LUCKENBACH Looking back on a land of musical legends

TUNE IN TO MUSIC LEGENDS Hear the magic of Luckenbach and the origins of country classics

Contributed photos

By Jenna Carpenter

If you’re a country music fan, the name Luckenback may sound familiar — Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson released a song in 1977 about how time in Luckenbach melts their cares away.

“There was a time Willie would play dominoes and just hang out,” said Virgil Holdman, store manager for Luckenbach. “In the 1990s, his 4th of July picnics brought thousands here. But you could see anybody on any day here. There is a magic here that makes them come.”

Located 13 miles from Fredericksburg, Luckenbach is part dance hall, part general store, part saloon — and is all parts western charm.

There, everybody is somebody. “We’re family friendly and laid-back,” he said. “It’s a Texas state of mind and a real step back in time.”

Luckenbach has a history spanning almost 200 years.

It was established in 1849 as a trading post. Almost 40 years later, a man by the name of August Engel opened a post office, general store and beer joint on the piece of land. His sister, Minna, named the area Luckenbach, after her fiancé, Carl’s family.

Carl Luckenbach’s father, Jacob Luckenbach, was one of the first German settlers to arrive in Fredericksburg. He soon moved out of town to what is now known as Luckenbach.

Years later, when August and Minna Engel filled out paperwork for the post office, Minna chose the name Luckenbach, and it stuck.

The area soon flourished as a tiny, unincorporated town and expanded to include a school, blacksmith shop and dance hall.

In the 1970s, Hondo Crouch, Gulch

Knock and Kathy Morgan purchased the property.

“Hondo was a true Texas character known for humor and practical jokes, a writer and rancher,” Holdman said. “His wife’s family were settlers here in the area as were the Engels that had settled Luckenbach. He said he bought Luckenbach because Dallas wasn’t for sale.”

The area soon became famous for the Luckenbach world fair, a ladies state chili bust, the mud dauber festival and daily games of dominoes and jam sessions — all of which still are on the calendar today.

“The ’70s outlaw country music movement came right through here so to speak,” Holdman said. “Jerry Jeff

Walkers’ hit album, ‘Viva Terlingua,’ was recorded here and went gold. It had songs on it written by some of the best of the time. Everyone who heard it came here to see the place and hear the music.”

Now, there is live music everyday — from hosted jam sessions to large concerts, Holdman said.

“We have one the oldest dance halls in the state and a great dance floor so we have a lot of dancing,” he said. Luckenbach is located at 412 Luckenbach Town Loop.

It’s open seven days a week — Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to midnight and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m.

Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park If you’re looking for a relaxing picnic in the Texas Hill Country, look no further than Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park.

Found just three miles south of downtown Fredericksburg on Highway 16, the park boasts 150 acres and a bubbling creek lined with live oaks.

It’s named after Claudia Alta “Lady Bird” Johnson, wife of Lyndon B. Johnson, who was president of the US from 1963 to 1969.

Known for her love of nature and being outdoors, Lady Bird Johnson attended the dedication of the municipal park in 1969, said Andrea Schmidt, director of the Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation Department.

“Her leadership and love of nature helped transform the Hill Country and LBJ Park and encouraged others with her love for wildflowers,” Schmidt said.

If you use the park as a pitstop along your road trip, Schmidt has a list of places you should hit during the time you are here.

“The nature trail and bird blind, Live Oak Creek, the pollinator garden, and park pool (during the summer) are must see areas of the park,” she said.

“The park can be enjoyed in the spring when we have wildflowers blooming and the weather is not too hot,” she said. “During the summer months, park pool is open and while it may be hot, visitors can cool off with a swim.”

Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park is located at 432 Lady Bird Drive in Fredericksburg.

Hill Top Café

Owned by Johnny Nicholas, a Grammy award winning blues artist, Hill Top Café is one of those places that

is in the middle of nowhere, but it’s an experience you won’t want to miss.

The restaurant serves up healthy doses of salsa and juevos rancheros, oysters bruton, gumbo and homemade pies and cakes — with a Greek flair.

Starting at 11 a.m., Nicholas himself leads a gospel brunch.

It’s open Tuesday-Thursday for lunch from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. On Sunday, brunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner goes from 5 to 9 p.m. Hill Top Café is at 10661 N. US Highway 87.