Take Me Home, Country Roads

Envision the strings on the neck of a guitar. The pattern of my travels today resembles playing a scale on a guitar hitting notes up, down, and across the neck. The towns are like the notes on that guitar as I zig zag on secondary and tertiary roads, town to town, between two major transportation corridors (I-10 and SH 290). 

South of Brenham toward Bellville is the tiny town of Kenney, home to the Kenney Store. It is a wildly popular, off-the-beaten-path eatery with live music (recently featuring Cory Morrow).  All over rural Texas, and in this part of Texas in particular, there is a rich collection of sometimes obscure, high-quality, popular dining establishments that you often must make a concerted effort to find, including The Cactus in Burton, Holman Valley Steakhouse in Holman (south of La Grange), and Murphy’s Steakhouse in Winchester, to name a few. In many cases, these places are open only a few days a week and, with some, reservations are recommended. Real estate professionals tell me that urbanites on day trips to these communities are often impressed by the beauty and uniqueness of the area as well as the people living there. Those factors are a catalyst that lures them back to buy land and/or a house. 

Bellville was founded in 1822 by Thomas and James Bell. Both brothers were early settlers in Stephen F. Austin’s original colony at San Felipe. They donated the land to transfer the county seat from San Felipe. Becoming the center of county government helped secure the town’s future. Bellville’s economy really took off when the Sante Fe Railroad was extended there in 1880. Speaking of land donations, Bellville was the leading candidate for the establishment of the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College until Harvey Mitchell from Bryan made a sizeable donation in gold and land to make Brazos County the winning contender for what is today Texas A&M University.  

Bellville is a stellar example of how to become and remain a thriving small Texas town. The  population was 4,204 in 2020 but, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, stood at 4,217 in 2023. It’s worth noting that much of the new housing (and, therefore, population growth) in the area is in new subdivisions just outside of town. Bellville’s school system is renowned for excellence, its downtown is vibrant, and the local hospital was able to generate support to continue offering healthcare to residents.  

Local entrepreneurs, developers, and builders continue to invest in new businesses and expand existing ones. Charming Folk Victorian, Greek Revival, and Craftsman-styled homes are in great condition across town. Several restaurants thrive here, including upscale destination eateries. According to Census and other data, commuting to jobs in the Houston area is a major factor in Bellville household income levels. 

Every first Saturday, Bellville hosts a farmers’ market. During the cooler months of fall and spring, that event is augmented by the courtyard square being filled with vendors normally seen at major festivals across Texas. Sometimes classic car shows and other attractions are paired with the event. Recently, I called a local artisan baker in Bellville to reserve a loaf of her lovingly crafted cranberry-walnut sourdough bread for the coming weekend. It is simply the best bread I have had since Stone Mill Bakers in Houston closed its doors several years ago. This home-based kitchen baker is part of a large and growing cottage industry in Texas.  

Next up is Industry, Texas. Industry is the state’s oldest permanent German settlement, dating back to 1831. Ernst Memorial Park preserves much of the history of Friedrich Ernst’s settlement. His family was the first German family to settle in Texas (San Felipe in 1829), earning him the title of the “Father of German Immigration to Texas.” He later moved and laid the foundation with locally quarried stones for the town of Industry. The town was named for the industrious work ethic of the early settlers. One early industry there was cigar production. Ernst built the first U.S. Post Office west of Galveston in 1838. The Pilcek family sold P&S Building Supply to newcomers who are adhering to their long tradition of stocking only the highest quality lumber in the region. Industry BancShares, the Belville West End School District, and Lindeman’s Store are probably the largest employers. Industry’s population is stable, but growth is occurring on rural land outside the township. Residents for the most part are descendants of early German and Czech settlers, plus a few transplants.  

Just down the road is New Ulm, established in 1841.Another German town that is unincorporated, New Ulm sports a large collection of richly maintained early Texas houses and structures, many owned by urban escapees seeking the quiet life of a small town. A builder from nearby Brenham recently built several small houses that appear to be short-term vacation rentals or sold to investors as such. There are also a growing number of newly built modern farmhouses with Hardie Plank exterior and metal roofs. There are only a few houses in this little gem of a Texas town that cry out to be restored. A local combined hardware and grocery store meets basic needs of residents. Just west of town is an older but still thriving country club development, The Falls. It still appeals to urbanites seeking high-end housing in a golf community. No Census data were available for New Ulm. 

Next stop on the road is Fayetteville. The Congress of the Republic of Texas established Fayette County in 1837, and Fayetteville was officially founded shortly thereafter. It was named Fayetteville in 1844 for the birthplace of Phillip Shaver of Fayetteville, North Carolina. An interesting side note is that the town has had a post office continuously since the Republic of Texas era in 1850. In 1853, the first groups of Czech immigrants entered Fayette County. Most were Czech Protestants, followed in 1856 by Moravian Czech Catholic immigrants, making Fayetteville known as the “Cradle of Czech Immigration in Texas.”  

Fayetteville’s population has grown slightly to 250 residents as of 2023. As is true in most towns I profile, new-home construction occurs most frequently on rural land outside of the township. It is pretty much a perfectly preserved historic town of delightful and well-maintained houses and commercial buildings. Several highly successful real estate brokers bought houses there decades ago, popularizing the town as a second home destination. Clovis Heimsath, a well-known Texas architect, and his wife made their home on the square in Fayetteville until his death a few years ago. If you are a fan of the simple beauty of early Texas houses, you must get your hands on a copy of Clovis’ book, Pioneer Texas Buildings: A Geometry Lesson. Tourism is a force in Fayetteville and the surrounding communities. One of the two Arts for Rural Texas Galleries is located there. The other is in Schulenburg. 

La Grange lies northwest. Its population was 4,551 in 2023, up from 4,390 in 2020. The town began as a fort in 1826 to protect settlers from Indian attacks. In 1837, it became the capital of Fayette County. Waves of German and Czech immigrants ensued over the next 20+ years. The town still sports one of the most spectacular historic courthouses in the state (many were lost to fire or obsolescence).  

Today, La Grange is growing and thriving as it receives growth pressures from both Austin/Bastrop and Houston. The town suffered a bit of a setback from flooding during a spate of massive tropical storms that swelled the Colorado River, which runs through the town. But the town came back strong and remains a tourism mecca with many museums (including the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center), unique shops, and outdoor recreation in the form of fishing and paddling on the Colorado. La Grange spawned a successful holiday shopping theme with “Shop Small” week. There are wonderful historic homes throughout the town, and local businesses and restaurants are thriving. Reba’s Brick Oven Pizza is extremely popular with locals and visitors alike. Monument Hill and the Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites sit atop one of the most spectacular elevation changes anywhere in the state. La Grange remains a delightful community with a bright future. 

All notations on history of the towns in this blog were sourced from the Texas State Historical Association.