Now an interstate covers much of the 70 miles between the two towns, bringing weekend visitors to Fredericksburg, a hospitality hub of what’s known as Texas Hill Country.
Texans from all over the Lone Star State— most notably Houston, Dallas and nearby Austin—converge on Fredericksburg to visit the area’s wineries, museums, shops, dance halls and to sample local cuisine. That includes Texas barbecue, spicy Tex-Mex dishes and German schnitzels, gulasch and sauerbraten, a sweet and sour marinated roast beef.
And Gillespie County peaches, sold at roadside stands, are a summer treat.
Most wine grapes are grown in the dryer terrain of Lubbock, but the wineries have clustered in Hill Country, which has long been a tourist destination, said Sean Doerre, Fredericksburg tourism bureau spokesman.
“We’ve gone from four to five wineries 15 to 20 years ago to more than 50 now,” he said. “It’s a booming, booming business.”
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MR.AUTHENTICITY
TRUE WEST’S FIREARMS EDITOR PHIL SPANGENBERGER HAS SPENT DECADES GUN COACHING MANY OF HOLLYWOOD’S TOP ACTORS, WHILE ADDING AUTHENTICITY TO FILMS, WHEREVER HE COULD. HERE ARE HIS RECOLLECTIONS OF A COLORFUL CAREER IN MOVIES AND TV.
BRAVES AND BADGES
EARLY AMERICAN INDIAN POLICE PLAYED A STRONG ROLE IN THE SETTLEMENT OF THE WEST.
He Missed the Scoop
John Clum was busy when the Tombstone street fight took place.
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
The oil-enriched town preserves and celebrates its Western heritage.
Three Cheers for Hospitality
The Harvey Girls of yesteryear set the standard for uniform customer service across the West.
The Most Well-Known, Unknown Western Illustrator
A.R. Mitchell’s paintings are so “moving.”
WHAT HISTORY HAS TAUGHT ME
BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL, U.S. SENATOR, ARTIST, OLYMPIAN
Tombstone's Naked Chef
Isaac “Little Jakey” Jacobs raced his way into history.
THE LAST FRONTIER
EDWARD CURTIS’S FINAL ADVENTURE
Virginia City, Montana
This city struck it rich with a well-preserved ghost town.
The Fight to Save Texas's Spectacular CORAL REEFS
A team of unlikely allies came together to expand protections, but will it be enough?
LONE STAR Mojo
Sue Foley brings swagger, sweetness and bite to the bold and unfiltered Pinky's Blues.
LOSING WITH LATINOS?
In the race for Texas governor, Beto O'Rourke's own words are being used-sometimes deceptively-against him
Better Call Ken
The Texas Attorney General provided a radical legal pretext to overturn the election. Now he’s using the same tactics to gut Roe v. Wade.
THE SMALL LIE
TO SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN MYTH THAT OUR ELECTIONS ARE RIFE WITH FRAUD, SOMEONE NEEDS TO TAKE THE FALL.
Fancy Painted Floors
Borders and checkerboard designs are DIY favorites; you might also try your hand at stenciling or faux effects.
TESLA OFFICIALLY MOVES HEADQUARTERS FROM CALIFORNIA TO TEXAS
Tesla says it has officially moved its corporate headquarters from Silicon Valley to a large factory under construction outside of Austin, Texas.
SAMSUNG EXPECTED TO BUILD $17B CHIP FACTORY IN TEXAS
Samsung is planning to build a $17 billion semiconductor factory outside of Austin, Texas, amid a global shortage of chips used in phones, cars and other electronic devices.
Dive into the Facts
Learn about anhingas, the sleek birds that hunt underwater.
BLACK WIDOW
This 2016 Chevy Silverado is a Dream Come True for Hector Marmolejo