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Boerne’s beginnings were a little different than other Hill Country towns, and to tell the story well, we have to go back to the universities of Germany during the 1830s. A young Jewish writer named Loeb Baruch changed his name to Ludwig Borne (later Boerne) and began a series of articles criticizing the authoritarian German government. Although he was forced to flee to France, he continued to write, and his work attracted a loyal following among students and intellectuals in Germany.
Stories & Photos
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One thing I’ve learned in my travels throughout the Hill Country is that there’s no such thing as a “typical” bed-and-breakfast. The same is true for their owners; many are taking a step back from a successful (but stressful) career in another field. They approach their B&Bs more as labours of love than as profit centers, and the wide variety of interests and talents makes for a selection of fascinating places to stay during your next Hill Country visit.
Singer and songwriter, Beth Williams, has had a successful music career for over 30 years but has realized what she calls, "her purpose" in the last 5. She says, "Being around others striving to be in a closer walk with the Lord and leading them into worship is something I love and believe God created me to do."
Peter Kerr experienced many ups and downs in his business career and with the Texian Army, but he made a lasting mark on Texas history when he purchased land around Fort Croghan in 1851, and donated ten city lots in his new town for a courthouse square to make it the seat of Burnet County in 1852.
It began life in 1880 as a cotton gin and grain mill to serve the area. Then, in 1901, a new owner designed and re-built the old building into a flourmill that served the area until 1980. In July of 2006, the wonderful old building went through one more conversion to become Buddy’s at the Feed Mill Restaurant.
On March 18th, 1849 Company A of the United States Second Dragoon regiment established the third in a line of outposts running south to north right through the center of Texas. This new fort was situated on the western side of a spring fed creek in beautiful Hamilton Valley. Built for that purpose, the fort made it possible for the town, known today as Burnet, to grow up along the east side of the creek.
You'd have had to call it lovely. It was a warm day in April -- one of those sunny afternoons when all the world seems happy to be alive. A pair of red-tailed hawks soared across the skies in their mating flight. Bluebonnets, Indian blankets, and winecups painted the pastures in the brilliant hues of Central Texas spring. Mockingbirds and canyon wrens filled the air with birdsong -- natural music to accompany the melodic liquid gurgles of the flowing Colorado River.
It began as many small businesses do…as an idea to meet a need. Such was the case with the formation of First State Bank of Uvalde when a group of local businessmen received a state bank charter on July 6, 1907. Their desire was simply to meet the financial needs of a growing farming and ranching region of Texas. At that time, they had no premonition that the bank, in many respects, would become a unique financial institution.
The River Region of the Texas Hill Country is a place of dramatic beauty. The landscape features some of the highest hills in Central Texas, carved over many years by the Frio, Dry Frio, Nueces, Sabinal, and Leona rivers. Texans have always flocked to the area, and the most popular of all the state parks is a Hill Country oasis just south of Leakey known as Garner State Park.
