AREA ATTRACTIONS

LOCAL TREASURES Must see sites in Columbus

Visitors will want to experience all of these Columbus gems.

Alley Log Cabin and Antique Tool Museum is a two-room oak log cabin was built in 1836. According to family history, the cabin was sided with pine lumber floated by raft from a large sawmill in Bastrop in the early 1850s. The cabin stood on its original site from 1836 until 1976. It was then moved to Columbus, restored, and given to the Magnolia Homes Tour, Inc., now the Columbus Historical Preservation Trust, Inc. Tours of the Alley Log Cabin and Antique Tool Museum may be arranged by contacting the Columbus Chamber of Commerce at 979-732-8385. The cabin and museum are located at 1224 Bowie Street.

R&R Shaved Ice serves up New Orleans style shaved ice. Their specials are a one of a kind and are derived from experimenting with flavors and toppings to come up with mouth watering sweet treats. R&R Shaved Ice is located at 1031 Walnut Street.

The Colorado County Courthouse was completed in 1891. Architect Eugene T. Heiner designed the building in the Renaissance Revival temple style. A final restoration, completed in 2014 by way of the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, assisted in returning most of the details in the Colorado County courthouse to their 1910 iteration. The courthouse is at the center of downtown Columbus. Top left, Alley Log Cabin; top right, R&R Shaved Ice, photo courtesy of Judy Pierce; middle, Colorado County Courthouse; bottom, Hound Song Brewing Co., photo courtesy of Diane Mueller.

Hound Song Brewing Co. was born as the brainchild of Travis and Raven Kocurek, owners and operators of the popular brewery in downtown Columbus. The tap room is a hot spot for locals and visitors alike. Food trucks and live music are frequently found in addition to their tempting brews. Hound Song Brewing Co. sits welcomes guests at 535 Walnut Street. The brewery is located in the old Harbert’s Garage.

Come see the new and improved take-out at Beason’s Park, where you can rest at one of the many shaded picnic tables. You will also find free parking, restrooms and a pavilion. Beason’s Park is located on Highway 90 (Walnut Street) near the East River Bridge, just one block from downtown Columbus. Paddling the Colorado River through the town of Columbus affords the opportunity to see wildflowers, birds, turtles and more. This 6.5 mile trail can take anywhere from two to five hours to complete, and the peaceful waters and calm rapids make for a wonderful day on the river. The put-in for this trail is at the Business 71 crossing under the North River Bridge.

Columbus Golf Course is a simple 9-hole course that features tree-lined fairways and water on seven holes, as well as the chance to spot the whitetail deer and ducks that frequently roam the course. The design incorporates a good mixture of skill requirements. A few holes play short, but others are of a more standard length. Three of the par fours play around 300 yards, and the other two are 341 and 376 yards. You’ll find the golf course at 141 Veterans Drive. There is no membership required to play.

Colorado River Co. operates out of Waldo’s Camp to offer an awesome tubing experience From Waldo’s Camp, Colorado River Co. will shuttle tubers upstream to begin their tubing adventure. Tubing exit will be back at Waldo’s Camp at the infamous blue wall. Float time is two to three hours, depending on the water flow and any sandbar stops. RV spots and cabins are also available for rental. Waldo’s Camp can be reached at www.waldoscamp.com.

The Columbus City Swimming Pool is located at 102 Legion Drive and is a great way to cool off during the summer. It is a public pool that is available for party rental by calling 979-732-8058.

OST Creamery a craft bakery at heart with Weezieboo brownies, blondies and now cookies filled with Austin based Amy’s Ice Cream. OST Creamery offers specialty spins, created with local Columbus products as well as Amy’s favorites. OST is proud to be a Texas based company with only Texas made products including Dublin Bottling Works Sodas, Richards Sparkling Rainwater and Ozarka bottled waters. OST Creamery offers a variety of toppings including house-made hot fudge and salted caramel. They are located at 525 Walnut Street. Top left, Beason’s Park; top right, Columbus Golf Course; third, Waldo’s Camp; fourth, Columbus city swimming pool; bottom, OST Creamery, photo courtesy of Steven Konarik.