The small city of Blanco, Texas is frequently referred to as both the Gateway to the Hill Country and the Lavender Capital of Texas, and with such colorful descriptions, the town is sure to be a pleasant place to visit or settle down. Blanco is 45 miles west of Austin and about 45 miles northwest of San Antonio, so its rural charm is complimented by close proximity to a couple of the most populous and historic cities in Texas.

Blanco, which is located on the Blanco River in an area of the Hill Country called the Devil's Backbone due to its nearly mountainous terrain, was established around the year 1854 when Captain James Callahan camped in the valley near the Blanco River and decided to make his home there. A few years later, Callahan and his troop of around 100 men were initiated into the State armed forces as Texas Rangers and Callahan and his company laid out the town and sold lots for homes to be built.

Shortly thereafter, another settler, Joseph Bird, settled in nearby Round Mountain, which was called Bird Town after his arrival, and many other settlers bought lots and began raising families, including Hugh McLauren, Billy Trainer, and E.C. Hinds. The same year, the first church was built and opened for worship, called the First Methodist Church, and shortly thereafter, the Missionary Baptist Church began services in nearby Round Mountain. Afterward, a school was built and other houses of worship were organized, and the little town began to grow.

Blanco was originally called Pittsburgh, and the name was changed to Blanco around the time of Callahan`s arrival. The new name was derived from the Spanish word for white, which was how the limestone riverbed appeared during times of drought when the light-colored limestone could be seen from the banks of the river. After a big flood in the mid-1800's, the town center was moved across the river and a few miles downstream, and renamed Blanco.

In its early years, many Blanco residents were cotton growers, but after the boll weevil took its toll on the cotton crops, the residents found other ways to support themselves, including cattle ranching and raising Angora goats to produce the fine mohair which was an important fiber crop at the time, along with growing and cutting cedar trees and dairy farming. Another source of income was hog raising, and numerous head of sheep were herded to the area from Missouri and Pennsylvania for wool production.

Many of these endeavors continue in the Blanco area today, and the tourist industry is also a large part of the Blanco economy, with many bed and breakfast inns providing visitors with a quiet, rural place to stay while exploring the Texas Hill Country and all its attractions. The population of Blanco in the 2000 census was about 1,500 occupants, and the area of the town is 1.7 miles, .1 mile of which is water, mostly the waters of the Blanco River.

Blanco is home to 576 households, 47% of which are married couples, and the population is 88% white, with a smattering of different ethnicities as well. The median age of residents is 39 years and there is a larger percentage of women in Blanco than men, at 88 men for every 100 women. The median income for a household in Blanco is about $31,000, and 32% of the households have children under the age of 18.

The Blanco real estate market, with homes in the mid 100's, is fairly affordable compared to the Austin real estate market (with an average price of around 200k). But it is fairly similar to the San Antonio market which is considered one of the most affordable real estate markets of the large Texas cities.

Some of the attractions in Blanco today are the Blanco Classic Car Show, which has been held for over 20 years in mid-May, and the Blanco Lavender Festival, which is held every year in mid-June and which features live music, lavender farming, and various foods, beverages, and other activities.

Some of the notable bed and breakfast inns include the Paradise Lofts on Main, the Grape Creek Inn, and the Blair House Bed and Breakfast, among others. There are also many local restaurants as well as national chain restaurants and fast-food eateries, and there are many parks and nature-related activities, as well as close proximity to the Hill Country vineyards in the area.

So for a peaceful and scenic visit to the Texas Hill Country, come on over to Blanco, and enjoy the scent of the lavenders as well as the rural charm of central Texas!


Ki is a realtor working in the Austin real estate market. He helps future owners find the perfect property with a website that includes a searchable database of the Austin MLS. His site has information on Austin real estate and the nearby town of Blanco Texas.

The historic community of Gruene, Texas was founded by German immigrants Ernst and Antoinette Gruene in 1849. The Gruene family, including their two sons had immigrated to New Braunfels in 1845, but land was scarce, so Ernst Gruene moved his family down the river and built them a home in the German style of fach werk, and the city of Gruene got its start.

The Gruene family planted cotton on their land, and a few years later, twenty to thirty more families arrived in Gruene, to help farm the fields and build homes for their families. The settlers built homes in a variety of styles, including wooden frame homes, Victorian cottages, and large, brick homes. A mercantile store was opened in 1878, called the Gruene General Store, and a cotton mill which was powered by the Guadalupe River was built around the same time, in the late 1800s.

The town prospered, and shortly thereafter, a restaurant and dance hall was built, and is still in operation today, known widely as Gruene Hall, the centerpiece of the community of Gruene. A new mercantile company opened its doors in 1904, but Ernst Gruene's son Henry B. Gruene's death in 1920 spurred the decline of prosperity in the small city of in Gruene, since he had become a prominent civic leader and farmer, with his father and brother.

In 1922, the cotton gin burned to the ground and was replaced by an electric model, called Adobe Verde, but the depression hastened the decline of most of the family-run businesses, and all of them closed except Gruene Hall. The advent of the boll weevil had taken a toll on the community as well, and most of the farms suffered immensely as a result of boll weevil infestation.

The town was reduced to the state of a ghost town until 1974, when Pat Molak moved to town and bought Gruene Hall. The dance hall needed a few repairs, but shortly after Molak purchased to hall and restored it, the 6,000 square foot dance hall and outdoor pavilion became a magnet for local musicians and free spirits. Molak purchased and restored various other historic structures with his friend Mary Jane Nalley, and life was breathed back into the town of Gruene.

Subsequently, the town of Gruene was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and many other structures restored by Gruene were awarded the Medallion from the Texas Historical Commission, as well as recognized by the travel industry as an authentic historic Texas town. Today, Gruene is a mecca for antique aficionados, and included among the numerous antique shops are the Black Swan, Hampe House, the Gruene Antique Company.

There are also quite a few gift shops, pottery stores, and art galleries, including Buck Pottery, and the Dancing Bear, as well as Gallerie at Gruene, Grandmother Moons, and the Grapevine. For candy lovers, visitors can satisfy their sweet tooth at the Great Texas Pecan Candy Shop with some pralines or pecan fudge.

For a more substantial meal, visitors can tempt their palates at the Grist Mill River Restaurant and Bar, the River House Tearoom, or the Gruene Coffee House, or the Adobe Verde, which was originally a gin mill and has been transformed into a cantina with an outside deck to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

For lodging in Gruene, visitors can stay in Henry Gruene's original home, the Gruene Mansion Inn, which has been converted into a rustic Victorian bed and breakfast, replete with southern style breakfast items, barns, and a carriage house.

Gruene is truly a jewel in the heart of the hill country, so come on over to hear authentic Texas music in a historic Texas dance hall, and grab a bite while you're there. The only problem is: you might not want to leave!!

Escapeso Real Estate is a small company in Austin Texas. Their website provides information on Austin real estate and a free map search of the Austin MLS. They also have updated graphs on mortgage interest rates.