Llano, a picturesque little town in the rolling hill country of Texas, is rich with history and charm. It’s a place where folks offer strangers a grin and a, "Howdy" and you’re likely to hear words like "ma’am" and "sir" that are rapidly becoming obsolete in other areas of our country.

Christmas 2005 was our second visit to the area and my husband, Leonn, and I were honored to be the second guests to stay at the newly-opened Llano River Golf & RV Resort located in Robinson City Park. We set up our fifth wheel in a long pull-through space under the umbrella of a massive oak tree and Leonn headed to the adjacent 18-hole Llano River Golf Course to hit a few balls while with my Yorkie, Zig Zag, and I took off for a walk along the banks of the nearby river. An avid bird watcher, I was thrilled to see a flock of wild turkeys and a blue heron as well as the usual sea gulls and ducks. We were also greeted by a squawking gaggle of geese that fought over the crackers I threw them like politicians at election time.

Historic Llano is teeming with picturesque century-old buildings constructed of wood and native stone that have been lovingly preserved. We particularly enjoyed the 1893 courthouse, the 39th oldest in Texas, and the 1895 Llano Jailhouse, "Red Top," that still has gallows on the third and fourth floors. What stories these buildings could tell if only they could talk! Since they can’t, a visit to the Llano County Historical Museum is a must.

The town has many unique shops such as Fort Llano Mercantile where I purchased an old-fashioned dinner bell that is sure to solve my problem of locating my husband at mealtimes. That loud clanging will probably convince the schoolchildren a mile from our home that it’s recess time.

Janet Mason, artist in residence at Art on Main, has adorned the warm brick walls of her gallery with her vibrant contemporary oil paintings as well as western watercolors painted by her late husband, Michael Mason. Day’s End, a coffee-t ...

Read the entirety of this article in the print edition.

Subscribe online — it's quick and easy