 979-830-3643 L.A. Mayer Enterprises Monty Mayer 979-542-7988 Lila Garlin, Realtor Associate Round Top Real Estate 281-705-4647 Lisa Mayer, Broker Associate Round Top Real Estate 979-966-3686

LODGING Aunt Clara’s Guest House 713-569-9274 Sugar Hill Retreat Bed & Breakfast 979-278-3039 Pecan Grove Inn 979-278-3965 RV PARK Dixieland RV Park 979-278-3805

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

An Event for Every Taste

No Matter the Time of Year, There’s Always Something to do in Fayette County A partial list of our annual events:

APRIL

Antiques Festival in Round Top and surrounding communities. Nationally recognized as one of the largest antiques events in America, drawing thousands of dealers to tents, fields and buildings from Fayetteville to Burton. Continues through first full weekend of April (and Octorber).

BP MS-150. A two day, 150-mile bicycle journey from Houston to Austin to raise money for the fight against MS. This is the largest event of its kind in North America.

In 2010, 12,000 cyclists raised more than $16 million for multiple sclerosis. Riders spend Saturday night at the Fayette County Fairgrounds in La Grange. Day Two starts at the fairgrounds and ends at the State Capitol. April 21-22, 2012.

11th Annual Poetry Forum, Festival Hill, May 4-6, 2012.

Flatonia Crawfest. Crawfish, shrimp and more, music and dancing at American Legion Hall. April 21, 2012.

Art Walk, sponsored by Arts for Rural Texas. Fayetteville Square, May 5-6.

MAY

May Fest (Slavnost) at Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center. A celebration of Czech music and culture. May 20, 2012.

Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival.

Great classical masterworks performed by international performers at the historic Country Place Hotel on the Fayetteville square. May 11-19.

Tomato Festival, Ellinger. Last Sunday in May. Annual Memorial Day ceremony, 10 a.m. May 28. Koenig & Strickland Funeral Home, La Grange.

JUNE

Main Street Flag Day celebration, June 14, 2012. Courthouse Square, La Grange, Juneteenth Parade & Celebration, weekend nearest June 19.

Opening Concert, in the 1,000-seat Concert Hall at Round Top for the 41st annual summer Festival-Institute for classical music students. Public programs from June 9 to July 14.

JULY

Round Top 4th of July Parade, oldest continuous Independence Day parade west of the Mississippi River.

Patriotic Concert at Festival Hill. Stefan Sanders, conducting. July 1, 2012.

Heart of the Tin Trunk, an original her-

Historical Reenactors make Texas history come alive at the annual Texas Heroes Day festivities at Monument Hill State Park in La Grange. This year’s event will be on Sept. 15.

Photo by Jeff Wick

itage musical, staged at the Concert Hall at Festival Hill in Round Top. A Broadwaystyle musical with original songs, energetic dances, colorful characters, and romance.

The story is based on real historical Fayette County immigrants, the Czechs and Germans who made Central Texas their home.

July 27-29, August 3-5, 2012.

AUGUST

Schulenburg Festival, the “National Party of Texas.” Three big days of live music and fun. Wolters Park, Aug. 2-5, 2012.

Plus rodeo preceding the festival.

Fayette County Sheriff’s Posse Bull Riding and Rodeo Event, Sheriff’s Posse Arena, La Grange, Mid-August

SEPTEMBER

Fayette County Fair, La Grange, always Labor Day weekend. Music, dances, livestock shows, home ec exhibits, cookoffs, softball tournament. Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2012.

Texas Heroes Day, Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites, La Grange. Sept. 15, 2012. 8 am-noon. Free Admission.

OCTOBER

Muziky, Muziky, an annual celebra-

tion of Czech music and culture, at the Sanford Schmid Amphitheater on the Fayette County Fairgrounds.

Fall Antiques Festival in Round Top and surrounding communities. Nationally recognized as one of the largest antiques events in America, drawing thousands of dealers to tents, fields and buildings from Fayetteville to Burton. Late Sept. through early October.

Czhilispiel, Flatonia. One of the oldest and biggest chili cookoffs in Texas. Every fourth full weekend of October. Three days of live music, dancing and lots of chili.

Oct. 26-28, 2012.

Lickskillet Festival, Fayetteville. Polka music, barbecue cookoff, street dance, parade, queen’s pageant. Oct. 19-21.

Trick-or-Treat on the Square, Free trick-or-treating for children in daylight hours around the courthouse square. Date varies.

before Veterans Day (this year its Nov. 11) there is a Memorial Mass at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, followed by a outdoor program attended by hundreds to honor all veterans followed by a fried chicken dinner and festivities at the church hall and grounds.

Praha Veterans’ Day Events, The southern Fayette County community of Praha lost nine of its own in battles in World War II, even though the town itself has less than 100 residents. Every year on the Sunday

Best Little Cowboy Gathering in Texas, Fayette County Fairgrounds, La Grange.

Chuckwagon exhibits, Western trade show, Horse Clinic, BBQ Cookoff, Cowgirl’s Ball, children’s activities, cowboy poetry and Story Tellin’.

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Schmeckenfest, La Grange’s Old World Christmas celebration on the courthouse square. Sample wassail from participating merchants. German dancing, bell choirs, carolling, booths.

Christmas in Flatonia. Lighting of Christmas village and Santa’s arrival one evening. Christmas Market on a Saturday.

FEBRUARY

Best Little Quilt Show in Texas, Quilt extravaganza at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. Last Friday and Saturday in February.

MARCH

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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Trains to Polka, We’ve Got a Museum About It Seeking genealogical information?

Check with the extensive records in the Fayette Heritage Museum Archives.

Are you a railroad buff? Visit the La Grange Depot Museum or in Flatonia, the Flatonia Rail Park and Central Texas Rail History Center.

Music and decorative arts your thing?

The International Festival Institute Library and Museum near Round Top will ring your bell.

Does architecture of the 19th century appeal? Go to Winedale near Round Top, Henkel Square on the Round Top square, the Faison House, Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center and Old Fayette County Jail in La Grange plus the Kreische Home on Monument Hill to tour restored and furnished homes and buildings.

(Or just look around you at the wonderful 100-year-old-plus homes folks are still living in all over the county.)

Interested in local, county and Texas settlement history? Try the Fayetteville Area Heritage Museum, Round Top Historical Society and E.A. Arnim Archive and Museum (Flatonia).

Model airplanes? The Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum in Schulenburg.

In short, there is a museum in our county for almost anyone’s interest. Just check out the times, fees and directions below.

Central Texas Rail History Museum: Artifacts, photos and documents. 104 E. South Main, Flatonia Sat. 1-3 or by appointment. (361) 865- 3003.

La Grange Depot Museum: History of MKT (Katy) Railroad & Southern Pacific Rail service. Artifacts and original furnish-

ings. Active track right outside the door!

Washington and Lafayette Sts., La Grange Phone: 979-968-9416 or 979-968-5756 E-mail: farssr@farssr.com Open: Second and fourth Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Sunday, 2-5 p.m.

Old Fayette County Jail: Law enforcement history in Fayette County from its beginnings in 1883. See a remaining jail cell from the first jail. 171 South Main, La Grange. Phone: 800-524-7264 E-mail: tourism@lagrangetx.org Open: MondayFriday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Gustav Fredrick & Josephine Oxehufwund Collection of three centuries of Swedish Decorative Arts. Dedicated to music, arts and humanities. Preserves rare books, manuscripts, photographs, archival materials, recordings and art; the personal library of former Texas State Librarian, Dr. Dorman Winfrey. Concert hall built by local craftsmen. Performances by international artists and musicians. 248 Jaster Rd. off State Highway 237, Round Top. Phone: 979-249-3129 Web: www.festivalhill.org E-mail: info@festivalhill.org Open: By appointment, Mondays through

Fridays.

Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Park: Remains of the early brewery and monument to the men of the 1842 Dawson Mier Expedition who drew the “black beans of death” after their capture by the Mexican Army at Salado Creek.

See an outstanding view of downtown La Grange and the Colorado River. A Texas Heroes Day is held at Monument Hill

Continued from previous page

every September featuring re-enactors and

Continued on next page

Round Top Historical Society: Memorabilia, historical books, records and genealogy. 397 E. Mill Street, Round Top. E-mail: rtahs@cvctx.com Open: FridaySaturday, 12 - 3 p.m., or by appointment 979-249-5058.

Texas Quilt Museum: Opened in Nov, 2011, features some of the most stunning quilts ever made by Texans. 140 W. Colorado St. in La Grange. Open 10 a.m. to

to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

979-968-3104.

Czech Music Museum of Texas: Opened in 2012, focuses on different varieties of Czech Music (Polka, Folk, Religious and Classical). Located next to the Czech Heritage and Cultural Center north of La Grange on Highway 77 by the fairgrounds. 1-888-785-4500. Hours vary.

$20 Gift Certificate

International Festival Institute, Library & Museum: American furniture, china, paintings, music and archives of Texas composer David R. Guion; the Anders

Includes Free Golf Disc, Free Green Fee, One Round of 21 Holes and Lessons.

Limit 1 Certificate Per Person. Expires Dec. 31, 2012.

Snow Farm Disc Golf Course

3405 Muske-Ullrich Rd. Burton, Texas 77835 Randon Dillingham Cell Check out the law enforcement history of Fayette County at the old jail at 171 South Main in La Grange.

979-451-2069 • rpdillo@yahoo.com Call or e-mail for tee time and directions. www.snowfarmdiscgolf.com

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Interesting Museums Abound in Fayette County

guest speakers. 414 State Loop 92 off U.S. 77 (on the bluff) Phone: 979-968-5658 Open every day but Christmas 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Call for tour information.

Texas Polka Museum: Opened in April 2010, this museum is located at 625 North Main in downtown Schulenburg, across the street from the Chamber of Commerce. It features exhibits of instruments, pictures,costumes, histories and music of Texas polka bands. For more information call 979-743-4752. Website: www.texaspolkamuseum.com Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum: The history of the Stanzel brothers’ role in the development of fly-by-wire model airplanes. See the “Barn” where the early work was done by the Stanzels. 311 Baumgarten St., Schulenburg (Off U.S. 77). Phone: 979-743-6559 Web: www.stanzelmuseum. org E-mail: museum@stanzelmuseum.org Open: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

(Admission fee required).

Fayetteville Area Heritage Museum: History of Fayetteville area. Collection of the Teddy Schultz model trains & railroads. 117 N. Washington on the Square in Fayetteville Phone: 979-378-2742, 979378-2378 Open: Friday and Sunday, 2 - 4 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. - noon, 2 - 4 p.m.

Flatonia Rail Park: Southern Pacific Tower #3 and Southern Pacific Caboose #4743 (open by appointment); covered railroad photo pavilion (open 24/7). Main Street at Railroad Tracks Phone: 979-7435366 E-mail: bandit1@peguins.net.

Fayette Heritage Museum Archives: Rotating displays on Fayette County history.

Extensive collection of county genealogy, microfilmed publications, local documents, photographs and data from the early 1800s.

855 South Jefferson, La Grange. Phone: 979-968-6418 E-mail: library@cityoflg. com Open: Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 - 5 p.m.

Mt. Olive Museum & Cultural Center: History of the Armstrong Colony, an early settlement of freed slaves. The building was a school during segregation. Records of slave transactions. 835 Armstrong Derry Rd., Waelder (Gonzales County) Phone: 361-865-2902 Open: Friday-Saturday from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., 1 - 3 p.m. Call for special tour.

E.A. Arnim Archives & Museum: Artifacts dating from the founding of Flatonia in 1873. New 3,000-square foot veterans museum. Out back is a livery stable with

Santa arrived by train and greeted kids at the La Grange Depot Museum.

Photo by Larry Jackson

wagons, buggies, vintage tack and farm implements. 101 E. North Main, Flatonia Phone: 361-865-3455 E-mail: arnimmuseum@att.net; Open: Thursday-Friday, 1 - 4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and by appointment.

Henkel Square: A circle of restored pioneer buildings from all over the county, now containing shops. On the square in Round Top. <www.texaspioneerarts.com> Texas Basketball Museum: A treasury of Texas basketball memorabilia ranging from Shaquille O’Neal’s high school jersey to early basketballs and scoreboards.

It opened in 2009. A Hall of Fame Room details exploits of famous Texas prep basketball players. The museum is run

by Bob Springer, a former college basketball player and coach, who now publishes Texas Basketball magazine. Many items in the museum Springer collected himself over the past 40 years. Located in Carmine on the corner of Augsburg Ave. and Hauptstrasse Street. Hours vary. For more information or to set up a tour call 1-979-278-4222.

The music was lively at the grand opening of the Czech Music Museum of Texas earlier this year in La Grange.

Photo by Jeff Wick

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The population of Warrenton, above, swells from a few hundred to a few thousand every April and September for the antiques markets.

A Junker’s Paradise

World’s Largest Antiques Show Takes Over Tiny Warrenton & Round Top Twice a Year

By H.H. HOWZE

The Fayette County Record

Mention “Round Top” to a woman anywhere in the United States, and – if she’s heard of it at all – she’ll probably say something like, “Isn’t that where they have that antiques thing?”

It’s known colloquially as “Round Top,” and for good reason. It started there in 1967, but long ago outgrew its origins and spread all over the countryside.

The shows now encompass six little towns, sixty venues and thousands of vendors, quickly followed by tens of thousands of shoppers.

Traditional dates are “the first full weekends of April and October,” but in practice, many venue owners require 10-16 day booth space rental. Setting up, tearing down and moving out take another 10 days. All in all, it’s about a month of paranormal activities in the countryside twice a year.

Lines of vehicles on farm-to-market roads are the key indicator – along with miles of white tents and almost-continuous roadside attractions – that the semi-annual event is happening in northern Continued on next page

If you’ve got the time to search through the wares of the thousands of vendors you can find just about anything.

Moving trucks are at a premium locally during the antique markets days between people moving in things to sell and buyers hauling finds home.

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Antiques and collectibles sprout up like wildflowers in the fields of northern Fayette County every spring and fall.

‘Just Wandering Around Works Fine’ Continued from Page 10 Fayette County.

Rooms are booked in all area motels, B&Bs and private homes far in advance.

There’s no overall organizing authority, according to Robert Alvarado, who probably has a better grasp of the phenomenon than anyone. He has been publishing his guide to the venues, Show Daily, since 2000. It is the serious shoppers’ Bible, but there’s so much to see, just wandering around also works fine for most people.

In the last several years, some female vendors and shoppers have cultivated a characteristic style of dress or “look” which might be described as a combination of “gypsy cowgirl” and “shabby chic.” It consists of tapered jeans or flowing skirts, high western boots and straw cowboy hats. The fashion statement has been popularized by the Junk Gypsies, a College Station mother-and-sisters act, who have a cable TV reality show.

The Gypsies’ tonguein-cheek name for themselves reflects a departure from the rather hoity-toity tone of the original antiques show in Round Top. Although their original venue location is in Warrenton,

a new Junk Gypsy “world headquarters” is abuilding on the banks of Cummins Creek near Round Top. Their website says it won’t be ready for this spring, but should be open in time for the fall show.

Another change with an international flavor is the new headquarters of “Shabby Chic” fashionista Rachel Ashwell, northeast of Round Top on the way to Shelby. It’s dubbed “The Prairie.”

Ashwell and the Junk Gypsies reflect the notion that much of the “antiques” market has become more

like an English flea market.

Londoner Ashwell makes no bones about developing her aesthetic using “fabulous flea market finds.”

The irony is that what is now a mass phenomenon started as a rather exclusive party for wealthy Houstonians. How it grew so big – some say it’s the largest antiques market in the country – is an interesting tale.

The original Round Top antiques show was the idea of three Houston matrons way back in 1967. There was one venue – the Concontinued from Page 1 Continued on Page 12

Celebrity designer Rachel Ashwell was a regular shopper at Warrenton and Round Top before buying a bed and breakfast and opening a store here last year.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Festival Hill Going Strong at Forty-One It began as a dream. What’s it’s become is almost magical.

Who would dare to stand in a cow pasture in the heart of central Texas, and declare it to be the future site of one of the world’s greatest performance and learning centers? A young concert pianist from Hutchinson, Kansas by the name of James Dick. Over the next 40 years, he would guide the development of the Round Top Festival Institute and its campus, Festival Hill.

How did this internationally famous Center for Performance and Learning, situated a half mile from the town square of Round Top Texas come to be? Perhaps because of the music, the achitecture, the ambience, the gardens, and the beauty of this magical place Something for everyone.

The architectural styles and decorative motifs offer something to appeal to every taste.The custom woodwork in the concert hall features musical lyres with Lone Stars in their centers.

Other sites to see are the pharmacy garden, stone bridges and wooded areas, the plaza, the Big Barn and the Great Shed, the Edythe Bates Old Chapel, the Menke House and Clayton Houses, the David W. Guion Room and the Oxehufwud Room. Take a guided tour and see it all.

If you dream, dream big.

There were two dreams in James Dick’s life.

To create and grow Festival Hill and to become an internationally famous concert pianist. Both would come true. James Dick began his career by playing the triangle in his kindergarten classroom. Encouraged by his parents, he eventually, would study piano with Dalies Frantz, a noted American pianist at the University of Texas at Austin. After graduating with honors in piano, James received two back-to-back Fulbright Fellowships, and has received many honors, including the 2009 Texas Medal of Arts and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from his alma mater. He also took top prizes at the Tchaikosky, Busoni and Leventritt International Competitions.

Besides his own concert career, James Dick had another burning passion. To establish a teaching institute. He recognized how important his teachers and mentors had been to him, and he wanted to pass this gift along to others.

Build it and they will come.

Several locations were considered but, ultimately, Round Top was chosen. Miss Ima Hogg was an early James Dick fan, and noted for her knowledge of historic homes, beauty, craftsmanship and gardens.

With Richard Royall – a recent Princeton

and University of Texas Law School graduate – as managing director, James started Round Top Festival Institute, the sole endeavor of The James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts. The effort to attract talented faculty, motivated students with professional aspirations, appreciative audiences, and philanthropic support began. The goal was to raise full scholarships for each participating young artist.

Bring your lawnchair.

In the early years, piano-only performances were held in rented space, with ten young artists studying and performing with the Institute for two weeks of the summer. Practice areas and lodging for students and faculty was provided in the homes of interested neighbors throughout the nearby country side, including the Round Top home of Miss Ima Hogg.

Location, location, location.

While Round Top is tiny, its location turned out to be the perfect place to build a dream.

A place that provides year-round arts and humanities programs, houses museum and library collections, and continues with its centerpiece project, the Summer Music Festival, now providing training and orchestral performance opportunity to eighty-five young artists each summer.

Listen, look around you and look up.

The pattern of a crystal plate, part of the David W. Guion Collection given to Festival Hill, prompted the design for the concert hall ceiling. Helping this vision have been many philanthropists. Miss Ima Hogg, the Sid Richardson Foundation, and the Bass brothers.

The William Lockhart Clayton House at Festival Hill is named for the man who drafted the Marshall Plan and part of an extended family of philanthropists who have provided significant, ongoing help to the Institute.

A many splendored thing.

Water features are sprinkled across the landscape, a counter to the Texas heat. Flags wave above the green representing the nationalities of the young artists present for the Summer Music Festival. Blooming plants attract hundreds of butterflies, while the acreage with garden space, water and bridges make a perfect setting for the special symphonic and chamber programs offered year round.

Festival Hill truly is a special, magical place where everyone who loves music, art, and beautiful things has an opportunity to come marvel at what it means to be inquisitive.

Come visit Festival Hill... a true Texas Treasure.

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

11

PAGE

12

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

First Antiques Show Here Started With 22 Vendors ... Now There Are Thousands

historic Round Top Rifle Hall.

Hazel Ledbetter, Faith Bybee and, most notably, philantropist Ima Hogg, were all involved with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;discoveryâ&#x20AC;? of the rich local heritage of European-influenced art, craft and architecture.

Their interest in buying, restoring and furnishing 19th-century homes in the area â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially Hoggâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work at Winedale and Bybeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Round Top â&#x20AC;&#x201C; attracted the interest of their circle of friends in Houston, some of whom bought ranches and built homes in the area. They became known locally as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;mink and manure set.â&#x20AC;?

In 1967, Ledbetter, Bybee and Hogg recruited their antiques dealer friend, Emma Lee Turney, to set up the first Round Top show. It was scheduled to coordinate with activites at Winedale.

The show was intended to be a rural entertainment for country gentry and others drawn by the restoration efforts.

Ralph Willard, one of Turneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original 22 vendors, described it as â&#x20AC;&#x153;... a real sort of society thing ...â&#x20AC;?

There were the usual fine American and European antiques, but the hottest items were pieces of handmade 19century Texas furniture which had suddenly become â&#x20AC;&#x153;country-chicâ&#x20AC;? due to the collecting efforts of Hogg and Bybee.

The show became a regular event on the River Oaks social calendar in the late 60s and early 70s. As concerts and other cultural activities flourished at Hoggâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Winedale and Bybeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Henkel Square (including piano concerts by Hoggâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic protege, James Dick,) the antiques show grew too, becoming a semi-annual â&#x20AC;&#x201C; spring and fall â&#x20AC;&#x201C; event.

Money attracted money and social cachet didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hurt. Quite soon, Round Top was not just

The Junk Gypsies, above, are not only show vendors who sponsor an annual Junk-O-Rama Prom during the antiques show, but are currently featured on a HGTV reality show. They recently moved their business to Round Top from College Station.

another dying little agricultural town â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it was re-invented, much in the manner of Santa Fe, as a cultural and artistic center.

Meanwhile, in the late1980s, down the road in Warrenton, the growing popularity of the Round Top shows was not going unnoticed. Bernitta McCormick and her neighbor B. J. Renck both opened up venues along SH 237. It was the beginning of the Warrenton shows

It was also the beginning of a friendly rivalry, not unlike that of Ima Hogg and Faith Bybee according to Fayetteville artist Pat Johnson, one of the early vendors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It just grew every year,â&#x20AC;?

Johnson recalled recently. Now Warrenton is arguably the nexus of the antiques/fleamarket activity, although venues continue to be developed north of Round Top along SH 237 and elsewhere around the county.

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Apothecary at Round Top

Features seasonal decor and gifts.

201 N Live Oak Street (979) 249-5200 www.theapothecaryatroundtopcom Wed-Sun 10-5

Royers Pie Haven

Great pie, pastry and coffee shop.

190 Henkel Square 979-249-JAVA (5282)Â Â Wed - Fri 7:30-5 ~ Sat 8:30-5 Sun 8:30-4

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Indian Creek

!, etc.

$ &" $ ! $ ! ! #

It Fits

Blue Door

One-of-a-kind lamps, table linens, decorative pillows for your home and you. Jewelry too!

192 Henkel Square Round Top 832-671-7821Â Â 979-249-3765 Wednesday - Saturday 10-5; Sundays 11-4

5RXQG 7RS &KDPEHU RI &RPPHUFH

)L[O (UKLYZVU (Y[ .HSSLY`

Proudly serving the business community.

Heritage Texas Country Properties

We will help you find your Country dream or sell your country property.

203 N. Live Oak 888-663-6467Â Â Â Â Fax 979-249-5506 http://www.E-CountryProperty.com/

Copper Shade Tree (U (TLYPJHU -PUL *YHM[ .HSSLY`

110 Schumann Lane Round Top, TX 78954 979.249.3626 www.bethandersonarts.com

Beth Anderson Art Gallery

Nationally recognized local artist - original oil paintings, local scenes.

205 N. Live Oak St. Round Top, Texas 78954 979.249.4042 or 888.368.4783 www.roundtop.org

Round Top Chamber of Commerce info@roundtop.org

13

Artisan gifts, candles, jewelry, accessories, custom florals, home decor and much more.

108 Schumann Lane 979-249-5455Â Â Â Â Fax 979-249-5030 www.icrtt.com Thur-Sat 10-5 ~ Sun 11-4

BLUE DOOR

Fashions for Real Women!

195 Henkel Circle 979-249-3570Â Â 512-787-8679 Wed-Sun 10-5 Showtime Mon-Sun 10-7

PAGE

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Copper Shade Tree

Featuring a delightful collection of decorative and functional crafts handmade by American artisans.

Wed 12-4, Thu-Sun 11-5

PAGE

14

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 19th Annual â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Check out some of our many outstanding businesses and organizations in Fayette County.

Antique Show & Sale

D. Little Gallery

La Bahia

108 N. Washington Round Top, Texas

- Over 80 Dealers -

March 31st - April 7th â&#x20AC;˘ 8 a.m.

Insurance Network of Texas

â&#x20AC;˘ FREE ADMISSION â&#x20AC;˘ FREE PARKING â&#x20AC;˘ GREAT FOOD Porcelain Restoration at Show

107 W. Crockett La Grange, Texas

Queen of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Hostyn

La Bahia Hall

936 FM 2436, La Grange

www.labahiaantiques.com 979.289.2684

Fayette County Record

Located on 290 W/Tx 237 Burton, Texas

127 S. Washington La Grange, Texas

Next Show Sept. 29th - Oct. 6th

Come Experience the Country Prairie Wind Farm Round Top, Texas Â&#x2021; Â&#x2021;

www.pwfarmtexas.com Mention this ad and get 10% off of your next stay at our B&B.

Round Top â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Spend a Night, Stay a Lifetime

By Justin Klehm

Where â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good to meet you!â&#x20AC;? turns into â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good to see ya again!â&#x20AC;? Nestled in the rolling hills of east Central Texas rests a small rural Texas town boasting a population of 90 people. The town is known as Round Top, where you can spend one night or stay a lifetime.

Out of over 57 million square miles of land on Earth, the single square mile that Round Top occupies offers many attractions, including amenities and festivals in and surrounding the town, that at times increase the population seven-fold. Only a short drive from San Antonio, and an even shorter one from Houston or Austin, Round Top offers big city style and small town charm.

Round Top is not just a town, but a destination. It consists largely of stone and wood buildings dating to the 1800s. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; residents, merchants, and visitors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that help this small town thrive. It is where the proprietor, the local patron, and the tourist come to know one another. It is Round Top â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we want to know you!

When staying in our area, there are many lodging opportunities. Our bed and breakfasts offer a sweet dreams, charming

rural scenery and a delectable breakfast when you awake. If you desire a more private alternative, you can always rent one of the private cottages available in town or the surrounding area.

After your leisurely wake-up, you can tour the town proper â&#x20AC;&#x201C; its fine arts and crafts galleries, home dĂŠcor and gift shops. There are boutiques offering fine linens, vintage jewelry and eclectic finds, as well as dining, drinking and live music venues.Stroll around our four squares â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Henkel, Bybee, Town Square and Village Green â&#x20AC;&#x201C; enjoying the architecture and ambience.

Right outside town is the Round Top Festival Institute featuring monthly concerts and forums and a summer concert season when the scenic campus and worldclass concert hall hosts professional and aspiring musicians. Check out their website @ www.festivalhill.org.

Round Top is also the home of the Original Round Top Antiques Fair which has grown to astronomical proportions since its inception in 1967. Thousands of vendors and shoppers from around the world visit our rural area searching for treasures to take home or resell.

Although the event has spread to surContinued on next page

THE GALLERY at ROUND TOP and

Comforts

201 and 203 East Austin Round Top, Texas 78954 979-249-4119 Wednesday - Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. www.thegalleryatroundtop.com

The replica Civil War-era cannon on the Round Top square is fired annually to signal the beginning of the Fourth of July Parade.

Photo by Jeff Wick

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Tiny Town, Big Events rounding towns and rural venues, it is still rreferred to as “Round Top.” The antiques market happens every spring and fall beginning in March and September and continues through the first full weekend in April and October.

From high-end antiques to the most odd oddities, it’s all on the plate!

Last but not least, Round Top holds the oldest annual Independence Day Parade and Celebration this side of the Mississippi!

The event is a grand small town parade beginning at the historic Round Top Rifle Hall, going around the Square, through the neighborhoods and ending back at Rifle Hall for barbecue. Come early, stay late, and celebrate why we are here!

So when looking for a short drive or a longer trip, entertain the idea of Round Top – the place you fall in love with in Texas!

Visit us @ www.roundtop. org or just come and see us.

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

15

The Round Top Fourth of July parade is the oldest continous Independence Day Celebration West of the Mississippi. In 2012, the town will celebrate the 162nd annual event. Shown here is the parade from 2011 with iconic Royer’s Cafe in the background.

Photo by Jeff Wick

PAGE

16

Winedale and Shakespeare

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Celebrating Summer Together for 42 Years

Just like Fayette County music ranges from polkas to symphonies, there’s worldclass theater here, too.

It’s heart lies in Winedale.

That’s the tiny Texas community that Miss Ima Hogg fell in love with and literally bought – then turned it over to The University of Texas.

Shakespeare at Winedale began as an English Department course in 1970. It grew out of a meeting between Professor James Ayres (“Doc” to his students) and Miss Hogg, the philanthropist regarded as “the First Lady of Texas.”

Every summer, Shakespeare comes to life in the Theater Barn at Winedale.

Miss Hogg had recently restored and donated to the University the Winedale Historical Center, a 270-acre area of pasture, woodland and historic pioneer buildings in central Texas. Noting the resemblance of an 1880s hay barn to an Elizabethan theater, she suggested that Ayres try having his students perform Shakespeare there. He

Growing To Serve You Better

agreed, and Shakespeare at Winedale was born.

As the program grew in size and reputation, it began to attract students from outside the English Department and eventually beyond the University of Texas. The broad spectrum of students served by the program reflects its emphasis on perform-

ance as a learning method and a means of self-discovery, rather than an end in itself.

For more than 40 years, Shakespeare at Winedale has drawn students with different cultural and academic backgrounds from universities around the United States.

Their interests have ranged from medicine, law and physics to music, theatre, and English. They’ve met every June at Winedale to begin a journey that takes them well beyond their expectations and themselves.

The program has now expanded to include year-round activities, including special programs for younger children such as Camp Shakespeare and an Educational Outreach Program.

The Winedale Historical Center is part of the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas.

To get there, go to Round Top, then at the blinking light, turn right onto FM 1457.

After about 3 miles, turn left onto FM 2714. Drive one mile down the road. When you get to Winedale, there will be a split rail fence on the right. The visitor’s center is on your left and the Meadows Conference Center is just past the visitor’s center.

Traditional Banking Services • 30 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Loans including FHA lending

OPEN SATURDAYS

Since 1912 We’re Hometown People That You Know

ROUND TOP STATE BANK INSURANCE AGENCY

ROUND TOP FINANCIAL SERVICES

Your Local Germania Agent Tim Huebner

Full Services Brokerage – Bill Koenig, Broker Full Services Brokerage – Tom Baker, Broker

Not a Deposit. Not FDIC Insured.

Not Insured by any Federal Governmental Agency.

Not Guaranteed by the Bank.

Not FDIC Insured. Not Bank Guaranteed.

May Lose Value. Not Bank Deposits.

Not Guaranteed By Any Governmental Agency.

Five locations to BETTER serve you!

ROUND TOP

GIDDINGS

LA GRANGE

LEXINGTON

P.O. Box 36 301 N. Washington Round Top, Tx 78954 979-249-3151

P.O. Box 180 1442 E. Austin Giddings, Tx 78942 979-542-7872

P.O. Box 805 2010 Hwy. 71 West La Grange, Tx 78945 979-966-0556

P.O. Box 548 8681 Hwy. 77 Lexington, Tx 78947 979-733-2227

Eagle Bank- A branch of RTSB

JARRELL

P.O. Box 345 12345 N. IH 35 Jarrell, TX 76537 512-746-2531

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Local Lodgings: Where to Stay When You Come Our Way FAYETTEVILLE Guesthouse at Meadow Creek West of Fayetteville on FM 955 Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 378-2500 joanneda@netzero.com

Arbor House @ Las Brisas Farm 1108 Ross Prairie Church Road Fayetteville,TX 78940 (979) 378-1108 www.LasBrisasFarm.com

Blisswood Bed & Breakfast

13300 Lehmann Legacy Lane Cat Spring,TX 78933 (713) 301-3235 www.blisswood.net

Cedars Cabins

4257 Blezinger Rd New Ulm, Texas 78950 (866) 625 4607 lodging@cedarscabins.com

Cottage Garden Guest House 102 S Scott St Fayetteville,TX 78940 (281) 794-2970

Cottages on the Square 110 W Main Fayetteville, TX 78940 (318) 465-1603

Country Butler, LLC

P.O. Box 101 Fayetteville,TX 78940 (281) 389-2727 www.countrybutlertexas.com

Country Place Hotel

201 W. Fayette Street Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 378-2077 www.countryplacehotel.com

Cummins Creek Cottage B&B 4826 E. Hwy 159 Fayetteville,TX 78940 (979) 966-3116 jaimiegilbreath@yahoo.com

Dewberry

5036 Hawcreek Rd Fayetteville, TX 78940 (713) 622-2255

Double Tree Ranch Lodging 5849 FM 1291 Ledbetter, TX 78946 (979) 249-3424

Fayetteville Bed & Breakfast 106 N Rusk Fayetteville,TX 78940 (713) 202-8610

Fayette House B&B Guesthouse 211 Fayette St Fayetteville, TX 78940 (713) 777-5333 yvonne_mccowen@app.net

Granny’s Retreat

3506 Skalisky Rd Fayetteville, TX 78940 (281) 229-8045

Heritage Ridge Guest House

3 mi. west of Fayetteville on FM 955 2915 FM 955 Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 378-2247 www.heritageridgetexas.com

Honeysuckle Gallery Guesthouse 111 E Fayette Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 378-3026 jbrownj@cvctx.com

Las Brisas Cottages

1108 Ross Prairie Church Road

Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 378-1108 www.lasbrisasfarm.com

(979) 247-4802 www.centraltexascabin.com

HOTELS/MOTELS

Le Billet Doux

701 Ross Prairie Rd Fayetteville,TX 78940 (979) 378-2222

Best Western (La Grange Inn) 600 E. State Hwy 71 Bypass La Grange,TX 78945 (979) 968-6800 www.bestwestern.com

Guest Cottage

206 N Live Oak Fayetteville, TX 78940 (800) 438-2281 www.weekendcottages.com

Martha’s Kitchen Cottage

309 Franklin Fayetteville, TX 78940 (800) 438-2281 www.weekendcottages.com

Mia Bella Locanda

207 Bell Street Fayetteville, TX 78940 (409) 771-5989

Rolling 7 Guest Cottage 1377 E Hwy 159 Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 250-3720

Pearson’s Ponderosa

3 mi. north of Fayetteville Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 249-5077 papatom2@cvctx.com

Star Bar Farm

1569 Ehlinger Rd Fayetteville, TX 78940 512-589-7765

The Texas Rose

Just off the Square Fayetteville, TX 78940 (985) 789-2277

ELLINGER Blackbird Farm

1488 FM 2503 Ellinger Tx 78938 (713) 818-9766

FLATONIA Bar SR Ranch

FM 154 Flatonia, Tx 78941 (281) 596-9996

Carefree Inn

I-10 & FM 609 Flatonia, TX 78941 (361) 865-2906 www.carefreeinnflatonie.com

Floy Farm & Gardens 6020 FM 154 Flatonia, TX 78941 (361) 865-2323 www.floyfarm.com

Gladys’ Ranch House

Cistern, Texas (800) 725-5254 www.gladysranchhouse.com

Goose’s Roost Ranch Cottages 815 Scott’s School Rd, Flatonia, TX 78941 (361) 772-8093 www.goosesroost.com

Grumpy’s Motel

420 EI-10, Flatonia, TX 78941 (361) 865-2911 www.grumpysmotorinn.com

Olle Hotel

218 S. Market Street Flatonia, TX 78941 (361) 772-0310 www.ollehotel.com

Cottonwood Inn The Cottage

8235 FM 2981 Fayetteville,TX 78940 (979) 249-3541 www.tiptoncottage.com

Town Cottages

705 East North Main Flatonia, TX 78941 (361) 772-3234 www.towncottagesflatonia.com

Two Bit Ranch B&B

2444 Armstrong Derry Rd Waelder, Tx 78959 (361) 865-2528 wobitranchbandb.com

LA GRANGE BED & BREAKFASTS Ammannsville Cottages 9018 FM 1383 La Grange,TX 78945 (979) 561-8691

Bed & Breakfast on Main 512 S Main La Grange,TX 78945 (979) 968-9535

Big Tin Flag Bed & Breakfast 714 E. Radhost School Road La Grange,TX 78945 (979) 247-4770 www.bigtinflag.net

Blue Willow Farm B & B

1412 S. US Hwy 77 La Grange, TX 78945 (979)968-5964 www.faycovet.com/BB.html

Brendan Manor Bed & Breakfast 345 E.Travis Street La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 968-2028 www.brendanmanor.com

Guest House at Dos Lagos 3045 Valenta Road La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 247-4465

Heaven’s Gate Ranch 9200 Hwy 77 N La Grange (281) 491-2122

Lodge on Lake Siesta

5145 FM 153 La Grange (979) 732-1256 www.lodgeonlakesiesta.com

Longhorn Frog Ranch La Grange (979) 242-5496

Skyrunner Guest house

340 FM 155 La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 966-9698 www.skyrunnerguesthouse.com

Texana Trails and Lodge, LLC 2647 Kallus Road La Grange,TX 78945 (979) 247-4457 www.texanatrailslodge.com

Waldhutte

La Grange

1494 W. State Hwy 71 La Grange,TX 78945 (979) 968-3175 www.lagangecottonwoodinn.com

Executive Inn & Suites

1708 W State Hwy 71 La Grange,TX 78945 (979) 968-2600 www.lagrangeexecutiveinn.com

Hampton Inn

1624 W State Hwy 71 La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 968-4900 www.LaGrange.hamptoninn.com

The Oak Motel

277 S. Jefferson Street La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 968-3133

River Valley Motor Inn

1575 W. State Hwy 71 La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 9688314 www.rivervalleyinn.com

ROUND TOP-CARMINE A Light Unto My Path

2117 FM 1457 Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-5620

A Green House at Waldeck Acres 7839 Waldeck Cemetery Road Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 278-4211

Abbie’s Addition

2336 St Hwy 237 Round Top, TX 78954 (405) 301-1874

Audrey’s Cottage

204 W Wantke Street Round Top, TX 78954 (832) 671-7821

Aunt Clara’s Cottage 333 E Cig Ten (713) 569-9274 Carmine , TX 78932

Round Top Inn

102 Bauer Rummel Rd. Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-5294

Belle Of Round Top

230 Days End Rd. Round Top , TX 78954 (979) 249-4134

Bootstrap At Round Top

5100 Roznov, Round Top, TX 78954 (713) 502-0328 www.bootstraptexas.com

Briarfield Bed & Breakfast

219 FM 954 Round Top , TX 78954 (979) 249-3973 www.briarfieldatroundtop.com

Cole Cottage

203 W. Wantke St. Round Top, TX 78954 (888) 922-4179

Das Blaue Haus

4337 S. St. Hwy 237 Round Top, TX 78954

(979) 249-3131 www.dasblauehaus.com

Rusty Bike Inn

Elisa’s Sunday Haus

Schumacher Ranch

599 Bybee Road Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-5522 www.roundtopbnb.com

The Front Porch

12135 Young Circle, Carmine (979) 278-3809 www.roundtoplodging.com

Farmhouse Round Top

5686 FM 1457 Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-3868 www.farmhouseroundtop.com

Hackberry Hill Farm

3438 Hartfield Rd Round Top, TX 78954 (713) 417-5828

302 White Street Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 289-2128 2433 Keiler Lane Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-5596

Sugar Hill Retreat B&B Carmine, TX 78932 (979) 278-3039

Summerhaus Warrrentop

11400 Schuster Rd., Round Top (512) 413-1728 www.warrentopfarm.com

Sunnymede Farm

5400 Florida Chapel Rd., Round Top (713) 781-9770

Texana Lodge

Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 968-3495 x200

Hartfield House

The Bunkhouse

Jaster Road Ranch

The Barn

Lulubelle Designs

The Ghost House

Meyerland Farm

The Longhorn Inn

1900 Hartfield Rd. Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 966-9003 www.heartfieldhouse.com 1109 Jaster Rd. Round Top, TX 78954 (713) 628-6190 www.jasterroadranch.com 1913 St Loop 458 Carmine, TX 789 (832) 372-7217 5696 Wagner Road Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 836-9450

Pecan Grove Inn

233 Augsburg St. Carmine, TX 78932 (281) 433-8845 www.pecangroveinn.com

1419 State Hwy 237 Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-6213 www.happytrailsbunkhouse.com 6148 Florida Chapel Rd Round Top, TX 78954 (310) 561-5002 www.summitcreekranch.com 700 Rohde Road Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-3749 1227 & 1231 S Hwy 237 Round Top, TX 78954 (281) 389-2727 www.thelonghorninntexas.com

The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell 5808 Wagner Rd Round Top, TX 78954 (310) 338-8505 x102

Peck House

The Rose Peddlers Inn

Post Oak Savannah

The Vintage Round Top

311 N. Live Oak, Round Top (979) 249-3972 www.greenpeck.com Round Top (979) 249-2572

Prairie Wind Farm

4507 Havemann Road, Carmine (979) 278-3208

Rose Hill Cottages

304 West Mill St., Round Top (281) 630-5675 www.rosehillroundtop.com

Round Top Cottages

Round Top (800) 775-1860 www.roundtopcottages.com

Round Top Farms

301 S Washington Round Top, TX (979) 249-3977 www.roundtoplodging.com

Round Top Inn

407 S White St Round Top, TX (979) 249-5294 www.roundtopinn.com

Round Top Retreat

Andreas Road, Round Top

17

(979) 249-3542 www.roundtopretreat.org

Dragonfly Ranch

524 FM 954 Round Top, TX 78954 310-918-7001

PAGE

116 White Street Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-4111 1450 N Hwy 237 Round Top, TX 78954 (713) 859-5993

Tilworth Reterat

Hartfield Road Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-5960 www.tillworth.com

Walhalla Cot-n-Coffee

1724 FM 1291 Round Top, TX 78954 (281) 728-9431 walhallacotncoffee.com

Wellspring Retreat

PO Box 210 Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-2019

Wolf Springs Ranch

5074 Wagner Rd Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-6952

GREATER ROUND TOP AREA Continued on next page

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

9018 FM 1383 (979) 561 8691

Ledbetter Bed & Breakfast

Best Western Schulenburg Inn & Suites 101 Huser Blvd.

Schulenburg, TX 78956 (979) 743-2030 www.bestwestern.com

Ledbetter-Pietsch Farmhouse

800 N. US hwy. 77 Schulenburg, TX 78956 (979) 743-4590 www.executiveinnschulenburg.com

4339 S St Hwy 237 Warrenton, TX 78961 (979) 249-3074

Oldenburg Sunday Haus

928 E State Hwy 237 Oldenburg, TX (979) 249-5440 www.oldenburgsundayhaus.com

Farmhouse & Cabin at Freyburg Abbottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grove School Rd, Schulenburg, TX 78956 (800) 438-2281 www.weekendcottages.com

Mimiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bed & Breakfast 2925 Piano Bridge Rd.

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7707 US Hwy 90 Schulenburg, TX 78956 (979) 224-6234 www.wguesthouse.com

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52

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.

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Executive Inn & Suites

Hillcrest Inn At Warrenton

205 W I-10 Frontage Rd. Schulenburg, TX 78956 (979) 743-4192

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3348 Goehring Ledbetter, TX 78946 (979) 249-3315

Oakridge Motor Inn

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Carl & Peggy-Anderson Mapes 318 Railroad Street Plum,TX 78952 (979) 242-3382 (512) 921-0679 www.plumgardenstx.com

W.W.Mill Mll St. St. 209

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33

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Schulenburg (979) 561-8233

35

FM 1457 FM 1457

2001 Waldeck Rd Ledbetter, TX 78946 (979) 249-5674

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LiveOak Oak St. St. N.N.Live

Local Lodgings, Continued

Texas 237

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

N. White N. St. White St.

18

S. S. White WhiteSt. St.

PAGE

46

1044

To La Grange To La Grange

43

1 Chamber OfďŹ ce 1 Town of Round Top OfďŹ ce 2 Round Top Farm & Ranch 3 Round Top Retreat 4 Round Top Festival Institute 5 Round Top Folk Art Fair 29Round Apothecary 7 Top Repair Shop 8 Retreat 26Wellspring Beth Anderson 9 Old Depot Antiques 10Round Bethlehem Lutheran Church 10 Top RV Park Biue Door 1131 Round Top Mercantile 12 Elisa's Sunday Haus 19 Comforts 13 Round Top Historical Society 28Round Copper Shade Tree 14 Top State Bank 14 Top State Bank Ins. Agency 18Round Courthouse 14 Tom Baker Insurance Agency 14Round D. Little Gallery 15 Top Service Station 16 Top Leap Real Estate 36Round Dilloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Productions 16 5Round Top Home Builders Festival Hill 17 Royers Round Top Cafe

18 Lizzie Lou's 19 The Apothecary at Round Top 20 Round Top Family Library 21 Dempsey's RTT Food & Spirits 22 Stone Cellar 23 Copper Shade Tree Heritage Real Estate 2430 Cowgirl Junky's 2427 Crazy Emma's Indian Creek 25 Beth Anderson Fine Art Fits at Round Top 2634 TheItGallery La Bahia Antiques 27 1 Antique European Linens 2817 PostLizzie OfďŹ ceLou 29 Round Top Church of Christian Fellowship Los Patrones 3012 Belle of Round Top 3121 FireMimi Station Bella 32 Round Top RiďŹ&#x201A;e Association PiePeck Haven 3333 Green Gallery 3424 Peck Haus Post Office 35 2 A Light Unto My Path Retreat Center Prairie Wind Farm 36 Rusty Bike Inn

37 Cole Cottage 39 Moore's Fort 40 Scotty & Friends Restaurant 41 Rose Hill Cottages 42 This Old Porch 43 Sentient Architecture RTRound Chamber of Commerce 43 Top Publishing Company 44 Church RTBethlehem ChristianLutheran Fellowship 45 Heritage Texas Country Properties RTRound Family 46 TopLibrary Inn RTRound Folk Art 47 Top Fair Farms 48 Bott's Title RT General Company Store 50 Wild Women - Wise Women RTComforts Historical Society 51 52 Baptist Church RTConcord Mercantile & Gas 53 M.E. Schulz Grocery RTD.Real 54 LittleEstate Gallery 55 RTMarcia StateHayslip Bank Designs 56 Round&Top General Store Scotty Friends 57 Hair Haus Stone Cellar a la Carte 58 Farmhouse

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32 23 9 3 13 25 6 15 8 11 22 7

Wellspring Retreat

Rev. 5/24/11

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Round Top has the oldest consecutively held Independence Day Parade west of the Mississippi. Even during the Civil War, the Germans of Round Top kept the parade going.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

19

Carmine – Tops in Fayette County Visitors enjoy shopping for antiques, Two major highways cross Fayette visiting the many area attractions and County at its “top” and “bottom.”

To the south is Interstate 10, while events, and experiencing overnight accomacross the northern tip of the county, U.S. modations at a Bed & Breakfast.

It’s also the home of the Texas Basket290 connects Austin with Houston.

Of the six incorporated towns in Fay- ball Museum.

Carmine is a great place to live if you ette County, Carmine is the northernmost, are raising a family or watching over looking for a place 10,000 vehicles a to retire. If you are day pass through looking for a place to on U.S. 290. start a small business, Founded in consider Carmine.

1883, Carmine There are many busiis located in the ness opportunities in heart of Central Carmine, including Texas, serving as low taxes, local inthe mid-point becentives and a suptween the cities portive community. of Houston and The City of CarAustin. mine provides a l½ This makes it acre park, which is a major gateway open to the public. to all the other The park is equipped communities of The Carmine Depot with picnic tables, barFayette County. becue pits and playThe small population and quiet atmosphere allows for a grounds for children. A pavilion is also logreat getaway from the stress of the larger cated within the park, which is available for cities. Carmine is only about a 1½-hour rental through the city. drive from Austin or Houston.

Round Top’s precinct courthouse was built in 1924.

Round Top, But Square Center

Chartered in 1870, Round Top is located on Cummins Creek in northern Fayette County. The town is said to have received its name from “the house with the round top,” an early stagecoach mileage designation that, at the time, was located about a mile northeast of the town’s present site.

The original 1880s courthouse in Round Top burned in 1924 and was rebuilt at the present location on the town square.

PAGE

20

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Fayette County – The Big Picture CARMINE

LEDBETTER 290 1291

237

WINEDALE

2714

448

WINCHESTER

RABBS PRAIRIE

WEST POINT

71

2145

71

MULDOON

155

609 3171

95

1965

SWISS ALP FREYBURG

2762 2238

1383

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77

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SCHULENBURG

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HOLMAN

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956 2672

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FAYETTEVILLE

MULLINS PRAIRIE

3233

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PRAHA

159

159

2503

HOSTYN

FLATONIA

1291

955

2237

1115

PARK

389

ROZNOV

RUTERSVILLE

LA GRANGE

95

CISTERN

954

OLDENBURG 159

PLUM

154

WARRENTON 237

2981

KIRTLEY

1457

1291

WALHALLA

153

ROUND TOP

WALDECK

WARDA NECHANITZ 3011 77

957

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

21

The Communities That Make Up Fayette County Ammannsville

Freyburg

Muldoon

Settled during the 1870s by German and Czech immigrant farmers. The first settler in the community was Andrew Ammann, who arrived on March 12, 1870. He was a noted architect as well as a farmer.

Founded about 1868 by Germans and named for a town in Germany. In 2004 the recently restored Freyburg Methodist Church celebrated its 125th anniversary.

Carmine

FM 2672, 14 mi. SW of La Grange

On a grant of land originally made in 1831 to Father Michael Muldoon, the Irish Catholic priest who officially “converted” non-Hispanic Texas settlers to meet the legal requirements of Mexico. The town was not platted until 1886, when the Waco branch of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway extended its line between West Point and Flatonia.

FM 1383, 9 m. SE of La Grange

U.S. 290, at Washington Co. line Still an incorporated city, Carmine and Round Top share a school system. The elementary is in Round Top, the high school in Carmine. The Carmine bank was robbed

by Ray Hamilton and others from the Barrow Gang in the 1930s. Now it’s known for its antique dealers.

FM 956 at FM 2238

High Hill

Settled in the 1830s. According to some sources, residents of High Hill refused to allow the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway to build through their community in 1874, fearing the railroad would destroy the tranquility and culture of the town. The line went to nearby Schulenburg and many of High Hill’s residents moved there. St. Mary’s Catholic Church is on the National Register of Historic Places.

FM 154, 9 mi. N of Flatonia

Nechanitz

FM 3011 at FM 2145 Settled in 1853 by Wenzel Matejowsky, the first settler from Bohemia to enter Fayette County, it was named after his native city in Bohemia.

State Hwy. 95, 12 mi. NW of Flatonia Settled during the 1850s on a hill overlooking fertile prairie land. Water wells in the area contained such high concentration of minerals that residents were forced to build cisterns to trap rainwater for domestic use.

First Czech settlement in Texas, beginning in November 1856. Named Dubina (Czech for “oak grove”). As favorable reports about Texas reached the old country, the number of Czech settlers entering Dubina increased greatly, and Dubina became the stopover place for Czechs entering Texas. In 1873, the railroad bypassed Dubina.

Purchased in 1843 by Count Ludwig Joseph von BoosWaldeck, who was an agent for the Adelsverein, an association of German noblemen who planned for emigration to the Republic of Texas.

Warda

Famed for kolaches and barbecue, Ellinger is 11 miles southeast of La Grange. It was established as a point on the La Grange Tap spur of the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway.

U.S. 77, 10 mi. N of La Grange Named for Wartha, Saxony. Wendish immigrant A.E. Falke established a general store here in 1874 and other Wends soon arrived. Central focus is still Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

Engle

U.S. 90 between Schulenburg and Flatonia

Interstate 10 at Texas 95 Established on April 8, 1874, on land acquired by the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway, it was named for pioneer merchant F. W. Flato. At that time residents of the original Flatonia settlement, one mile southeast, and Oso, three miles northeast, loaded their homes and businesses on wagons and moved to the new location on the tracks. The post office that had been established at old Flatonia in 1870 was moved to the new town without changing its name. Flatonia was incorporated on November 10, 1875.

Interstate 10 at U.S. 77

FM 1291 at FM 2145

Hwy. 71 at FM 2503

Flatonia

Schulenburg

Waldeck

Ellinger

The Congress of the Republic of Texas established Fayette County in 1837, and the community of Fayetteville was officially founded shortly thereafter. Fayetteville had a post office and postmaster during the Republic of Texas, and has had continuous postal service since 1850.

This site on the La Bahía Road was surveyed in 1838 and incorporated by the Republic of Texas on Jan. 26, 1839.

Rutersville College, chartered in 1840 by the Republic of Texas, was the first Protestant college in Texas. In 1856, by an act of Congress, Rutersville College was consolidated with the Texas Military Institute of Galveston.

U.S. 77, 11 mi. S of La Grange Established about 1865 by German settlers, who were followed by Wendish families from Serbin in Lee County.

Post office opened in 1877. Area has dairy farms and cattle operations.

FM 1383, 2 mi. N of U.S. 90

State Hwy. 159 at FM 955

State Hwy. 159, 5 mi. NE of La Grange

Swiss Alp

Dubina

Fayetteville

Rutersville

Founded in 1873, when the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway built through the site, it was named for Louis Schulenburg, who donated land for the railroad. The community was granted a post office in 1874 and incorporated in 1875.

Cistern

Settled by Bohemian and Czech immigrants in the 1850s. Named for J. E. Engle, an engineer on Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway line. Post office established in 1888 and the first store in 1890.

on the old La Bahía Road between La Grange and Brenham. Area first settled in 1826. Oldest continually celebrated July Fourth celebration west of the Mississippi, since 1851.

Warrenton The Fayette County community of Winedale plays host to UT’s Shakespeare at Winedale program every summer. College students live on site and produce every aspect of plays that are then put on for the public in a rustic barn-like theater setting.

File photo by Jeff Wick

La Grange

Plum

The county seat of Fayette County, this is where La Bahia Road crossed the Colorado River. Aylett C. Buckner settled near here about 1819 and in 1826 John Henry Moore built a twin blockhouse within what are now the city limits. A town was platted in 1837. The Republic of Texas named Fayette County in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette. La Grange was the name of Lafayette’s home, which came from his wife’s family.

Plum Grove is the second oldest established community in Fayette County, dating to 1828. It still has its own post office, which was first established in 1880.

State Hwy. 71 at U.S. 77

Ledbetter

U.S. 290, 8 mi. E of Giddings In extreme north Fayette County, it was the first community in the county to be served by a railroad, which reached it in 1870.

Hwy. 71, 8 mi. W of La Grange

Praha

FM 1295, 3 mi. E of Flatonia In 1858 the Bohemian settlers changed the town’s name from Mulberry to Praha in honor of Prague, the capital of their homeland. Since 1855 the community has celebrated the Feast of the Assumption on August 15. The event now attracts more than 5,000 visitors, many of them Czechoslovakian.

Round Top State Hwy. 237

One of the smallest incorporated communities in Texas,

State Hwy. 237, 12 miles NE of La Grange Founded by William Neese, who landed in Galveston in 1847 and named the new settlement that grew around his store for Warren Ligon, another early colonist. A post office was established in 1873.

West Point Hwy. 71, 12 mi. W of La Grange Intersection of Union Pacific’s north-south tracks (Waco to Victoria) and east-west tracks (Houston to Smithville, formerly MKT Railroad).

Winchester FM 153 at FM 448 First settled in 1827. The town was platted in 1857 and named for Winchester, Tenn. It was a shipping point on the Waco branch of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway, which later became part of the Southern Pacific.

Winedale FM 2714, 4 mi. NE of Round Top Winedale Historical Center, in northeast Fayette County near Round Top, includes several outstanding examples of early Texas architecture. Ima Hogg purchased more than 130 acres, restoring the buildings and eventually donating them to the University of Texas, which now uses it for drama, history and other programs.

PAGE

22

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Colorado River and the historic Highway 71 bridge, surrounded by fall foliage.

Photo by Lisa Corker

Float Through Time on the Colorado River The Colorado River is probably the most defining natural feature in Fayette County.

The river was a corridor for settlement and transportation in frontier times. Today, tamed by upstream dams, it provides residents and visitors alike with access to the natural – and human – history of the area. **************** Ten miles downstream from the Fayette-Bastrop County line is the first public access to the river at the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Plum Park.

The Colorado River as it flows from Plum to La Grange is full of surprises around every turn – and there are a lot of turns.

Several species of birds frequent this stretch of the river: barred owls, green and blue herons, American egrets, hawks, crows, green kingfishers and black vultures.

Further downriver, a sheer white chalk bluff rises 200 feet on the east side while needlenose gar snap at dragonflies and butterflies on the smooth surface.

A two-hour float from Plum brings travelers to the broad mouth of Rabb’s Creek.

This is where William Rabb and his family, members of Stephen F. Austin’s “Old Three Hundred,” settled on a three-league

Kayakers appreciate Chalk Bluff just north of La Grange.

headright (about 12,000 acres) in 1822.

Rabb received so much land because he promised to establish a mill to grind corn for the colony on the large creek which drained his grant.

Photo by Jeff Wick

“The Indians were so bad we could not move to the mill; the men went up alone to work,” William Rabb’s wife Mary wrote in a reminiscence.

Some historians believe that French ex-

plorer La Salle and his party, still looking for the Mississippi, crossed the Colorado near present-day La Grange in March, 1687.

Two years later, in 1689, Spaniard Alonso De Leon followed La Salle’s trail searching for stragglers of his last ill-fated expedition.

A century and a half later the young settlement of La Grange, was established in the 1830s on the east side of a pre-historic “buffalo crossing.”

Today the LCRA maintains a convenient boat ramp for river tourists under the Business 71 bridge. The river authority also provides a river guide to other put-ins and take-outs along the river.

Below La Grange, the next public takeout is White Rock Park on river left, a short but scenic one hour float. Immediately downstream from the “buffalo crossing” ramp under Business 71, Buckner’s Creek comes in on river right.

The creek is named after trader Aylett “Strap” Buckner who faced down empresario Stephen F. Austin over his claim to the land around the creek.

Continued on next page

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Continued from previous page In the early 1820s, before â&#x20AC;&#x153;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mess with Texas,â&#x20AC;? the word was out in Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colony â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mess with Strap Buckner.â&#x20AC;?

Just downriver, on the prominent bluff which forces the river into a 90-degree left turn, a monument to heroes of the Republic of Texas at Monument Hill State Park is visible from the river.

Watch for a small inlet suitable for a ferryboat against the base of the cliff, the location of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;lower ferry,â&#x20AC;? where German immigrant Heinrich Kreische shuttled customers to his ingenious brewery and biergarten (also on the Bluff at Monument Hill State Park) for several decades after the Civil War. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the White Rock Park takeout just below the high US 77 bridge because the next public access after that is almost 40 river miles in Colorado County at Columbus.

That stretch is best done with an overnight camp on a public-domain mid-river island.

Several miles downriver, but still in Fayette County, is the site of Burnamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crossing, where General Sam Houston led the Texas forces and terrified settlers away from an advancing Mexican Army in 1836. A local guide or outfitter can point out the spot.

Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bring a boat? No problem.

The city of La Grange rents kayaks. Just call the city recreation department at 968-5805.

We recommend putting in at the boat ramp beneath the Colorado River bridge on Business 71.

Take out at White Rock Park.

The trip will probably take you about an hour.

In part because of the Colorado River, Fayette County has a very diverse collection of wildlife. Shown here are roseate spoonbills in flight (above) and at rest on the banks of the river (right). In addition to being a prime bird-watching venue, the Colorado River is also a favorite of fishermen.

Photos by Jeff Wick

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23

PAGE

24

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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The Fayette County Courthouse in La Grange is a must-see for any visitor. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a look at some of the history of the 120year-old building: San Antonio architect J. Riely Gordon designed the Fayette County Courthouse, as well as 13 other Texas county courthouses, in addition to the state capitol in Arizona. This is Fayette Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth courthouse.

On April 9, 1891, the cornerstone for the current Fayette County Courthouse was laid by the local Masonic Lodge.

A celebration with dining and dancing, attended by about 2,000 people, went on into the early hours of the next day.

The three-story building is a masonry and stone Romanesque Revival structure with a clock tower rising over the main entrance. All offices and the courtroom are arranged around a 30foot by 30-foot square central courtyard.

The exterior walls are built of Belton white limestone, complemented with blue sandstone quarried at the nearby Fayette County community of Muldoon. Red Pecos sandstone stringcourses (decorative horizontal moldings) and pink Burnet granite columns and steps add to the richness of the building.

At the base of the clock tower is a large stone slab on which is carved a large American eagle. On the corners of the tower and above the entrances are dragons carved out of the eight ridge points.

The roof is covered with Spanish tile made

from slate.

The central courtyard, which was closed-in to make space for a vault and more offices in 1949, was reclaimed during the restoration of the courthouse and now is filled with plants and a fountain.

The courtroom, 85feet by 42-feet in size, is shaped like a half moon and has been used as a set for several movies, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;Michaelâ&#x20AC;? featuring John Travolta. The upper courtroom gallery can seat 500 people.

When the Fayette County Commissionersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Court formally accepted the new building on December 1, 1891, the total cost was $99,407.04.

Funding for the construction was provided by the sale of 90 $1,000 bonds.

In late February 1893, the courthouse was lit with electricity for the first time. In 1913, the basement and the first floor was flooded with five feet of water.

The Fayette County Courthouse has been festooned in red, white and blue in celebration of peace and memorial occasions. The streets outside now are paved and the horse and buggy have given way to cars, SUVs and pickup trucks.

After a complete restoration, the Fayette County Courthouse was rededi-cated on June 25, 2005.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

25

Got Gas? Tank Rentals Sales & Service

TEX PROPANE COMPANY

Wendy Rohan pours a glass of mead at her meadery in Nechanitz.

Photo by Jeff Wick

Make a Toast to Fayette County With Drinks Made Right Here

By JEFF WICK The Fayette County Record

The Germans and Czechs that settled this area loved their beer – dating back to 1860 when Heinrich Kreische started one of Texas’ first commercial breweries on the bluff above the Colorado River here.

Today, Fayette County visitors and residents alike can enjoy a wide-range of locally crafted beverages.

• Nechanitz is home to the only meadery in Texas. Mead is a form of wine made from honey and is believed to be the oldest form of alcohol. The Rohan Meadery opened their tasting room just last year at 6002 FM 2981.

Owned and operated by John and Wendy Rohan, visitors can try such honey wines as Rasberry Melomel and Apple Cyser.

The meadery is open to visitors Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

For more information go to their website rohanmeadery.com.

It’s a very labor-intensive two-year process to make mead (which may explain why there aren’t more meaderies).

The Rohans get their honey from Montgomery.

•Rosemary’s Vineyard and Winery is

located at 5501 Highway 71, five miles east of La Grange.

The first vines there were planted in 2000 and Rosemary’s opened for business in 2006.

Take a stroll through their vineyard and see such grapes as Lenoir and Blanc du Bois growing on the vine before heading to the adjacent tasting room. They are open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoons.

• The Stone Cellar in Round Top holds a semi-annual Beer Festival showcasing beers from around the world.

• A Wine Walk through downtown Schulenburg is held every winter. Check out www.schulenburgchamber.org for information on this event.

•A building on Reynolds Street in La Grange has been rented by Vincent Wright, who is in the process of starting a microbrewery there. He’s hoping to start brewing the beer later this year.

•To check out how Kreische brewed beer and see his ingenious system of keeping it cool with spring water go to Monument Hill-Kreische Brewery State Park at 414 State Loop 92 in La Grange.

It’s open seven days a week (except Christmas Day) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free.

Serving Bastrop, Colorado, Fayette, Gonzales And Lavaca Counties Since 1965

800-343-7065

PAGE

26

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Fascinating Fayetteville

Where Art and History Thrive

By Pat Johnson

Fayetteville has developed a reputation as a center for cultural and artistic excellence in this region while maintaining its own unique character, history and small town charm.

Thirty-five years ago visual artists, architects and musicians began to call Fayetteville home. Drawn to it beauty, pastoral landscapes, and close proximity to three major art hubs, it continues to support an influx of artists.

Now Fayetteville is home to the Fayette Area Heritage Museum, an annual Artwalk, a world class chamber music festival, country music events and gallery openings.

Arts for Rural Texas (ARTS), headquartered here, enhances the area’s exposure to the visual and performing arts.

Founded in 2003, ARTS augments school art programs in Fayette, Colorado and Austin counties with programs such as Art After School and Fine Art Assemblies.

The assemblies bring individual artists and groups, such as the Houston Grand Opera and the Austin Ballet, to perform and teach in local schools. Summer Art Camp is held annually for area school children. It provides art enrichment through five-week summer sessions. They also host art exhibitions, music events and film screenings.

ArtWalk is their annual outdoor juried fine art show on the square in Fayetteville. This year’s dates are May 5-6.

The two-day event draws people from around the state to view fine arts and crafts for sale, and to enjoy wine and food served on the historic courthouse lawn.

In 2010, ARTS launched the first ACT International Invitational Exhibition.. One hundred internationally recognized artists from several nations participated in the inaugural exhibition. Scheduled every two years, the second ACT Exhibition was held this March at the Sterling McCall Event Center in Warrenton. The event raises funds to support the ARTS programs, supporting art education and providing visual and performing arts experiences throughout the region Fayetteville is no sleeper in understanding the need for music. The Baca’s Family Band formed in 1892, considered to be the first Czech band in Texas, was led by Frank Baca, who immigrated to Fayetteville from Czechoslovakia in 1880. The Texas State Historical Society’s Handbook of Texas states the Bacas of Fayetteville remain the state’s best-known family Czech folk band in Texas.

Traditional Czech music can still be heard on the square during the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Lickskillet Days with Larry Sodek and the Central Texas Sounds heading the bill the third weekend in October.

The square in downtown Fayetteville is not only beautiful, but surrounded by thriving businesses.

Continued on Page 28

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

27

5 ¶ & ¶ 9 ¶ " ¶ 4 Antiques on the Square Antique Show Thursday, March 9-Saturday, April 7 Old Firehouse & Courthouse Lawn 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival May 11-19, 2012 Country Place Hotel (979) 249-5035 www.fayettevillemusic.org

Arts for Rural Texas Art for Everyone - Old and Young!

Bringing fine arts to our communities (979) 378-2113 www.artsforruraltexas.org

-DQHuV -R\ Garden Shop - Florist Pleaseantries 103 N. Washington (979) 966-9838

Cottage Gardens Walk into a delightful daydream!

Historic Sarrazin Building Antiques and Unique Gifts (281) 794-2970

-RHuV 3ODFH Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m. - Late Evening 120 N. Live Oak (979) 378-9035

Cottages on the Square Bed, Beverages & Snacks Two Quaint Country Cottages email: dietlisa949@yahoo.com (318) 465-1603

2UVDNuV &DIH Sunday-Thursday 8 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Friday-Saturday 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner (979) 378-2719

Country Place Hotel Historic Fayetteville Square A National Historic District (979) 966-7771 www.countryplacehotel.com

<HVWHUGD\uV 3DVW Wednesday-Friday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Antiques & Sundries (979) 378-4273

HISTORIC FAYETTEVILLE SQUARE

PAGE

28

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Fayetteville Has Become a Magnet for Artists

Continued from Page 26 The Texas Pickinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Park sponsors bluegrass jams on the courthouse lawn on the second Saturday, April through November.

The event attracts pickers from all over the state.

The Fayetteville Country Music Show featuring country and gospel performers is held the last Monday of the month in the St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catholic Church Recreation Hall.

Check out the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live and Localâ&#x20AC;? entertainment listing in the Fayette County Record every Tuesday for dates and times of these events.

Each May, the Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival presents concerts of chamber music during which the audience sits near the musicians and experiences the music close-up.

World-class musicians from New York, Hungary, Poland, Houston and Austin perform in the Moravian Room at the Country Place Hotel in downtown Fayetteville where the natural acoustics bring a perfect warm, intimate sound to the musiciansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; violin, clarinet and piano.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schedule includes Friday and Saturday concerts May 11 through the 19th.

Many events make the Country Place Hotel a center for the arts. The Country

Arts for Rural Texas is Headquartered in downtown Fayetteville.

Place Gallery is located across the garden from the Country Place Hotel and is also the studio for local artists Clovis Heimsath and Mike Clann. Watercolor master Mary Quiros, photographer Kathleen Kramr and other local artists also show their work there. The gallery is open on weekends and whenever Clovis or Mike are painting.

For the last ten years Fayetteville stained-

Fayetteville Store A little Country Store with a lot of Country Charm

Stop on by for all your Grocery + Beer + Wine + Lotto + Gas + Ice + and Diesel Needs!

Our business hours are Monday thru Saturday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re located on the Corner of FM 159 & FM 1291 in Fayetteville.

Phone: (979) 378-2237

glass artist Dick Bour has been producing large scale stained glass projects with the assistance of Fayetteville High School students. Religiously themed work is a Bour Studio specialty. Current projects include a Catholic Church in Sonora and an Assembly of God in Victoria, British Columbia.

Fayetteville fine art photographer, Jerry D. Brown, has exhibited in one man and

group shows on the east coast, Paris, the Houston Fotofest, and other venues. He has works in a number of personal collections and in the permanent collection at the Live Oak Art Center in Columbus, Texas and the Harry Ransom Collection at the University of Texas.

Artist Pat Johnson has been working in clay for 35 years in Fayetteville. Pat also does work on paper and has designed tour t-shirts for Lyle Lovett. Johnson has created murals for the College Station Public Library, Monument Hill State Park in La Grange, and the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Austin. She was commissioned to portray the Marguis de La Fayette bust for the Fayette County Courthouse.

One of Fayettevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real art treasures is a group of paintings located in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Recovered and restored in the early 1990s, they were discovered to have been painted by Moravian painter, Ignaz Johann Berger (July 8, 1832June 29, 1901). Berger was best known for his religious paintings. The church is open during the week so visitors may view the six paintings.

For more information on the many arts events in Fayetteville or to contact the artists, check out the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce website, fayettevilletxchamber.org.

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 207 E. Bell Street Fayetteville, Texas

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Fayetteville: Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a Name?

Fayetteville had many monikers, names and nicknames in its early years. The settlement was called Wadis Post Office in 1835. In 1837, Jesse H. Cartwright, a sort of early real estate agent, placed an advertisement in the Telegraph and Texas Register selling lots in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fayetteville,â&#x20AC;? though in early 1838 the town was referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s voting placeâ&#x20AC;? by the Commissionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Court of Fayette County; Samuel Alexander was Justice of the Peace and Jerome B. Alexander a district clerk. Fayetteville was also known as Lick Skillet (Lickskillet), supposedly for the fact that latecomers to the numerous community festivals who complained that all the food was gone were told to â&#x20AC;&#x153;lick the

skillet.â&#x20AC;?

Following the establishment of Fayette County in 1837 by the Congress of the Republic of Texas came the official founding of the community of Fayetteville. Suggestion was likely made that the new town be called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shavervilleâ&#x20AC;? after civic leader Philip J. Shaver. But instead it was named Fayetteville in 1844, for Shaverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthplace of Fayetteville, North Carolina. In 1847, Shaver systematically surveyed and laid out the streets and blocks. He seems to have bought most of the land still available, donating lots to the Fayetteville Academy, the Union Church and the City Cemetery.

Fayetteville was incorporated on March 2, 1882.

The Town Courthouse â&#x20AC;&#x201C; $800 Well Spent Built in 1880 at the cost of $800, it is a two-story precinct courthouse in which the old jail still exists on the second floor, complete with leg irons attached. The structure is mostly mortised with few nails used, and opened for its first court on February 17, 1881. A calaboose was added in 1887 at the cost of $11. There was a city attorneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office here at one time as well as the constableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office. The bandstand gazebo was built in 1932, and the four-faced town clock erected in 1934 by the Fayetteville womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do Your Dutyâ&#x20AC;? club, in advance of the Texas Centennial. The clock still strikes the hour and the half-hour, making Fayetteville the smallest town with a working four-faced town clock.

On the Squareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s southeast corner, the Picnic Oak tree is over 100 years old! The two granite markers on the west

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

CARMINE

WARRENTON

JWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steakhouse

The Oaks Restaurant

122 S Hauptstrasse St, Carmine (979) 278-4240

ROUND TOP

5507 S St Hwy. 237, Round Top (979) 249-5909

Third Base

Dempseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RRT

101 S Washington, Round Top (979) 249-5696

Royerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Round Top Cafe 105 Main St, Round Top (979) 249-3611

109 Bauer Rummel Rd, Village Green, Round Top (979) 249-5512

The Stone Cellar

Bybee Square, Round Top (979) 249-3390

4400 S St Hwy 237, Round Top (979) 249-3805

WINCHESTER Hajekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Country Store & More

Hwy. 77 N. at FM 153, La Grange (979) 242-3291

Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steakhouse

204 Thomas Street, Winchester (979) 242-3433

Winchester Store

8902 FM 153., Winchester (979) 242-5597

Tractor Sales and Service Kleiber Tractor & Equipment David Kleiber 1701 W. Travis St. La Grange, TX 78945

(979) 968-3187 p (979) 968-5437 f Kleiber@kleibertractor.com www.kleibertractor.com

FAYETTEVILLE... the way Texas used to be.

The entire town is Listed on the National Register of Historic Places Points of Interest:

Annual Events:

Lickskillet Days Festival and Parade

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29

Northern Fayette County Dining Guide

Scotty & Friends

side of the Square commemorate Fayettevilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founders (erected in 1936) and the 1937 sewer project.

PAGE

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PAGE

30

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

ALWAYS THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY

ART WALK 2012 FAYETTEVILLE MAY 5th & 6th Over 60 Artists on Fayetteville’s Fayetteville’s Historic Historic Square Square

Our Mission

Just 75 miles from Houston or Austin

The mission of Arts for Rural Texas (ARTS) is to heighten the visual and performing arts experience in our rural communities with an emphasis on providing educational opportunities for children.

Fine Jewelry, Crafts, Food, WineTasting Tasting & Art, Art, Music, Crafts, Food, Wine Fun for Children BenefitingArts Rural Programs Childrens’ Fun Benefiting forArt Rural Texas

SAT 10-5, SUN 11-4

www.ArtsforRuralTexas.org GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY: BILL & SUSAN HIGHTOWER, MARK CHAPMAN & CHERYL MELLENTHIN, JOHN & DARLENE MCNABB, ALTA MESA RESOURCES, INC. OIL PAINTING BY JANICE McCUBBIN, AWARD RECIPIENT AT ARTWALK 2011

979-378-2113 114 N. Live Oak St. • Fayetteville, TX 78940

Vi sit our website for upcoming events!

www.artsforruraltexas.org

Blackbird Farm Lodging

Blackbird Farm Event Center

,For information on these locations near Round Top and Fayetteville, contact Joan at 713-818-9766 or Joan@BlackbirdFarmTexas.com

,To book receptions, parties, weddings or dinners for 20 to 200, contact Joan at 713-818-9766 or Joan@BlackbirdFarmTexas.com

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

31

Our specialty is low prices!

ANTIQUES FURNITURE LIGHTING & ART JEWELRY HOME DECOR These fishermen, and their dog, come back to the boat ramp after a day on the lake.

Photo by Jeff Wick

Fishermen Love Lake Fayette

For fishing, boating or just relaxing, one of Texas’ finest small lakes is found in Fayette County. Lake Fayette is located 10 miles east of La Grange off SH 159. For the past 30 years, bass lovers have flocked

to it.

You’ll need a state fishing license available at Walmart in La Grange.

If you want a professional guide, check with Bob Green (281) 480-9200; (979) 249-4242 or Mark Fransen (713) 5420466; (800) 425-9315. Both are available for half-day or full-day fishing trips.

There is a 14-24 inch slot limit on black bass. Anglers may keep five bass 14 inches or less and one bass 24 inches or over.

Lake Fayette was constructed by the LCRA and the City of Austin as a 2,400acre cooling pond for the Fayette Power Project. Warm water discharged into the lake means that it can be fished year round.

Park Prairie and Oak Thicket Parks Two parks provide access to Lake Fayette for boating, fishing, camping or family reunions. Park Prairie and Oak Thicket parks are located on the north end of the lake. Daily access fees are $4 for adults; $2 for seniors (65+); children 13 and under are free.

Oak Thicket Park At 85 acres, Oak Thicket is the largest and most developed park on the lake.

Twenty RV sites with water, 30-50 amp hookups and a dump station are available.

There are also cedar cabins of various sizes, screened shelters and campsites for

rent.

Amenities also include a pavillion for large gatherings, a children’s playground and a birdwatching and nature loop.

A multi-use trail runs from Oak Thicket Park around the perimeter of the lake to Park Prairie Park.

Park Prairie Park Park Prairie is the smaller of the two parks at 14 acres. It features a boat ramp, dock and pier, tent camping and restrooms Potable water is available.

Reservations for facilities at both parks can be made by calling the Texas Parks

HOURS: Closed Monday Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.

FREE WiFi

and Wildlife reservation line: (512) 3898900 (choose option 2) or on short notice (979) 249-3344. Have fun!

OAK THICKET PARK PRAIRIE 979-249-3504

979-249-3344

RV, CABINS & TENT CAMPING Jimmy Mullen from Vicksburg, Mississippi, holds up a typical Lake Fayette black bass during a recent trip to visit friends in Fayette County.

Staff photo by H.H. Howze

PAGE

32

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Fayette County Outside

Hiking at the State Park

Though part of a country club, the golf course at Frisch Auf! is also open to the public and offers lots of challenging holes with water hazards and elevation changes.

Fore! Galore

Fayette County boasts two nine-hole golf courses that are open to the public –and one disc golf course.

The La Grange golf course is at Frisch Auf! Valley Country Club, but nonmembers can play there. It’s located at 576 Country Club Drive at the base of the bluff formed by the Colorado River.

Greens fees are $20 during the week and $24 on weekends.

Call 979-968-6113 for more information.

The Flatonia course is at 1245 E. Highway 90 and opened in 1993.

Weekend rates there are $17 and $12 Monday through Thursday. Tuesday through Thursday senior rates are $10.

For more information call 361-8652922.

Carts are available for rental at both courses.

If disc golf is your game, Snow Farm is a 21- hole course located in the far northern tip of Fayette County on Muske-Ulrich Road. Call ahead for reservations from owner/operator Randon Dillingham at (979) 278-3536.

It’s $6 to play and primitive camping is available for $6. Several large disc golf tournaments are held there every year.

Built in 2012, there is now a free disc golf course at the Fayette County fairgrounds as weel.

Monument Hill State Park in La Grange is free and open every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes several miles of interesting hikes, ranging from easy to strenuous.

Here’s a description of what you might encounter: The bluff at Monument Hill is the northern limit of the Oakville Escarpment of Miocene era bearing sandstone. This escarpment or “cuesta” marks the boundary between the “Upland Post Oak Woodlands” and the “Fayette Prairie” environments.

Here, along the bluff, “eastern” plant and animal communities of the woodlands and prairie coexist with an isolated colony of “western” species.

Numerous plants and animals common to the limestone-based soils of the Hill Country, 70 miles northwest, have been transported and deposited in this locale by the Colorado River, located at the base of the 200-foot bluff cliff. These species flourish in pockets of alkaline soils produced through erosion of the calcareous sandstone cap of the escarpment. The occurrence of

The park is located at 414 State Loop 92 in La Grange. Their phone number is 979-968-5658. From the La Grange Business District, take State Highway 77 South across the Colorado River, and .4 mile on Spur 92, west to the park entrance.

Elevation: 471 feet, mean altitude above sea level. Due to the hilly nature of the park’s terrain, some areas are higher and lower than this average. Weather: Average January minimum 41; average July maximum 95.

Fayette County Campgrounds Colorado Landing RV, Inc. Bill & Charlo Horton 64 E. Bluff View La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 968-9465 (979) 968-9055 www.coloradolanding. com

Dillards RV Park

(979) 278-3805 www.southfortyrvpark.com

Flatonia RV Ranch

2500 FM 609, Flatonia 78941 361-865-9295

Dippel’s RV Park

RPMF, Inc.-Lake Fayette Parks Oak Thicket & Park Prairie Parks

Dixieland Texas Retreat RV Park

S&H RV Park

Warrenton, TX 78961 (979) 249-3779

Harvey Dippel 702 Rohde Road Round Top, TX 78954 (979) 249-3749

Paula and Phil Watkins 249 Dixieland RV Park Lane Carmine, TX 78932

Randon Dillingham takes a toss at Snow Farm Disc Golf Course.

Photo by Jeff Wick

such biological diversity at one location is not singularly unique, but is uncommon, and lends itself to a beautiful place in Central Texas. Oak and cedar forests and predominately little blue stem prairie environments are intermixed throughout the park, with old roads, trails, retaining walls, and buildings adding beauty and places of shelter to the environment. The park’s nature trail has a list of more common plant and animal species and is available at the park headquarters for further study.

Rosalie Graeter 4819 W State Hwy 159 Fayetteville, TX 78940 (979) 249-3504 (979) 249-3623 www.fayettecountybassfishing.com

Sheila & Harry Wiggins 3517 Post Oak Road

La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 249-2050

Schulenburg RV Park

Loretta Baumgarten 65 N. Kessler Avenue Schulenburg, TX 78956 (979) 743-4388 (979) 743-2858 www.schulenburgrvpark. com

Suncatcher RV Park Del & Sandy DelVecchio 3033 S. US Hwy 77 La Grange, TX 78945 (979) 968-6868 www.dixielandrvpark.com

Tree Park RV Park 4635 S. Hwy.237, Warrenton. TX 78961 (979) 249-5588

Colorado Landing is just one of several RV Parks in Fayette County. In the winter the population of this area is notably larger because of “Winter Texans.”

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Medical Care

Just in Case You Need It You probably don’t think too much about health care when you’re on vacation. But Fayette County does.

Fulltime, professional emergency medical personnel are on duty 24 hours a day in all parts of the county, ready to respond to urgent calls.

Helicopters are even available to transport patients elsewhere for specialty care.

And an excellent Emergency Room is provided by St. Mark’s Medical Center in La Grange.

A broken arm, a chipped tooth or a medical emergency can happen anywhere – even on vacation.

It’s comforting to know that help is ready if needed.

And because first-time visitors sometimes become later-on residents, we want you to know Fayette County is a great choice for a home, too.

St. Mark’s Medical Center is just one example of why.

From advanced technologies rivaling those of major metropolitan institutions to a level of service surpassing the expected, St. Mark’s is making compassionate care the center of everything the hospital does.

Its guiding principles focus on respect and care for the whole person. “Our beliefs center on the Golden Rule as the standard by which we treat every individual,” the hospital says.

Physicians clinics in Schulenburg and Flatonia also stand ready to serve, affiliated with St. Mark’s or with nearby ColoradoFayette Medical Center in Weimar.

And numerous specialists practice in La Grange and Fayette County, assuring the highest standards of modern medicine for the whole family.

Tejas Health Care is a non-profit clinic that puts an emphasis on providing service to the uninsured and under-insured, especially health care for children.

The U.S. Veterans Administration even has a clinic in La Grange, providing medical services close to home for veterans in this area.

Physicians and surgeons, dentists and chiropractors, rehab experts and physical therapists, skilled nurses and EMTs all contribute to the confidence you can feel as a visitor or resident in Fayette County.

Whether it’s as simple as replacing a lost contact lens or dealing with the trauma of a medical emergency, Fayette County is prepared to meet your needs.

PAGE

33

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

What Makes A Good Doctor?

G L S C T

Genuine concern for the patients physical WHAT MAKES A GOOD DOCTOR? and emotional well being.

Local involvement and visibility within the community with care close to home.

Skilled in the most up-to-date surgical techniques and procedures.

Compassion for the patient and family members.

Trust between doctor and patient, building a true relationship.

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DanielA. A. White, Daniel White, M.D., F.A.C.S F.A.C.S. M.D.,

AlbertL. L. Chorens, Chorens Albert M.D., F.A.C.S. F.A.C.S. M.D.,

AnantC. C. Praba, Anant Praba, M.D., F.A.C.S. F.A.C.S. M.D.,

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Fayette County EMS Has Four Local Stations

Wherever you may be in Fayette County, emergency medical help is nearby.

The Fayette County EMS System operates four stations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in La Grange, Schulenburg, Fayetteville, and Flatonia. The county-sponsored agency is assisted by 10 First Responder agencies, further assuring rapid response.

Each of the stations is staffed with a Paramedic/EMT team 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

EMS operates a fleet of seven ambulances and two support vehicles equipped with Mobile Intensive Care Unit capabilities. They respond to approximately 300 emergency and non-emergency calls per

month. They maintain a full-time staff of 27 EMTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Paramedics and a part-time staff of 12 EMTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s/Paramedics.

The Fayette County EMS System is a clinically sophisticated, customer service oriented community service. They are able to accomplish there goals through a team approach.

The team is comprised of 911 call takers and dispatchers, Fire Departments, stand alone First Responder agencies, EMS Paramedics, EMTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and emergency room physicians and nurses.

For additional information or questions, contact Fayette County EMS at (979) 968-8991.

St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hometown Healthcare Emergencies happen every day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even when people are on vacation.

St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center in La Grange is dedicated to caring for visitors and local residents alike when an emergency strikes.

Its Emergency Department is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a medical care team specifically trained and available to handle your emergency. The emergency medical team consists of the Medical Director who is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine and a multidisciplinary nursing staff all trained in Emergency Medicine, with 90 perecent of the nursing staff Board Certified in Emergency Medicine, as well.

A dedicated support staff â&#x20AC;&#x201C; including volunteer members of the St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auxiliary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; greets you at the door with a downhome smile.

St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is proud to offer the town and region a Level IV Trauma Designated Facility, which means they have met and maintained the standards directed by the Texas Department of State and Health Services.

The multidisciplinary team consisting of local, county, and statewide services provides rapid response to the critically injured patient including a dedicated trauma room.

St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also has two rooms especially for those patients arriving at the Emergency Department with chest pain. St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center Emergency Services provides the best medical care available and is fortunate to have strong relationships with all the healthcare agencies in our community such as ambulance services and an air-transport service, which is conveniently located right at the hospitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back door.

Kids are thought of, too.

Your child will receive care from a health care team who has received training in pediatric emergencies.

There is comfort in knowing that compassionate care for you or your loved one is provided by trained specialists. They want St. Markâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Medical Center to be the place you think of first when you are faced with a medical emergency.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

New Clinic Opening in Schulenburg

A brand new medical clinic building is going up in Schulenburg, one more evidence of the growing depth of health care in Fayette County.

The new clinic consists of a complete family practice and pediatric care, and also will include expanding multi-specialty physicians providing care in cardiology,

orthopedic, surgery, dermatology, ear, nose and throat, OB-GYN and several other sub-specialties.

The latest in laboratory services, radiology

Some Important Phone Numbers Colorado-Fayette Med Ctr 400 Youens Dr., Weimar 979-725-9531 Columbus Eye Associates 108 N. Washington, LG 979-968-3953 Cornerstone Dental Clinic 279 E. Colorado, La Grange 979-968-9451 Fayette Alternative Medicine Clinic 1495 W. State Hwy. 71, LG 979-968-6400 Fayette Co. Public Health 275 Ellinger Road, La Grange 979-968-9454 Fayette Co. WIC Clinic 275 S. Ellinger Rd., LG 979-968-6391 Fayette Family Chiropractic 464 E. Guadalupe St., LG 979-966-0601 Fitzpatrick Chiropractic Clinic 250 E. Colorado, La Grange 979-968-3340 Flatonia Community Clinic 113 W. South Main, Flatonia 361-865-3561 General & Laparoendoscopic Surgeons Two St. Mark’s Place, LG 979-242-5605 Hatfield Dental Clinic 110 N. Washington St., LG 979-968-5813

Juno Medical Clinic 1720 Von Minden Rd., LG 979-968-2700 La Grange Family Health Clinic 1253 N. Von Minden, LG 979-968-8493 La Grange Vision Center 1630 W. Hwy. 71, La Grange 979-968-8987 Neely Neck & Back Clinic 117 N. Main St., La Grange 979-968-6500 St. Mark’s Medical Center One St. Mark’s Pl., La Grange 979-242-2200 Schulenburg Chiropractic Clinic 703 Lyons, Schulenburg 979-743-4543 Schulenburg Community Clinic 511 Summit, Schulenburg 979-743-4131 Tejas Healthcare Clinic 753 E. Travis, La Grange 979-968-2000 Texas Brain & Spine Institute - Neurosurgery Main: 8441 St. Hwy. 47, Ste. 4300, Bryan, TX 77807 La Grange: St. Mark’s Medical Arts Bldg. - Specialty Clinic Telephone 1-800-793-9106

and scans will be provided through the clinic’s association with St. Mark’s Medical Center in La Grange, which serves a multi-county region.

The new clinic will be situated in Schulenburg’s new Mid Cities Business Park, a multiuse development on the southeast corner of the intersection of U.S. 77 and I-10 in Schulenburg.

A site near the lake on the property was selected.

Developers plan for the overall tract to include a hotel and businesses, as well as the clinic and residential sections.

Construction on the 10,000 square foot clinic began in March, with completion expected in the fall.

Meanwhile, Kocurek and James Clinic continues to provide health care services at their facility in the St. Mark’s Professional Building on Upton Avenue in Schulenburg.

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

35

St. Mark’s Medical Center in La Grange

Remarkable St. Mark’s

One reason so many newcomers are moving to Fayette County is its growing reputation as a regional center for health care.

Not only is St. Mark’s Medical Center in La Grange the leading hospital in the region, but numerous doctors and clinics serve people from pre-natal to geriatric.

St. Mark’s Medical Center utilizes the most advanced technologies rivaling those of major cities in a comfortable environment close to home. It offers inpatient, outpatient, and emergency services with compassionate care, focus-

ing on respect and care for the whole person.

The Laboratories at St. Mark’s offer a comprehensive range of laboratory tests to support physician, hospitals, and other healthcare entities. Its lab services are fully accredited by COLA with proficiency testing monitored by the American Proficiency Institute.

St. Mark’s consulting pathologists are board certified in anatomic and clinical pathology with subspecialties in cytopathology, dermatopathology, and hematopathology.

The main SMMC phone number is (979) 242-2200.

Byron D. Neely, M.D. Fellow American College of Surgeons Diplomate, American Board of Neurological Surgery

Board Certified Spinal Neurosurgery Office located At

117 North Main Street, La Grange, Texas 78945 Office (979) 968-6500 Fax (979) 968-6555

PAGE

36

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

205 East Avenue, Suite B Schulenburg, TX 78956

979-743-2502

REGENCY RETIREMENT VILLAGE Medical Parkway • 979-743-2502

A Regency Lifestyle that cannot be equaled!

SCHULENBURG REGENCY RETIREMENT VILLAS 205 E. Avenue • 979-743-4791

COLLEGE PLACE ASSISTED LIVING 210 College St. • 979-743-6180

SCHULENBURG REGENCY SKILLED NURSING REHAB CENTER 111 College St.• 979-743-6537

Family Fitness & Rehab Center Fitness Center 979-743-2864

Rehab Center 979-743-4109

• Rehabilitation Center including Physical Terapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Industrial Rehabilitation and Pool Therapy • Fitness Center: Exercise and Fitness Programs, and Pool • Public and Corporate Memberships Available

FAMILY FITNESS & REHAB CENTER 80 N. Kessler Ave., Building K

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

37

911 S. Jefferson La Grange, TX 78945

979-968-9161

In La Grange

The Place for Independence and Assistance!

We are Licensed to Proivde A Higher Level of Assistance.

Microscopic Dust Mite Produces A Common Househould Allergen

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a jungle down here, Steamatic of Tri County can give your carpet just the lift it needs.

There is a difference in cleaning methods, call the company people have trusted for years!

PAGE

38

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Above: 12,000 bikers descend on the Fayette County Fairgrounds for the overnight stop of the MS 150 Houston-to-Austin bike ride. Next page – Left: The start of the 2011 race.

Right: One of the 2010 riders celebrates after crossing the Day One finish line.

File photos by Jeff Wick

Hometown health care just got a lot closer.

Breaking ground for a new 10,000 square foot clinic building, Kocurek & James Clinic, PLLC is expanding to provide even better care for the people of Fayette County. Located in the new Mid Cities Business Park Development in Schulenburg, the new clinic will house complete family practice and pediatric care, along with expanding multispecialty physicians providing care in Cardiology, Orthopedic, Surgery, Dermatology,

Ear, Nose, and Throat, OB-GYN, and several other sub-specialties. The latest in Laboratory Services, Radiology and Scans will be provided through our association with St. Mark’s Medical Center. Dr. Donald Kocurek, Dr. Michele James, Dr. Justin Powell and Pamela Slaton FNP-BC, along with all their staff, look forward to this needed and well deserved facility to better serve Schulenburg and the surrounding area.

Kocurek & James Clinic, PLLC 979-743-3520

Schulenburg’s family doctors are getting a brand new home to serve patients even better.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Coming to this Area?

Better Bring Your Bike

By JEFF WICK

The Fayette County Record

The scenic, winding country roads of this Fayette County make this area a magnet for cyclists year-around.

But every April more cyclists converge on Fayette County than anywhere else in the world La Grange is the overnight stopping point for the MS 150, the largest charity bike ride in the world, which raises money for multiple sclerosis research and treatment.

Some 12,000 bikers make their way from Houston to Austin in the two-day event and for the last 27 years La Grange has served as the extended pit-stop.

Last year $16.9 million was raised for the National MS Society and since the MS 150 started $148 million has been raised.

The Fayette County Fairgrounds turns into bicycle-central.

Dozens of circus tents go up, where bikers rest and relax from the ride in from Houston. Bands perform and community members come together to make sure all the bikers and support staff are fed and taken care of.

Even if you aren’t riding yourself, the Day One finish line at the fairgrounds is a sight to behold as hundreds form lines on either side of the road to cheer the riders on through their last few yards as an announcer spouts biographical details about many of the bikers as they pass through.

Even after they finish, not all the riders stay at the fairgrounds.

Many local families open up their homes to host the same riders year after year –but most local hotels and cam-

pgrounds are filled to the brim that weekend as well.

It’s quite a different event than the first one back in 1985 when less than 200 riders stayed overnight at the La Grange Knights of Columbus Hall and showered at the high school.

But one constant over the years is how this area continues to embrace the event.

Two years ago St. Marks Medical Center donated 30 acres of land across from the fairgrounds as additional overnight camping area for the riders.

Sunday morning the riders are off to Austin, but that doesn’t mean the cycling fun is over in Fayette County. Fayetteville has an active cycling club (fayettevilletxcc@gmail.com) and the La Grange Chamber of Commerce has put together a dozen scenic bike routes that really show the character of Fayette County which can be found at www.lagrangetx.org And the MS 150 isn’t the only big cycling event in Fayette County. Flatonia and Schulenburg in the southern part of the county are on the Texas Independence Bike Relay, a 40-leg team race from Gonzales (where the Texas Revolution began) to the San Jacinto Monument (at the battle the site of where Texas won its independence).

The start of the 2011 MS 150 Day Two ride in La Grange.

Photo by Jeff Wick

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

39

Don’t just ride,

BP MS 150 MS150.ORG

PAGE

40

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Physicians & Specialists Providing Advanced Hometown Healthcare

CARDIOLOGY Austin Heart Clinic Phillip E. Burket, M.D. Stanley Wang, M.D., JD, MPH Susanne Wetherhold, M.D. Paul Pagley, M.D. Matthew Selmon, M.D., FACC David Tschopp, M.D., FACC Arthur Smith, M.D. William Bailey, M.D.

979-242-5677

FAMILY PRACTICE, Including Pediatrics Wess Blackwell, M.D. 979-968-8493 Heather Mikeska, M.D. 979-968-8493 Laura Birnbaum, M.D. 979-542-9000 FAMILY PRACTICE Thomas Borgstedte, D.O. Teresa Kinsfather, D.O. Bill D. Nolen, D.O. Wm. Mike McBroom, M.D. Debra Irwin, M.D.

979-968-8493 979-542-4357 979-242-5878 979-968-8493 979-968-2000

ST. MARK’S PROFESSIONAL BLDG., SCHULENBURG 979-743-3520 Donald Kocurek, M.D. Family Practice Michelle James, M.D. Pediatrics Justin Powell, D.O. Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Pam Slaton, FNP

HOSPITALIST/INTERNAL MEDICINE William Torkildsen, M.D. 979-242-2200 Robert Peter Sims, M.D.

GENERAL SURGERY Russell Juno, M.D.

979-968-2700

OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY Shannon Juno, M.D. 979-968-2700 Tristan R. Schultis, M.D. 979-242-2420

ALLERGY Paul Jantzi, M.D.

800-362-9633

ORTHOPEDICS Sandy Bahm, M.D. Scott M. Williams, M.D.

DERMATOLOGY Daniel Ladd, Jr., D.O. Angela Nichole Edwards, D.O. Brian K. Williams, D.O.

979-242-2205 979-251-8005

512-451-0139

NEUROLOGY/NEUROSURGERY Herbert Edmundson, M.D. 713-772-4600 William H. Fleming, M.D. 713-772-4600 Byron Neely, M.D. 979-968-6500 J. Bradley White, M.D., PhD 800-793-9106

EAR, NOSE & THROAT Andrew L. de Jong, M.D. Thomas Salzer, M.D. Steven Wright, M.D.

979-693-6000 979-680-8808 979-680-8808

PEDIATRICS Amy Jatzlau, M.D. Crystal Banks, M.D. Greg Kostur, M.D.

PODIATRY Paul Gee, D.P.M. Gerald Zeringue, D.P.M.

979-242-2205 512-447-2025

UROLOGY David W. Freidberg, M.D. Steven H. Pickett, M.D. David Phillips, M.D. Peter Ruff, M.D.

512-349-7150 512-416-0444 512-443-5988 512-416-0444

GENERAL SURGERY General & Laparoendoscopic Surgeons of Central Texas Albert L. Chorens, M.D. Anant Praba, M.D. Daniel A. White, M.D.

979-542-0710 979-542-0710 979-968-2000

979-242-5606

St. Mark’s Medical Center

Located just North of La Grange on Hwy. 77 www.smmctx.org | One St. Mark’s Place | La Grange, Tx 78945 | 979.242.2200

For more information on St. Mark’s Physicians, call 979-242-2205.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

37

911 S. Jefferson La Grange, TX 78945

979-968-9161

In La Grange

The Place for Independence and Assistance!

We are Licensed to Proivde A Higher Level of Assistance.

Microscopic Dust Mite Produces A Common Househould Allergen

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a jungle down here, Steamatic of Tri County can give your carpet just the lift it needs.

There is a difference in cleaning methods, call the company people have trusted for years!

PAGE

38

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Above: 12,000 bikers descend on the Fayette County Fairgrounds for the overnight stop of the MS 150 Houston-to-Austin bike ride. Next page – Left: The start of the 2011 race.

Right: One of the 2010 riders celebrates after crossing the Day One finish line.

File photos by Jeff Wick

Hometown health care just got a lot closer.

Breaking ground for a new 10,000 square foot clinic building, Kocurek & James Clinic, PLLC is expanding to provide even better care for the people of Fayette County. Located in the new Mid Cities Business Park Development in Schulenburg, the new clinic will house complete family practice and pediatric care, along with expanding multispecialty physicians providing care in Cardiology, Orthopedic, Surgery, Dermatology,

Ear, Nose, and Throat, OB-GYN, and several other sub-specialties. The latest in Laboratory Services, Radiology and Scans will be provided through our association with St. Mark’s Medical Center. Dr. Donald Kocurek, Dr. Michele James, Dr. Justin Powell and Pamela Slaton FNP-BC, along with all their staff, look forward to this needed and well deserved facility to better serve Schulenburg and the surrounding area.

Kocurek & James Clinic, PLLC 979-743-3520

Schulenburg’s family doctors are getting a brand new home to serve patients even better.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Coming to this Area?

Better Bring Your Bike

By JEFF WICK

The Fayette County Record

The scenic, winding country roads of this Fayette County make this area a magnet for cyclists year-around.

But every April more cyclists converge on Fayette County than anywhere else in the world La Grange is the overnight stopping point for the MS 150, the largest charity bike ride in the world, which raises money for multiple sclerosis research and treatment.

Some 12,000 bikers make their way from Houston to Austin in the two-day event and for the last 27 years La Grange has served as the extended pit-stop.

Last year $16.9 million was raised for the National MS Society and since the MS 150 started $148 million has been raised.

The Fayette County Fairgrounds turns into bicycle-central.

Dozens of circus tents go up, where bikers rest and relax from the ride in from Houston. Bands perform and community members come together to make sure all the bikers and support staff are fed and taken care of.

Even if you aren’t riding yourself, the Day One finish line at the fairgrounds is a sight to behold as hundreds form lines on either side of the road to cheer the riders on through their last few yards as an announcer spouts biographical details about many of the bikers as they pass through.

Even after they finish, not all the riders stay at the fairgrounds.

Many local families open up their homes to host the same riders year after year –but most local hotels and cam-

pgrounds are filled to the brim that weekend as well.

It’s quite a different event than the first one back in 1985 when less than 200 riders stayed overnight at the La Grange Knights of Columbus Hall and showered at the high school.

But one constant over the years is how this area continues to embrace the event.

Two years ago St. Marks Medical Center donated 30 acres of land across from the fairgrounds as additional overnight camping area for the riders.

Sunday morning the riders are off to Austin, but that doesn’t mean the cycling fun is over in Fayette County. Fayetteville has an active cycling club (fayettevilletxcc@gmail.com) and the La Grange Chamber of Commerce has put together a dozen scenic bike routes that really show the character of Fayette County which can be found at www.lagrangetx.org And the MS 150 isn’t the only big cycling event in Fayette County. Flatonia and Schulenburg in the southern part of the county are on the Texas Independence Bike Relay, a 40-leg team race from Gonzales (where the Texas Revolution began) to the San Jacinto Monument (at the battle the site of where Texas won its independence).

The start of the 2011 MS 150 Day Two ride in La Grange.

Photo by Jeff Wick

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

39

Don’t just ride,

BP MS 150 MS150.ORG

PAGE

40

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Physicians & Specialists Providing Advanced Hometown Healthcare

CARDIOLOGY Austin Heart Clinic Phillip E. Burket, M.D. Stanley Wang, M.D., JD, MPH Susanne Wetherhold, M.D. Paul Pagley, M.D. Matthew Selmon, M.D., FACC David Tschopp, M.D., FACC Arthur Smith, M.D. William Bailey, M.D.

979-242-5677

FAMILY PRACTICE, Including Pediatrics Wess Blackwell, M.D. 979-968-8493 Heather Mikeska, M.D. 979-968-8493 Laura Birnbaum, M.D. 979-542-9000 FAMILY PRACTICE Thomas Borgstedte, D.O. Teresa Kinsfather, D.O. Bill D. Nolen, D.O. Wm. Mike McBroom, M.D. Debra Irwin, M.D.

979-968-8493 979-542-4357 979-242-5878 979-968-8493 979-968-2000

ST. MARK’S PROFESSIONAL BLDG., SCHULENBURG 979-743-3520 Donald Kocurek, M.D. Family Practice Michelle James, M.D. Pediatrics Justin Powell, D.O. Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Pam Slaton, FNP

HOSPITALIST/INTERNAL MEDICINE William Torkildsen, M.D. 979-242-2200 Robert Peter Sims, M.D.

GENERAL SURGERY Russell Juno, M.D.

979-968-2700

OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY Shannon Juno, M.D. 979-968-2700 Tristan R. Schultis, M.D. 979-242-2420

ALLERGY Paul Jantzi, M.D.

800-362-9633

ORTHOPEDICS Sandy Bahm, M.D. Scott M. Williams, M.D.

DERMATOLOGY Daniel Ladd, Jr., D.O. Angela Nichole Edwards, D.O. Brian K. Williams, D.O.

979-242-2205 979-251-8005

512-451-0139

NEUROLOGY/NEUROSURGERY Herbert Edmundson, M.D. 713-772-4600 William H. Fleming, M.D. 713-772-4600 Byron Neely, M.D. 979-968-6500 J. Bradley White, M.D., PhD 800-793-9106

EAR, NOSE & THROAT Andrew L. de Jong, M.D. Thomas Salzer, M.D. Steven Wright, M.D.

979-693-6000 979-680-8808 979-680-8808

PEDIATRICS Amy Jatzlau, M.D. Crystal Banks, M.D. Greg Kostur, M.D.

PODIATRY Paul Gee, D.P.M. Gerald Zeringue, D.P.M.

979-242-2205 512-447-2025

UROLOGY David W. Freidberg, M.D. Steven H. Pickett, M.D. David Phillips, M.D. Peter Ruff, M.D.

512-349-7150 512-416-0444 512-443-5988 512-416-0444

GENERAL SURGERY General & Laparoendoscopic Surgeons of Central Texas Albert L. Chorens, M.D. Anant Praba, M.D. Daniel A. White, M.D.

979-542-0710 979-542-0710 979-968-2000

979-242-5606

St. Mark’s Medical Center

Located just North of La Grange on Hwy. 77 www.smmctx.org | One St. Mark’s Place | La Grange, Tx 78945 | 979.242.2200

For more information on St. Mark’s Physicians, call 979-242-2205.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

You’ll Find All of This

AND MORE IN LA GRANGE!

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

41

PAGE

42

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Pat & Jerry Schmidt WELCOME YOU TO THE

A Quilting & Craft Retreat for Ladies Accomodations available for ladies groups during Warrenton/Round Top Antique Fair.

www.rr-retreats.com

Margie Lawrence Phone/Fax: 979-247-4770 Cell: 713-412-8086 714 E. Radhost School Rd â&#x20AC;˘ La Grange, Tx 78945

w w w. b i g t i n f l a g . n e t bigtinflag@cvctx.com

2645 Kallus Road La Grange, Texas 78945 margie@rr-retreats.com

832.886.5183

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

La Grange Area Dining Guide LA GRANGE

Weikelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bakery 2247 West Hwy 71 Business.

(979) 968-9413

ChiVina 1990 W Texas Busi 71 (979) 966-0757

Whataburger 1800 E. State Hwy. 71, (979) 968-9565 (979) 968-2329

Dairy Queen 311 N Jefferson St, (979) 968-5861 Golden Chick 312 E Travis St, (979) 968-8939

Steaks at the Swiss Alp Grill Las Fuentes 658 S.Jefferson Street, (979) 968-8957 (979) 968-8958

Goldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;n Crisp Fried Chicken 922 E Travis St, (979) 968-3033 Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant 403 N. Jefferson, (979) 968-5935 (979) 966-0154 Kasperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Steak House 403 W Travis St, La Grange La Marina Restaurant 1502 W. State Hwy 71, (979) 968-2065 (979) 968-2607

1010 Von Minden Rd La Grange, TX

Texas OneStop BBQ and Bakery 1704 E. Hwy. 71 Bypass (979) 968-8100

Bodega Wine Market 201 W Travis (979) 968-3964

Latte On the Square 219 W Travis St, (979) 968-9545 McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2304 W. Hwy. 71, (979) 968-5098 Pizza Hut 2230 W. State Hwy. 7l, (979) 968-3125 ( 979) 968-3126 Prause Meat Market 253 W Travis Street, (979) 968-3259

Rebaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 539 E. Colorado, La Grange Riverside Cafe 1225 Carroll Ln, (979) 968-5506 Sealand Seafood 2359 Hwy. 71 W, (979) 968-6139 Sonic Drive-In 717 E.Travis Street, (979) 968-6421 Subway 109 S. Iefferson, (979) 966-0724 Taqueria Rio Verde 1330 N. Jefferson, (979) 968-2074

Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites Activities:

tHistoric Sites tPicnic Area tHiking Trails tGuided Tours tScenic Views tWildlife Viewing tGeoCaching High on the bluff overlooking La Grange

Free Admission

(979)968-5658 Open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Daily

Join Us for these Service Times

HOLMAN Holman Valley Steakhouse, 10204 FM 155, La Grange (979) 263-4188

SWISS ALP Swiss Alp Dance Hall, Garten & Grill 6940 N. US Hwy 77, Schulenburg (979) 247-4536 www.swissalptexas.com

WEST POINT Nanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen 120 West Point Loop, West Point, TX (979) 242-3048

43

Second Baptist Church

The Back Porch BBQ 1602 N. Jefferson (979) 968-1580

Bistro 108 108 S. Main Street, (979)968-9108 (979) 968-9431

PAGE

Bed & Breakfast On Main Located in a restored, 100+ year-old home w/ three bedrooms, two with 1/2 baths, one with a lav, a full bath and separate shower room.

Each room sleeps three.

Central heat and air, full kitchen and separate dining room.

Four blocks off the square in La Grange at 512 S. Main Street.

(979) 968-9535 â&#x20AC;˘ (979) 338-9326

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Bible Study 9:15a Worship 10:30a

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Student Ministry Discipleship 6p Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bible Drill 6p Adult Bible Study 6p ;IHRIWHE] )ZIRMRK

Meal 5:30p Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministry 6p Student Ministry 6p Adult Bible Study 6:15p

Â&#x2C6; Â&#x2C6;

www.sblg.org

The Fayette Public Library &

Fayette Heritage Museum & Archives &KDQJLQJ MUSEUM EXHIBITS &RPH ,Q $QG (QMR\ WKH 0XVHXP

&RXQW\ )DPLO\ +LVWRU\ RESEARCH CENTER BOOK STORE IHDWXULQJ ORFDO KLVWRULHV DQG 7H[DQD WLWOHV

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

How the West Was Fun

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Your Neighborhood Bank Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right here at home for all of your personal and business banking needs.

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Every March the Best Little Cowboy Gathering in Texas is held at the Fayette County Fairgrounds. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a celebration of cowboy culture, food and music. There are also reenactments of Old West dramas, shown above.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

PAGE

45

We provide more than power.

The place to go for

Lawn and Garden Supplies, Giftware, Home Decor Hardware, Paint, Tools,

Various dignitaries cut the red ribbon to officially open the Texas Quilt Museum in downtown La Grange in November 2011.

Photos by Jeff Wick

Texas Quilt Museum Opens to Rave Reviews

By JEFF WICK

The Fayette County Record

La Grange became the unofficial quilting capital of Texas on Nov. 13, 2011, as the Texas Quilt Museum opened in downtown La Grange.

And ever since a steady stream of tour buses have been descending upon the twobuilding complex that also includes a massive 75-foot mural and turn-of-the-century garden.

“These are not your grandmother’s quilts,” said Karey Bresenhan, co-founder of the museum, who also founded the Houston International Quilt Festival “These are quilts like you’ve never seen before.”

The museum was the idea Bresenhan and her cousin Nancy O’Bryant Puentes, who together have written a trilogy of books on Texas Quilts.

The choice to bring the museum to La

Grange was an easy one, said Bresenhan.

“La Grange is right in the middle of Austin, Houston and San Antonio. It’s a crossroads to all these areas,” Bresenhan said prior to the museum opening.

She and the three other members of the executive committee members of Quilts Inc. were all riding together through La Grange and saw the “For Sale” sign on Colorado Street and it hit them all at the same time that this was their future museum.

Even before the museum opened this area was already home to a vibrant quilting community. The Colorado Valley Quilt Guild holds “The Best Little Quilt Show in Texas” in La Grange every February.

But the museum has sparked even more interest in quilting locally.

For more than a year work was ongoing to convert the building at 140 W. Colorado Street in La Grange (which dated back Continued on next page

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Museum-goers line the walls on the first day the Texas Quilt Museum was open to the public in November 2011.

www.lasfuentesmexicanrestaurant.net

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Quilts Blanket Downtown La Grange at New Museum Continued from previous page to 1893) into the new museum. When the building next door became available, the museum bought that too, giving them 10,000 square feet of exhibition space divided among three galleries. That’s enough to display about 70 full-sized quilts at any one time.

The quilts on display will change every few months.

In addition to a gift shop, the museum also houses the Pearce Memorial Library and Material Culture Center which features reference books about quilting and fabric collections.

The museum’s greatest resource, however, may be Bresenhan herself, who along with her husband, split time between Houston and a ranch between La Grange and Round Top. “I don’t think people realize what a gem they have here (in Bresenhan),” said Round Top’s Julie Maffei, who is the museum’s manager.

“She has done so much to preserve the history of quilts...and women’s role in history.”

The museum’s hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

Admission is $8 per person but is $6 for seniors, students and groups of 20 or more when arranged in advance.

For more information check out www.texasquiltmuseum.org or call them at 979-968-3104.

Visitors admire the 62 quilts that were on display on the first day the Texas Quilt Museum was open to the public in November 2011. An entirely new exhibit opened in February of 2012 and plans are to have completely new exhibits every few months.

Half Page Horizontal Texas Quilt Museum OPEN Thursdays through Saturdays ................. 10 - 4 Showcasing great changing quilt exhibits and our Sundays .............................................................Noon - 4 developing Grandmother’s Flower Garden!

••• 140 West Colorado La Grange, Texas 78945 Phone 979-968-3104 | Fax 979-968-6010 projects@TexasQuiltMuseum.org www.TexasQuiltMuseum.org

ADMISSION General ........................................................................ $8 Seniors & Students ..................................................... $6 Tours of 20+ when arranged in advance ................ $6

•••

Please check our website for the museum’s holiday schedule.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Man’s D&Z Shop Men’s Wear, Western Wear, Tuxedo Rental Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat 8:30 am - 1 pm

Heritage Hallmark Cards, Gifts & Collectibles Mon-Sat 9 am - 5:30 pm Sun 12:30 - 4:30 pm

Latte on The Square latteonthesquare.com

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“Espresso, Lunch & Baked Goods Too!” Mon-Sat 7 am - 6 pm

Ladies Apparel, Shoes & Gifts Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat 9:30 am - 3:30 pm

Bodega Wine Market

Cottage Gatherings

“Lunch & A Glass of Wine Just Around the Corner”

Mon-Thurs 10:30 am - 6 pm Fri-Sat 10:30 am - 10 pm

The Shoppes on the Square

The Mustard Seed Apparel, Jewelry, & Whimsical Items Tues-Fri 9:30 am - 5:30 pm Sat 10 am - 5 pm

theshoppesonthesquare.com LogosAgogo.com

Richard Schmidt Jewelry

“Jewelry with Soul” richardschmidtjewelry.com Mon-Fri 9 am - 5:30 pm Sat 10 am - 5 pm

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Le Petite Gourmet Shoppe

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Let Us Feather Your Nest “Fine Furnishings for your Heart and Home” Mon-Fri 10 am - 5:30 pm Sat 9 am - 5 pm

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

• Gifts & Greeting Cards for All Occasions • Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments • Yankee & Woodwick Candles • Inspirational Gifts • Stationery & Albums • Giftwrap & Balloons • Collectibles • Fashion Jewelry

“Not the usual Hallmark Store!”

979.968.8555 • 240 W. Colorado, La Grange Gary & Gale Lincke, Owners

These ladies were part of the Queen’s Court that rode in the Fayette County Fair parade in 2011. The parade is always the Saturday morning of fair weekend.

Fayette County Fair Has Become A Labor Day Weekend Tradition

For 83 years the Fayette County Fair has treated local folks and area visitors to the biggest party between Houston and Austin.

This year marks the 84th edition of the fair, which is always held the ThursdaySunday of Labor Day Weekend, Aug. 30Sept. 2, at the fairgrounds just north of La Grange on Highway 77.

The four day-extravanganza is packed with events too numerous to mention, but here are a few that are always included:

* A Queen’s Contest on opening night * A Saturday morning parade through downtown La Grange. * A Carnival.

* Weekend Barbecue cookoff * Softball Tournament. * Petting Zoo. * A wide array of local food vendors and live music at the German-Czech Mart. * Fine Arts Exhibits. * Livestock shows. * A Country Store. * Talent Show. * Headline performers every night on the main stage. * Horseshoe and washer pitching tournaments. * A Commercial Exhibit Hall filled with vendors.

Season tickets go on sale in July, sold by candidates for Fair Queen, or one-day admission tickets can be bought at the gate.

Also see www.fayettecountyfair.org

Two ways to enjoy & entertain in La Grange.

A fun little ‘Good Food’ Bistro.

Catering too!

&

A convivial Shop/Bar /Bar. /Bar Bar. Wine Shop/Bar. Private Events too!

Serving up great lunch and dinner selections Tuesday through Saturday and brunch on Sunday. Using the freshest ingredients like US harvested fish, flown in fresh twice a week, and Niman Ranch beef. Great pastas, and wines, too! info@bistro108.com

An in-town wine shop & your go-to place for nearly any type of private function. A fun place to meet and linger on the square for wine, premium beer, sparkling cider or range of beverages. Enjoy tasty small plates, too. Weekly 6-pack and case specials at great prices. info@bistro108.com

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108 S. Main Street • 979/968-9108

www.bistro108.com

127 N. Main Street • 979/966-9959

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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49

“It’s hard to name it and it has nothing to do with its size.…. but some rooms have it and some rooms don’t...

The Bugle Boy has got it.”

- Eliza Gilkyson

Experience Original, Live Music In One Of America’s Premier Listening Rooms

The Fayette County courthouse and the surrounding thriving business district makes La Grange unique.

What I Love About La Grange

Englishwoman Lucy Carr is a recent newcomer to La Grange. Here she picks her favorite things about the town she now calls home.

When I first visited La Grange a few years ago, I was im-

pressed that such a small town had so much to offer. Considering that fewer than 5,000 people live in La Grange, it is certainly packed with great places to shop and eat, has wonderful museums, great parks and some very pretty architecture. To me, La Grange is a sophisticated city in the heart of rural central Texas.

Take the town square, for example. This picturesque spot is dominated by the county courthouse, an imposing edifice first built in 1891 and lovingly restored a decade ago.

As well as admiring the two-tone stone exterior, it is well worth looking inside to see the peaceful enclosed atrium. On the second floor, the beautiful wood-paneled courtroom looks just like something from a Hollywood drama.

Talking of Hollywood, La Grange has been used as a set in a number of movies.

Most recently, “The Tree of Life,” star-

ing Brad Pitt, included a scene shot in the square. With its well-preserved store fronts, many of which date back to the early 1900s, it is easy to see why the film-makers chose here.

Today the commerce on the square is a mix of sophisticated boutiques, specialist shops and places to eat. There’s a bakery, a coffee shop, two wine bars and a restaurant so you don’t have to go far for something delicious and, more often than not, home cooked.

Many of the businesses on the square are individually owned, which makes a wonderful change from shopping at the same big-brand stores you find in any other city. Although La Grange is not so famous for its antique shopping as the neighboring towns of Round Top and Warrenton, there are a handful of good antique shops in town, all a short drive or stroll away from the square.

La Grange has a strong sense of its history and there are a number of museums and monuments Continued on next page

THE BUGLE BOY offers a wide variety of concerts of American Roots music by regional, national, and international, independent artists, performing original works that include blues, folk, jazz, rock, swing, country, western, and singer/songwriters. We serve coffees, espresso, milkshakes, wine and beer.

Concerts are sponsored by the Bugle Boy Foundation

L L AN INT A H IMATE CONCERT

CONCERTS EVERY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. SHOWTIME 8:00 PM. DOORS OPEN 7:00 PM. 1051 N. Jefferson (US 77 N) La Grange, Texas 979-968-9944 For Information and Tickets:

WWW.THEBUGLEBOY.ORG

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Loving La Grange – An Essay

Connecting our guests by engaging them in quality experiences to advance lifelong memories

Experience La Grange!

Be part of a charming town, ready to welcome you.

Have some kolaches and pigs in a blanket for breakfast.

Visit historical sites while strolling the vibrant Fayette County Courthouse square.

Stand where Texas Revolutionary fighters stood before marching off to battle for the Texas Republic’s independence.

Your children can play in local parks, at ballgames, and on public and private school yards.

Experience the architecture of the rich German and Czech heritage.

Be surrounded by the beauty of a town that preserves its huge oak trees and measures its wealth by honoring its past.

• Faison Home

• Heritage House of Worship Tour

• Country Music Opry

• Old Fayette County Jail

• Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center Trail

• Fishing on Fayette Lake

• Fayette County Courthouse • Historic Oak Tree

• Texas Quilt Museum

• Fly Ins at Fayette Regional Air

• Old Railroad Depot

• Walking Tour & Local Shopping

• Fayette Heritage Museum (Closed Mondays) •Monument Hill/Kreische Brewery State Park • The Jersey Barnyard (dairy farm, hayrides, Country Store, farm animals) • True Texas Tour

• Bike Routes • Canoe Rentals on the Colorado River • Polka Lovers Club of Texas Museum

1-800-LAGRANG

171 S. Main, La Grange, TX 78945 Fax: (979) 968-8000

Toll Free: 1-800-524-7264

www.lagrangetx.org

The remains of the men who fell in these campaigns were eventually returned to La Grange and are now watched over by a guardian angel that forms part of the imposing 84-foot monument that towers over their communal tomb.

The other must-see is the view. Walk just past the monument to the

edge of the bluff for a breathtaking vista across the Colorado River valley and the plains beyond. On a clear day you can see for miles. As the river bends and buckles, you can sometimes see people canoeing the still waters. If you are lucky you may get an eye-level view of a bird of prey cruising the air currents above the water.

Finally, after all that sightseeing and strolling around town, how about ending the day with a little bit of music? The Bugle Boy (www.thebugleboy.org) is a wonderful place to listen to live music in an intimate setting. Concerts take place most weekends. Set in an old army barracks and open since 2005, the venue has gained a national reputation for booking top quality established and up-and-coming artists.

Again, it’s just another “big city” attraction in our little ‘ole Texan town.

•Historic Dance Halls

• Travel wildflower trails March thru May

Phone: (979) 968-5756

Continued from previous page around the town to prove it. Much of this area was settled by Czechs and Germans; visit the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center at the Fayette County Fairground (www.czechtexas.org) and the Kreische House at the Monument Hill State Historic Site (www.tpwd.state.tx.us) to find out more about the contribution these Europeans made to the town. On the way up the bluff to Monument Hill, you will pass another living museum, the Faison House (www.faisonhouse.org). Built in the 1840s to 1880s, the house was owned by the same family for generations before it was bought 50 years ago by the La Grange Garden Club. Since then it has been carefully restored to give visitors a snapshot of turn-ofthe-century living.

As well as the Kreische house and brewery, there are two other highlights not to miss at Monument Hill – one somber and one uplifting. The monument that gives this part of La Grange its name commemorates a number of brave local men who volunteered to fight against Mexican invaders in the 1840s, in two events known as the Dawson Massacre and the Black Bean Death Lottery.

chamber@lagrangetx.org

The view from Monument Hill, overlooking the Colorado River, is one of the things Lucy Carr loves about La Grange.

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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Five Fascinating Facts About The Best Little Town in Texas

By Lucy Carr

Five little known facts about La Grange...

1

On July 9, 1869, the Colorado River flooded and downtown La Grange was left under water. On the south-western side of the square, next to the Flair & Company store, is a plaque marking the highest point that the flood waters reached.

2

On the opposite side of the square is the Muster Oak, where generations of men gathered to sign up to fight for Texas independence.

In 1842, Captain Dawson raised a troop of 54 Texans, most from Fayette County, to march to San Antonio which had fallen to Mexican invaders. En route, at the Battle of Salado Creek, the troop was attacked by 1,000 Mexican fighters, leaving 36 members of the troop dead and 15 captured (a lucky three escaped). The prisoners suffered a grueling march to Perote prison in Mexico. The event became known as the Dawson Massacre. Later that year, to avenge this atrocity, a group of soldiers decided to march to Mexico. Unfortunate-

ly, during a raid on a border town, 250 of the men were captured and taken prisoner.

Their fate was decided by gruesome lottery â&#x20AC;&#x201C; those who picked a black bean from a pot were selected for execution while the survivors were marched on to join their brothers-in-arms in Perote prison. Eventually the remains of the 17 executed soldiers were returned to La Grange where they are buried at Monument Hill state park, alongside those who fell in the Dawson Massacre.

3

This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only unusual tree in our town. Drive down the residential side streets off the main square and you will come across trees growing in the middle of the pavement. The city takes the refreshing view that, since they were there long before the cars, the trees must take priorityâ&#x20AC;Ś

5

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a deer in the courthouse, a gorilla on the bluff and leopards all over town.

And one you may have heard aboutâ&#x20AC;Ś â&#x20AC;ŚA brothel called The Chicken Ranch operated just outside the city limits for 130 years before being closed in the early 1970s.

When Houston television news reporter, Marvin Zindler, started broadcasting items about the place, and the brothelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s notoriety began to encroach on La Grangeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image,

4

The old La Grange cemetery includes the grave of P. Carl J. Von Rosenburg, a veteran from the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, and an obelisk bearing the name Lou Faison, who was the first African-American freedwoman to own property in La Grange.

public pressure was put on the authorities to make it close, which it duly did on August 1st 1973. The controversy spawned a musical â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and a film of the same name staring Burt Reynolds in a rather inaccurate representation of La Grange Sheriff Jim Flournoy and Dolly Parton as a much more glamorous madam than the real Edna Milton.

The rock band ZZ Top song, also wrote a hit song about the brothel, entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;La Grange.â&#x20AC;?

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Trick-or-Treat Central

Thousands of trick-or-treaters descend on downtown La Grange every Halloween for the annual Trick-or-Treat on the Square event. Local businesses have their workers sit out front of their shops to hand out candy in a safe day-light environment that allows the kiddos to satisfy their need for the sweet stuff.

T E X A S C Z E C H H E R I TA G E A N D C U LT U R A L C E N T E R ? .IQZOZW]VL[ :WIL 4I /ZIVOM <M`I[ 1-888-785-4500 or www.czechtexas.org

Open Monday-Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm Sanford Schmid Amphitheater Open for Rentals

The TCHCC Library and Museum features a beautiful party room that may be rented for various occasions, a genealogy research library for families to visit and research their ancestors, a gift shop with Czech crystal, jewelry, books, polka CDs and more items of interest. The museum will have the following exhibits: Textile Exhibit-2/4/2012-6/24/2012, El Camino Real de los Tejas-7/14/2012-9/15/2012, Nativity Art-11/21/2012-1/6/201 Tour the Czech village with restored buildings and the TCHCC Sanford Schmid Amphitheater where musical performances, weddings and Shakespeare performances take place.

“Wine Still Made The Old-Fashioned Way”

The Czech Music Museum is located in the Kalich House at the entrance to the TCHCC Complex.

Specializing in Small Quantity, Handcrafted Wines to Insure the Highest Quality.

Support our Annual Czech Festival:

Open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Sunday 12 - 7 p.m.

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and Tribute to Immigrants 5)A IU XU Polka Dance, Chicken & Sausage Dinner, Food Booths & Refreshments

Czech Music Museum of Texas and Czech Village Open for Tours

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Try A Taste of La Grange

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53

One Person’s Guide to the Best Places to Eat In a Town that Knows Good Food

By Lucy Carr

If you love fine wines and quality, home-cooked food then you have come to the right place. La Grange is packed with great places to eat and have a relaxing drink.

Here are just a selection:

For coffee and cake Latte on the Square

A cute coffee shop, sandwich bar and internet café situated on the square, serving quality coffee, cappuccinos and lattes, as well as all manner of treats made from scratch, including fresh-baked scones and generously portions of delicious pies and cakes. Sandwiches and paninis on homemade bread are available all week, while on weekdays there’s also homemade soup and a salad bar.

For wine-lovers - La Bodega

This wine bar on the south-eastern corner of the square offers a wide selection of quality Texan, American and international wines in a sophisticated setting. To accompany the wine, which they sell by the glass or the bottle, a range of tasty cheeses and pastries are for sale. It’s a great place to sit,

sip and watch the world go by.

For fine dining - Bistro 108

This is La Grange’s ‘fancy’ restaurant, located on the south-western corner of the square. Open for lunch and dinner (there’s an early-bird sitting too), when the white table cloths come out, this small restaurant is a popular spot with both locals and visitors. It’s advisable to book in advance as the dining area isn’t huge but the demand for a table certainly is!

For BBQ Prause’s Meat Market

Just across the street from the bistro is the wonderfully quirky Prause’s Meat Market, which serves amazing barbecue from its back room. This is a no-frills kind of place where the quality of the cooking and the meat is left to speak for itself. Rub elbows with the locals at the cafeteria-style tables in back after choosing from a selection of mouthwatering meats and sides.

For kolaches – Weikels and Lukas Bakery

This sweet, bread-like cake surrounding a generous dollop of fruit or flavored cream is a Czech version of a Danish pastry. Two bakeries in town, Weikels Bakery on West State Highway 71, and Lukas Bakery, located on the square, specialize in these delicious sweet treats, as well as in the equally popular ‘pigs in a blanket,’ a sausage wrapped in a sweet dough.

For pizza - Reba’s

Want a slice of pizza? Then head to Reba’s Village Deli and Pizzeria, just a few blocks from the main square, on East Colorado Street. Their signature “hand-tossed, brick-oven baked, New York-style” pizzas are famous across town. There’s a decent selection of toppings and the portions are generous. Plus there are excellent sandwiches and subs, lots of soups and salads.

For candyKatySweet Confectioners

On the way in or out of town, don’t forget to stop at the KatySweet Confectioners on Highway 71 for a sweet spot of shopping. The pecan praline is perhaps the bestknown of the array of tasty candies and

chocolates made right here in the factory, which was founded in 1996 by Kay Carlton, using a recipe handed down from her Cherokee grandmother.

For steak – Kasper’s

This popular steak house is located inside an old white house that once stood on the square but was carefully moved a few blocks down the street, in the late 1990’s.

The wood-paneled rooms make for an interesting setting in which to enjoy the fabulous steaks, made with the chef’s special sauce which guarantees they are juicy and tasty every time. Generous portions, good value for money.

For Mexican food Las Fuentes

A vibrantly decorated, family-friendly Mexican restaurant which is always busy, located on South Jefferson, just a few blocks from the square. The menu offers typical Tex-Mex fare such as fajitas, tacos and burritos as well as specials such as quail, and a children’s menu. The quality is good and the portions large, so go when you are hungry!

QUALITY SERVICE & PERSONAL ATTENTION 3!,%3 s 3%26)#% BODY SHOP

MONDAY - FRIDAY 8-6 SATURDAY 8-4

800.375.6461 • 979.968.6461 INFO@LAGRANGEFORD.COM

WWW.LAGRANGEFORD.COM 1605 W. TRAVIS • LA GRANGE, TEXAS

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Alive With History The Past Comes to Life Everywhere You Look

By Lucy Carr

2204 E. St. Hwy. 71, La Grange ~ 979.249.5132 M-F 9-6 ~ Sat 9-6 ~ Sun 12-5

Our little town is home to a number of fantastic museums, some well-established, some new, some even with international reputations. Take our most recent addition, the Texas Quilt Museum, which opened in late 2011. Run by two renowned figures in the quilting world, Karey Bresenhan and Nancy O’Bryant, the museum hosts an exhibition of stunning quilts from all over the American, and beyond – don’t let the name fool you, this is more than just a museum about quilting in Texas. Since it opened, a steady stream of quilters has passed through its doors, and will be guaranteed to return as the exhibit changes every few months.

Open Thursday to Saturday 10am to 4pm, Sunday noon to 4pm. Entry $8, www.texasquiltmuseum.org Just down the road from the quilt museum is the town’s railway museum, which celebrates the history of the La Grange MK-T Railroad Depot. Inside the museum, alongside artifacts such as the original potbelly stove and the stationmaster’s desk, is a photograph showing Theodore Roosevelt addressing the crowds from the back of a train which passed through La Grange on March 12, 1911. The museum is open Saturdays from 10am to 4pm.

To get a sense of what life was like for La Grange residents in the late 1800’s, visit the Faison House on South Jefferson Street.

This living museum is a family home that was occupied by generations of the Faison family until the 1960s when it was bought

by The La Grange Garden Club, who have restored it to its former glory. Take a tour around the parlor, bedroom, dining room

and kitchen and you can feel the ghosts of residents past walking beside you. One of those residents was Louisiana Brown, a former slave who was bequeathed the house by her employer, Nathaniel Faison.

She became the first African American woman to own property in La Grange. Free guided tours of the house are available on the second Saturday in the month or by appointment.www.faisonhouse.org For another fine example of a preserved family home, visit the Kreische house at the Monument Hill State Historic Site. This property was occupied by the Kreische family from the 1850s to the 1880s. They lived and worked here, opening a brewery further down the hill from the house, using the natural spring water to brew the beer.

When a new batch was ready, Mr Kreische would raise a flag saying ‘Frisch Auf!’ meaning Freshen Up!, so the locals would know to come to get refreshed. The phrase stuck and is now the name of the local golf and country club.

As well as Germans, many Czechs came to settle in La Grange and the surrounding Fayette County. To find out more about the Czech history in the area, visit the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center, next to the Fayette County Fairgrounds on E Highway 77.

At the site, you can take guided or selfguided tours around the Texas Czech Village, a community of restored homes and buildings originally built and occupied by Czech settlers, which have been donated to the center. There’s also a museum and a library to help people find out more about their Czech roots.

The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center helps locals and visitors from around the state re-connect with their Czech heritage.

Photo by Jeff Wick

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Brad Pitt Likes it Here

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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Other areas of Fayette County have also been used for scenes on movies. A lot of filming for the movie â&#x20AC;&#x153;Michaelâ&#x20AC;? with John Travolta was filmed in Muldoon. Nearby Smithville has been used on a ton of movies, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tree of Lifeâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hope Floats.â&#x20AC;? La Grange has been certified a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Film Friendly Communityâ&#x20AC;? by the Texas Film Commission.

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

“Best Buys For Country Properties”

Schmeckenfest Fun

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In early December every year downtown La Grange plays host to Schmeckenfest, a celebration of Christmas music, food and drink. The highlight is a wassail-making contest, with the public voting on a winner (shown in the lower photo). In the top photo, a square dancing club takes to the street as part of the event.

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Some Fayette County Facts

By AILEEN LOEHR The Fayette County Record

La Grange (Fayette County) is the home of the first state roadside park built along Hwy. 71 W. Take a picnic lunch and enjoy the grounds The famous Chicken Ranch of La Grange was closed in 1973 by Marvin Zindler. Sheriff Jim Flournoy was forced to shut it down by state authorities. In 2012, the last madam of The Chicken Ranch, Ms. Edna, died. Private funeral was held with only her family attending.

Are you a genealogist? Visit the Fayette Heritage Museum Archives, 855 S. Jefferson. Enjoy rotating displays in the museum on Fayette County History.

Visit the genealogy research center where there is extensive collection of materials on county genealogy, microfilm publications, local documents, photographs and data from the early 1800s. Open Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. (979) 968-6418. library@cityoflg.com.

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Visit the Sanford Schmid Amphitheater on the Fayette County Fairgrounds in October to see Muziky, Muziky, an annual celebration of Czech music and culture.

Take your restless children to the Heritage Park next to the Fayette Public Library at 855 S. Jefferson. It has playground equipment, picn ic tables, gazebo and is open daily dawn to dusk. It is used during the summer for the Library’s Children’s Summer program.

Interested in cemeteries? Visit the old La Grange Cemetery between E. Colorado Street and Hwy. 71 East. Here you will some of the most beautiful tombstones.

See is you can find the one on the person who fought at Waterloo!

Did you know that the first plane in the US Air Force to fly supersonically is on display at the Fayette Regional Air Center.

The majestic wild flowers tour takes place around Easter.You can drive the old roadways in the county and see all the beautiful wild flowers blooming. Very picturesque.

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Some Early History of Fayette County

European Settlement, Indian Trouble, and the Almost Capital of Texas Texas State Historical Commission

Prior to European settlement Lipan Apaches and Tonkawa Indians inhabited parts of what is now Fayette County.

Many Indian artifacts have been found, especially along the Colorado River and near Round Top. A few miles north of the Colorado River, above Little Pin Oak Creek, a stratified multicomponent campsite was found, with Clovis, Plainview, and other later artifacts. In the early eighteenth century Spanish explorers passed through the area. La BahĂ­a Road, which ran southwest to northeast and crossed the river at the site of present La Grange, was the major route for travel during the Mexican period.

The area was part of Stephen F. Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first colony, and formal settlement began in 1822 with the arrival of the Austin colonists.

From 1824 to 1828 ten members of the Old Three Hundred received title to their land grants in the fertile Colorado River valley; William Rabb received four leagues in order to build a mill. A total of ninety-two Mexican land grants were

granted in the area that is now Fayette County. The earliest settlers gathered at Woodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fort, Mooreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fort (La Grange), the James Ross home, and Jesse Burnamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blockhouse, twelve miles below La Grange.

Ferries were used to cross the Colorado River until the first bridge was built at La Grange by private subscription in 1883. On December 14, 1837, upon petition of the citizens, the Congress of the Republic of Texas established the county of Fayette, named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette.

La Grange, the name of the chateau to which Lafayette retired, was designated the county seat. The citizens organized the county government on January 18, 1838, and the southwestern boundary of the county was extended westward on May 3, 1838. The county lost territory in the south to Lavaca County in 1854 and in the north to Lee County in 1874.

The early settlersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; life revolved around their plantations, but problems with Indians occupied much of their time. Sometimes the settlers felt so threatened that they moved down to the lower Colorado

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Indian arrowheads and spearpoints, like this one unearthed in Round Top by Franklin Schobel are commonly found in Fayette County.

Photo by Jeff Wick

River area.

At other times they grouped together, sometimes aided by Lipan Apache and Tonkawa Indians who were friendly to the settlers, to resist marauding bands of Comanches, Wacos, and Kichais. Fayette County men were prominent in the Texas Revolution; more than fifty men participated in the battle of San Jacinto,

including Joel Walter Robinson, one of the captors of Antonio LĂłpez de Santa Anna. The Somervell, Mier, and Dawson expeditions were composed mostly of Fayette County men.

In 1848 the remains of the men killed in the Dawson Massacre and in Perote Prison were returned to Fayette County and interred on Monument Hill; in 1933 a granite tomb was dedicated there.

The historic Muster Oak, still standing on the square, has been a rallying site since the early settlement. William Menefee, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, was from Fayette County.

A proposal to permanently locate the state capital in Fayette County was approved on April 11, 1838, by an overwhelming majority of the Second Congress. Local citizens arranged for the purchase of the Eblin league on the east side of the Colorado River near La Grange, reserving all vacant lands within a nine-mile radius. The measure was vetoed by Sam Houston, however, and the capital was located upriver in what later became Austin.

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Painted Churches

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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59

Fayette County’s Famous

Catholic immigrants from Europe brought ideas of what a church should look like with them when they came to Fayette County in the 1800s – it should look as much as possible like the great cathedrals they were used to.

That’s the reason congregations paid itinerant painters to create interiors that appeared to have marble columns and vaulted ceilings. Elaborate gold-leaf ornamentation and statuary on the altars augmented the illusion of grandeur. The painted effects are still vibrant today.

The Painted Church Tour serves as the centerpiece for the Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce.

“The structures, located in the communities of Dubina, High Hill, Ammannsville, and Praha appear unassuming as you approach them, but as you enter the front doors prepare to have your breath taken away by the beauty found inside,” the chamber says.

“The colorful spring flowers enhance the country churches, but they don’t compare to the vivid hues of the interiors.”

There are more than 20 painted churches around Texas, ranging from simple to extremely elaborate.

In 1984, 15 of the churches were listed in the National Registrer of Historic Places.

The Painted Churches have been featured in numerous magazines, television programs and news-

paper articles. A scenic tour of the churches in Fayette County is an easy day trip from Austin, Houston or San Antonio.

Brochures are available outside the Schulenburg chamber of commerce office, 618 N. Main Street.

(979) 743-4514. Several tour groups offer trips to the Painted Churches. Information is available from the chamber.

Many of the churches have fascinating stories behind them.

According to Alan Oakes, C.S.P., St. Mary’s in Praha has one of the best.

“Local history says that a keg of beer was offered to the man who dared top the church steeple with a cross. At over 130 feet, climbing to the top was no doubt a harrowing feat. Evidently a man who put crosses on steeples for a living took the community up on their offer. After he bravely affixed the cross to the top of the steeple the man proceeded to do a handstand on top of the cross.

Makes me wonder if he might have been sipping some of the winnings before the climb,” says the Catholic priest, who was executive producer of a television documentary on the Painted Churches.

Visitors can learn similar stories at all the churches, if they take a little time to meet the people of these fascinating communities.

Continued on Page 61

St. Mary’s Church of the Assumption 821 FM 1295, Praha community.

Located just south of the railroad tracks that run parallel to SH 90, Praha is listed in Lindsay Baker’s Ghost Towns of Texas. Prior to the coming of the Czechs, Praha was called Mulberry by the Anglo settlers. Praha has a huge gathering every year when thousands descend on the church grounds for a veteran’s reunion.

Built: 1895 Architect: O. Kramer Artist: Gottfried Flury, Rev. Louis Netardus, and Gene A. Mikulik Mass Times: Weekends: Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday 8:30 a.m. Weekdays: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30 a.m. Wednesday 7 p.m.

(1st) Friday 6:30 p.m.

This church is currently undergoing an extensive preservation work.

Nativity of Mary, Blessed Virgin

2833 FM 2672, High Hill community.

Elaborate faux-marble columns and vaulted ceilings make this church one of the ones not to miss. The grayish blue stone capping the buttresses and accenting the brick was quarried from the nearby town of Muldoon.

Built: 1906 Mass Times: Painted:1912 Weekends: Saturday 6:30 p.m.

Architect: Leo Dielmann Weekdays: Monday 6 a.m.

Artist: Stockert and Kern Builder: Frank Bohlman

This is the interior of St. Mary’s Church in High Hill.

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Fayette County’s Famous Painted Churches, continued...

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church

Featuring simple stenciling and framed Stations of the Cross, the church is just west of Weimar off old Hwy 90. Other than Sunday, the church can be viewed from the entry only. It can be opened for groups. Just north of the church is the old Dubina grocery.

Following the road around the corner will take you over the “Piano Bridge” – one of the few remaining iron bridges in Fayette County.

Painted: 1909 Architect: Leo Dielmann Artist: Unknown Mass Times: Weekends: Saturday at 4 p.m., Sunday at 10:15 a.m.

The Catholic church and a school opened in 1890. Destroyed by the hurricane of 1909, the church was rebuilt. It burned shortly thereafter and had to be rebuilt a second time.

Built: 1918 Painted:1919 Architect: John Bujnoch Artist: Fred Donecker and Sons Mass Times: Weekends: Saturday 5 p.m. (Odd Months). Sunday 9:30 a.m. (even months). Weekdays: Friday 5 p.m.

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Live Music And Dancehalls Are Easy To Find Here Fayette County is blessed with an abundance of great music and music venues.

Originals to covers – classical to country – folk, rock and polka – it is getting harder and harder to keep up with all the great music available in our rolling hills.

While we have our fair share of country dance bands, it is the variety of music that makes this area stand out.

Visitors happening into any of several area music venues or dance halls such as Swiss Alp, the Chicken Ranch Dance Hall, the Cistern Store or Schoolhouse or any of several others listed below might think they are in the music capital of Texas, nevermind Austin’s claim!

The Bugle Boy, a wellknown “listening room,” features original artists almost exclusively.

garten and bakery. <www. sengelmannhall.com>

Festival Hill Just outside Round Top, it is famous for productions of piano, guitar, orchestral and chamber music in their European-style Concert Hall.

Monthly calendar of events plus the summer Festival Institute dedicated to “Orchestral, Chamber Music and Solo Performance.” <www.festivalhill. org>

Sengelmann Hall, a recently restored 19th-century saloon and dance hall in Schulenburg, has music some weekends.

Out on the beautiful campus of Festival Hill near Round Top, founding maestro and guiding genius James Dick continues to train young musicians for

professional careers.

If you like classical music (or think you might like it) don’t miss a chance to experience it in the world class concert hall at Festival Hill this June and July.

Here’s a look at the venues: The Bugle Boy The “Best Little Listen-

ing Room in Texas,” features original music Fridays, Saturdays and some Sundays.

Smoke-free with about 80 seats. <www.thebugleboy. com> Sengelmann Hall Located in downtown Schulenburg sponsors wellknown musical acts and features a restaurant, bier-

Fayetteville’s Pickin’ Park Hosts acoustic jam sessions on the square in a family-friendly, alcoholfree atmosphere.<www. texaspickinpark.com> Swiss Alp Dance Hall Legendary venue between Schulenburg and La Grange on US 77, has music every weekend, mostly country.<www.swissalp-

texas.com> La Grange Knights of Columbus Hall Hosts the Fayette County Opry featuring local and area singers sitting in with an excellent house band on the third Monday of every month. (979) 968-5117 Post Oak Inn On the Bluff in La Grange, books country dance bands intermittently.

(979) 247-4347 Adolph’s In the Tenth Frame Bowling Alley in Schulenburg occasionally hosts rock, country and karaoke.

(979) 943-6585 Fayetteville Chamber Music Festival Held annually over two weekends in mid-May in the historic Countryplace Hotel on the town square. <info@fayettevillemusic. org>

Continued on next page

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE Continued from Page 62 The Stone Cellar Located in Bybee Square in Round Top hosts music most weekends.

Brenda’s In Flatonia on old Highway 90, books musical acts in its backyard pavilion.

Chicken Ranch Dance Hall In Nechanitz, this event center books musical acts in its spacious ballroom.

(979)966-8033 chickenranchdancehall.com

Cistern Store Has karaoke or live music every weekend. 12604 S.H. 95 (361) 865-3655 cisternstore_bar@yahoo.com Cistern Schoolhouse Has live music jams most Fridays. Look for the old schoolbus on FM 2237.

Be sure to check Live & Local entertainment listings in every Tuesday’s Fayette County Record for up-to-date bookings.

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Schulenburg Area Dining Guide City Market 109 Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-3440 Dairy Queen 77 N Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-3687 Paddy’s Texas Kitchen 22 N Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-2900 Frank’s Restaurant 11 N Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-3555 Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant 104 Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-2722 Iron Horse Filling Station 405 Summit St, Schulenburg (979) 743-4392 Kountry Bakery 110 N Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-4342 Mc Donald’s 718 N US - 77, Schulenburg (979) 743-2027 Mi Casita Restaurant 514 Summit St., Schulenburg

(979) 743-4780 Mik’s Cafe 746 E. Hwy. 90, Schulenburg (979) 743-3242 Momma’s Pizza Kitchen 607 Lyons Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-3714 Oakridge Smokehouse 712 N. U.S. 77, Schulenburg (979) 743-3372 Potter Country Store North U.S. 77, Schulenburg (979) 743-2600 Sengelmann Hall 531 N. Main Schulenburg (979) 743-2300 Subway 14 N Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-4492 The Shop Downtown 621 Main St., Schulenburg (979) 743-4505 Whataburger 40 N Kessler Ave, Schulenburg (979) 743-9166

Healthcare

Museums

Texas Brain & Spine Institute – Neurosurgery 8441 State Highway 47, Ste. 4300 Bryan, TX 77807 (979) 776-8896

Burton Heritage Society Railroad Depot and Museum 507 N. Railroad Street Burton, TX 78835 (979) 353-0050

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Schulenburg – Hard to Spell, Easy to Love

By Mike Stroup

A 17 mile drive south from La Grange on Hwy. 77 brings you to the city of Schulenburg.

Located at the intersection of Hwy. 77 and I-10, Schulenburg is often referred to as “halfway to everywhere” or “The Official Home of Painted Churches of Texas,” as named by the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas.

The first white settlers in the Schulenburg area were the James Lyons and Kesiah Crier families settling on land grants from the Mexican government in 1831.

During the mid-19th century the political and economic climate of Europe prompted thousands of Germans, Moravians and Bohemians to leave their native land seeking the fertile and abundant lands of Central Texas.

Schulenburg and nearby communities were formed by these fiercely independent and hard working people passionate about preserving their freedoms and cultural heritage.

Churches were among the first structures built and

Evidence of the German and Slovakian culture in Schulenburg is evident from the foods – kolaches, strudel and sausage – still available at the local bakeries. There’s also a strong work ethic in the descendants of the early settlers.

The Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum is an example of this hard work and ingenuity.

More evidence of the settlers’ culture is the Polka music that is still played at the dance halls, weddings and picnics across the area. Schulenburg is home to the Polka Music Museum on North Main Street.

Speaking of music, interest continues to increase in local festivals such as the Art, Wine & Music Fest on the 2nd Saturday each March and the Schulenburg Festival on the first full weekend each August. Singer-songwriters and bands perform at dance halls like historic Swiss Alp Hall. There’s also the 6th annual Songwriter Serenade in Moravia on the 1st Saturday in May. For more information please call the Greater Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce (866)504-5294 <.schulenburg chamber.org>

S served as centers of cultural as well as social and religious centers.

The craftmanship and ornate decorations can still be seen today in these churches continue to serve their communities.

Schulenburg

The Greater

Chamber of Commerce

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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Flatonia –The Cross Roads of Texas Flatonia’s past is tied to the railroads and they are hitching their future to the rails as well as city leaders have been working to make the town an Amtrak stop – and it looks like it may happen.

Flatonia is one of the few cities in the U.S. to have a railroad with both NorthSouth and East-West routes.

First a little history: Flatonia was on one of this state’s earliest railroads (chartered 1841 by the Republic of Texas). Situated on land granted in 1840s to rancher William A. Faires. Germans began to settle there in 1860s, and soon needed a shipping point for their products.

Sailing master Friedrich Wilhelm Flato (1820-1899) and his wife Sophie, of the German Colony, had a store about two miles south of town.

In the 1870s, Czech immigrants arrived, and the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railroad (delayed by Civil War, 1861-65) was built to Flatonia.

John Cline, F. W. Flato, John Lattimore, and railroad president T. W. Pierce founded Flatonia on Oct. 16, 1873, naming it for the Flato family. At the same time, adjacent landowners Anton Freytag and James Faires platted Freytag and

Faires’ additions to the town.

The post office opened in 1874 and in 1886 a second railroad, the San Antonio and Aransas Pass reached Flatonia.

Now fast forward 120 years and the city has been working with Amtrak to get this historic town, founded because of the railroads, to be a daily stop on the Sunset Limited route between New Orleans and Los Angeles.

Flatonia citizens have been regularly meeting with officials from Amtrak over the last few years trying to get the plan finalized.

City officials in Flatonia believe a stopping point in Flatonia would not only bring more tourists to the scenic downtown area, which surrounds the tracks, but also allow commuters working in either San Antonio or Houston to live in Flatonia.

Whether or not Flatonia ever becomes an Amtrak stop, there’s plenty to enjoy in this little town.

Their school district consistently earns high marks and their downtown business district is as charming as they come.

And contrary to the name, the scenic hills outside town are anything but flat.

Flatonia residents take great pride in the high ratings their school district gets as well as the accomplishments of their Bulldog athletic teams.

Photo by Beverly Ponder

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Make That Chili With a ‘Z’ The Story of How Flatonia’s Famous Festival, Czhilispiel, Came About

By H.H. HOWZE

The Fayette County Record

What’s in a name?

Take “Czhilispiel” for instance.

The famous chili cookoff and community celebration with the funny name causes

newcomers to want to know: Exactly what kind of word is that?

“We needed a catchy name,” retired 155th District Judge Dan Beck said.

Beck is the man most often given credit for initiating the annual event. “The ‘Chilympiad,’ one of the original chili cookoffs,

RICHTER

WELL DRILLING, INC. Since 1962

Water Well Drilling Pump Sales & Service

361.865.3518 Fax 361.865-3896

P.O. Box 188 • 815 Prototype Rd. • Flatonia, Texas

Serving Fayette & Surrounding Counties

was already a big deal.”

Chili plus “spiel” (German for “play”) was Beck’s suggestion. Long-time Flatonian Edwin Zapalac claims credit for the “z” in “czhili.”

“It acknowledges that there are Czechs as well as Germans in town,” he said in a phone call.

That was actually year two. The first cookoff – without the distinctive name – was part of the town’s centennial celebration in 1973.

Beck wants to set the record straight as to whose idea the first chili cookoff really was: “Mike Herzik was a young lawyer – even younger than me – and he came up with the idea of a chili cookoff to help celebrate the centennial.”

Herzik was from Praha and still practices law in Katy, according to Beck, his old employer and friend.

“He’s done very well as a lawyer – no doubt as a result of the excellent training he got in my office,” Beck laughed.

The centennial was a one-time event.

Why did the chili cookoff re-appear the next year with the unusual name?

“We needed a doctor.” Beck said.

“Flatonia was a one-doctor town and old Doc Moorehead had died. It was a onelawyer town too – but there were three of us,” he added with a chuckle.

The idea was to raise money to help send a young person to medical school who would agree to come back and serve the town for at least five years.

It worked like a charm.

“We got a committee together and decided to continue the cookoff and dedicate the proceeds to the medical education of a young woman. She graduated and practiced medicine in Flatonia for a lot longer than five years,” Beck said.

Czhilipiel’s cookoff started off small with 10-12 entrants, but grew rapidly. In those days chili cookoffs were in their heyday.

“At one time it claimed to be the second-biggest cookoff in Texas with 150 to Continued on next page

E. A. Arnim Archives & Museum

Two buildings house a unique collection featuring Flatonia area history and culture.

Hours: Thursday & Friday 1-4 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m.

Or by appointment, Tel. 361-865-3455

101 E. North Main, Flatonia, Texas

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Flatonia’s Big Party Grew From A Humble Beginning Continued from Page 66 175 cookers,” Beck recalled. He estimated the current number at 50 to 60.

Now music is a big draw. There is always lots of bands, lots of dancing and lots of beer.

The big show takes a big tent, and Czhilispiel boasts the “World’s Largest Tented Beer Garden.”

For the actual event, “We shut down U.S. 90,” he said. “Arts and crafts and food booths line the streets.”

Czhilispiel clearly still brings a lot of welcome cash into the local economy.

The Czhilispiel float at last year’s Fayette County Fair Parade.

Welcome to

Conveniently located on I-10 halfway between Houston and San Antonio.

From I-10, take exit 661 and turn South on either FM 609 or Hwy 95, then just 1/2 mile to Downtown Flatonia

Visit Historic Flatonia Where the Past meets the Present ATTRACTIONS….. * Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Praha, Texas * E.A. Arnim Archives & Museum * Flatonia Golf Course * Flatonia City Parks * Flatonia Livestock Commission * Central Texas Rail History Center * Flatonia Rail Park Pavilion 208 E. North Main * P.O. Box 610 Flatonia, Tx 78941 361.865.3920 * 361.865.2451 (fax) flatoniacofc@sbcglobal.net www.flatoniachamber.com

2012 Annual Events: • Market Day & Art Fest (March 31st) • Flatonia Rail Fan Pavilion Party (April 7th & Nov. 3rd)

• Flatonia Crawfest (April 21) • Flatonia American Legion Memorial Day Service (May 27th) • Flatonia Sacred Heart Spring Picnic (June 2nd) • Flatonia Market Days & Wing Fling Cook-Off (June 9th) • Praha - St. Mary’s Prazska Pout Picnic

40

(Always August 15th)

Friday-Sunday • Praha - All Veteran’s Day Memorial Service (Nov. 11th) October 26, 27 & 28 World’s Largest • E.A. Arnim Annual Fundraiser Tented Biergarten!

Dinner & Auction (Nov. 3rd) BBQ & Czhili Cook-Off • Christmas in Flatonia (Dec. 8th) Market, Cookie Carnival, Santa, & Wonderful Winter Wine Walk

361-865-3920 www.czhilispielfestival.com

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FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

Cistern Country Store / Bar

12604 STATE HWY 95 @ FM 2237 (Downtown Cistern!)

(Between Smithville & Flatonia)

361-865-3655

BBQ Deli Sandwiches burgers Snacks Ice

WWW.CISTERNSTORE-BAR.COM

White Rock Park on the Colorado River in La Grange is a favorite of kids during the summertime. Here a boy makes good use of the rope swing at the park.

Staff photo by Jeff Wick

A Paradise of Parks

If you want to get out and play in Fayette County, you’ve got choices – lots of them.

Whether you and the family are seeking boating, swimming, camping

or fishing opportunities – or just out for a stroll or picnic – Fayette County has your prescription for outdoor recreation.

Read all about them on the the next few pages.

a d u t V e l Bi s t ro R e h T Located in Downtown Flatonia 124 E. South Main Street 361-865-3663

Open Wednesday thru Sunday

The Proprietors Gabriel & Elizabeth

Lunch – 11:30 am - 2:00pm Dinner -- 5:30 pm - 10:00pm

Sushi on Wednesdays

Large Selection of Imported Beer & Wine

Call for Information

The Red Vault

On Our Catering Services We Cater Large & Small Groups

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

White Rock Park

at Lake Fayette:

Day-use park (23.5 acres), one of the largest on the lower Colorado River. Operated by the City of La Grange, (979) 968-5805. Located approximately one mile downstream of the U.S. 77 bridge in La Grange. Facilities include a canoe launch area, baseball fields, a playground, picnic areas, restrooms, paved area parking and a fishing pier.

in Flatonia:

Flatonia is one of the few cities in the U.S. to have a railroad with both North-South and East-West routes.

Railfans love this park, including the nearby elevated platform that’s a “picture-taking place.” Sidetrack Tommy has given hundreds of tours of Flatonia’s railroad tower to visitors all across the country.

Boat Ramp Park in La Grange:

Easy access to Colorado River for fishing, tubing, and canoe trips. Fishing pier, boat ramp, volleyball court, picnic tables. Open daily dawn to dusk.

Handicap accessible. Located under Business 71 bridge over river.

Fayette County Fairgrounds in La Grange:

Baseball field, two softball fields, camping (primitive), rodeo arena. Open daily dawn to dusk. US 77 north of city.

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Park Prairie Park

in La Grange:

Railroad Park

PAGE

Boat ramp, 12 tent- only campsites, and picnic facilities make a comfortable base for recreation at Lake Fayette. Group camping area (up to 24 people) with screened shelter (sleeps four) electricity, three campsites, picnic tables, and a grill. Reservations: see information at left for Oak Thicket Park.

Flatonia City Park in Flatonia:

Oak Thicket Park

This park has a swimming pool, playground, sand volleyball court, two baseball fields, a softball field and a covered pavilion. For information on use, contact the city of Flatonia at (361) 865-3548.

at Lake Fayette:

On 2,000-acre Fayette Lake. Features RV and tent sites, screened shelters, a large pavilion, picnic facilities, hiking trails, a sandy beach, a playground, interpretive nature exhibit and a boat ramp. Reservations: call Texas Parks and Wildlife Reservation Center (512) 389-8900 more than 48 hours in advance. To make reservations less than 48 hours in advance, call the park at (979) 2493504.

Kruschel Park in La Grange:

Swimming pool, walking trail, two Little League baseball fields, basketball court, picnic tables, playground, volleyball court, Open daily dawn to dusk. 480 W. Colorado St. Call (979) 968-5600 for more information about the pool. (3.64 acres) Handicap accessible.

Northside Park in La Grange:

Plum Park

on the Colorado:

Fishing access on Colorado River, fishing pier, boat ramp, volleyball court, picnic tables, restroom. Located off Hanacek Road. handicap accessible. Open daily dawn to dusk.

Canoe put-in on the river between Smithville and La Grange. $5 fee per vehicle to enter the park. Permit information 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 3366.

Floy Farm Interior, Flowers & Gifts Located in Historic Downtown Flatonia 103 E. North Main Street

Full Service Interior Design Custom Draperies, Blinds & Shutters Staging for Re-Sale VISIT OUR BOOTH AT WARRANTON AT THE SOMMERFELD PLACE

New Clothing Line

Fresh Flower Designs

Custom Bedding

Upholstery Services

Open Tuesday thru Saturday,10:30am - 5:30pm

361-865-2323

VICTORIA DUNCAN

Interior Designer, Florist

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Flatonia Area Dining Guide Brenda’s Backyard 1143 E. Hwy. 90, Flatonia (361) 865-3391 Cistern Country Store and Bar FM 2237, Cistern (361) 865-3655 City Market Cafe 124 E. South Main, Flatonia (361) 865-3381 Dairy Queen 605 N La Grange St, Flatonia

(361) 865-2524 Flatonia Country Store and McDonald’s 709 La Grange, Flatonia (361) 865-3308 Happy Eatery 714 N. La Grange, Flatonia (361) 865-3300 Joel’s BBQ 1200 Slaughter House Rd, Flatonia (361) 865-2454

Railroad Track Cafe 306 E. North Main, Flatonia (361) 865-3611 Red Vault Bistro 124 E South Main, Flatonia (361) 865-3663 Robert’s Steakhouse 1241 N State Hwy. 95, Flatonia (361) 865-3099 San Jose Mexican Restaurant 507 E. IH-10, Flatonia

The Cistern store serves up BBQ, brews and live music.

AntiqueSavingFurniture Restoration family heirlooms since 1979 Found in a San Antonio home with a leaky roof, this table was destined for the trash pile, but our customer saw the potential and brought it to us for restoration.

Before

It is now ready to serve her family for another 100 years.

We offer services from simple stripping for the customer to refinish, all the way to complete restoration including duplication of missing parts, hardware replacement, veneer repairs, chair caning and lamp rewiring.

FREE Pick-Up & Delivery within 50 miles of Flatonia, Texas Call for Estimates

361-865-9326

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE

Flatonia Fun on the Fourth

The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

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County Parks, continued

Monument Hill & Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites on “The Bluff”:

Scenic, wooded park with monument to Texas heroes of the Mier and Dawson expeditions (1840s). Home and ruins of historic brewery built by early German settler. 40.4 acres located one mile south of La Grange off US 77. Walking paths; guided and self-guided tours; open seven days a week; no fee. 414 State Loop 92, La Grange (979) 968-5658 <monument.hill@tpwd.state.tx.us>

Wolters Park

in Schulenburg: Includes a swimming pool, areas for picnicing and other convenient facilities.

Wolters Park also includes Jacob Wolters’ 1835 log cabin. Located at south end of Bohlmann Street.

C O T TA G E 1377 E. St. Hwy. 159 Fayetteville, Texas 78940

979.250.3720

mestein1949@hotmail.com Flatonia began a new tradition in 2011 with a July 4th weekend festival that included a parade, pie baking contest and homemade ice cream making contest (above).

Photo by Jeff Wick

Find us on Facebook!

W W W. R O L L I N G 7 C O T T A G E . C O M

GIFTS

Open 7 Days a Week 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.

INTERIORS

• Yellow Box Shoes • LoveLinks Jewelry • Willow Tree Angels

~ Offering a Full Menu ~ Family owned for over 30 years and serving the same Great Bar-B-Q!

• Unique Crosses • Texas Stars • John Medeiros Jewelry 501 IH-10 Frontage Rd - Exit 661 • Flatonia, Texas

361-865-9026 • 1-866-ANGEL-45

I-10 at FM 609 in Flatonia

www.rhinestoneangel.com Open 7 Days a Week • Monday - Saturday 10-6, Sunday 12-6

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The Fayette County Record, Spring 2012

FAYETTE COUNTY VISITORS GUIDE