Category Archives: Texas Treasures

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Granbury, Texas’ Historic Downtown Square

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Historic Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareThe Granbury Square was packed this evening (November 10th, 2017) with the Opera, the Granbury Live Music Hall, and the weekly Karaoke at one of the Wine Bars. If you have never been to Granbury, this time of year is a great time to come and visit because of the fall weather and all the window display’s in the stores around the square. The Hilton Hotel is right on Lake Granbury and is an easy walk over to the Square. If you come and stay the night, make sure you have breakfast at The Nutshell, its like stepping back in time and the food and bakery is really good. Babes is great for lunch and dinner.  Here is the calendar for upcoming events!

Historic Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareHistoric Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareHistoric Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareHistoric Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareHistoric Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareHistoric Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareHistoric Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareHistoric Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury Square

Granbury, Texas | Midnight at The Downtown Square

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Granbury is a city and the county seat of Hood County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,978 and is the principal city of the Granbury Micropolitan Statistical Area. Granbury is located 35 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Texas.

Historic Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury Square

Founded in 1887, Granbury started as a square and log cabin courthouse. Many of the buildings on the square are now registered historic landmarks, including the Granbury Opera House, which still hosts Broadway productions. The city name originated from the Confederate General Hiram B. Granberry. Some scholars, to explain why the city name is spelled differently, believe the name Granberry was misread on a document, but recent findings have concluded that Granberry chose to spell his name Granbury.[5]

Historic Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareRecent expansion of the city was made possible by the damming of the Brazos River in 1969, which formed Lake Granbury, a long, narrow lake which flows through the city.

Historic Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury SquareGranbury and Hood County are rich in Texas history. David (Davy) Crockett‘s wife, Elizabeth, settled in Hood County in 1853 following the Texas Revolution against Mexico. Crockett, as well as other Alamo participants, received 640 acres in land grants. The Crockett family received land in what is now Hood County. Elizabeth Crockett is buried in Acton State Historic Site,[6] the smallest state park in Texas. A large statue of Elizabeth Crockett marks her grave site. Several of Crockett’s descendants still reside in Hood County.

John Wilkes Booth, according to Granbury legend, moved to Hood County and assumed the name of John St. Helen. A store on the historic town square, St. Helen’s, is named after him.Historic Granbury Texas, Downtown Granbury Texas, Texas Retirement Towns, Lake Towns Texas, Antique Shopping Texas, Granbury Square

The music in the video is; “I Don’t See the Branches, I See the Leaves” by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/dtv/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/




Texas Towns With Large Empty Buildings | Colorado City, Texas

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Texas Historic Towns, old buildings in Texas, turning a dying town around, re-purposing old building, repurposing empty buildings. converting buildings into housing
The State Of Texas has some great, historic towns, but when I see some that once thrived but are no longer doing so, it breaks my heart, and it also makes me curious. I think about all the pioneers that settled there, and why they chose to do so. I also think about what it took to make the town grow, as well as what caused that to change. Why did business stop thriving, or close, which forces some of the residents to move where jobs are a lot more plentiful. I also think about all the great old buildings in those towns that are now sitting empty and the possibilities for re-purposing some of them into economical housing for retirees, who no longer need income to survive. Texas Historic Towns, old buildings in Texas, turning a dying town around, re-purposing old building, repurposing empty buildings. converting buildings into housing
The Baker Hotel, in Colorado City, Texas could probably be purchased at a good price and restored into a nice seniors condominium project that could include a restaurant, and gathering place on the first floor for it’s active residents and tourists. Would Colorado City’s current leaders be open to that sort possibility, and offer incentives that would attract visionaries and investors? Would those leaders be open to new ideas for their towns that would turn things around? If so, we would like to help.Texas Historic Towns, old buildings in Texas, turning a dying town around, re-purposing old building, repurposing empty buildings. converting buildings into housing
If it’s built will people come? I look at thriving Texas retirement towns like; Granbury, or Fredericksburg and notice they have a lot of things going on that draw retirees and tourist there, such as all the wineries on 290, and all the great shops in downtown Fredericksburg, which didn’t happen by chance. It look leaders with long range vision and the ability to attract businesses and investors to that great town, who were willing to help develop the vision. Granbury has a lake that runs through town and a charming downtown with lots of shops and dining options available. My family first bought a lake house in Granbury in 1970 and we have seen the tremendous growth over the decades. There are also multiple golf courses in Granbury, which make it very attractive to retirees who are looking to relocate. Spur Texas leaders are taking steps to help turn their town around by rolling out the red carpet for Tiny Home dwellers, and the more folks move there for that purpose the more it will attract new business opportunities. The growth in Spur won’t happen over night, but I believe the tiny homes welcome mat is a big step in the right direction. Texas Historic Towns, old buildings in Texas, turning a dying town around, re-purposing old building, repurposing empty buildings. converting buildings into housing
This is the first post about old Texas towns that once thrived, but have a lot potential turn around possibilities. Part of our vision with Texas Tiny Homes is to create residential communities for retirees in towns that have a lot to offer. Restoring an old hotel in a town like Colorado City is definitely something we would consider and be interested in helping create a new vision. Working with city leaders to create a new vision for their towns is also something we are interested in doing.
The History of Colorado City, Texas, the county seat of Mitchell County, is on the Colorado River, Lone Wolf Creek, U.S. Highway 20/80, State highways 208 and 163, and the Missouri Pacific Railroad, thirty-eight miles east of Big Spring and twenty-three miles south of Snyder in the north central part of the county. It has been called the “Mother City of West Texas” for its early origin as a ranger camp in 1877 and for its prominence as a cattlemen’s center. In 1881 the town was chosen county seat and acquired a station on the new Texas and Pacific Railway. Local ranchers hauled in tons of buffalo bones  for shipment to the East and loaded their empty wagons with provisions purchased from pioneer merchant William H. “Uncle Pete” Snyderqvand others. When the town was granted a post office in 1881 Prince A. Hazzard became the first postmaster. Water was hauled to town from Seven Wells and elsewhere and sold at fifty cents a barrel. The first school, conducted in a dugout in 1881, was moved to a building the next year, and soon a new building was built.By that time the town had between 200 and 300 residents and was a cattle-shipping center. Ranchers drove their cattle to Colorado City from as far north as Amarillo, from as far south as San Angelo, and from eastern New Mexico. Great herds were held until rail cars were available. After shipment, cowboys were free to enjoy the town’s amenities. Between 1881 and 1884 its five saloons multiplied to twenty-eight, and other businesses showed the same growth. The population was estimated as high as 6,000 in 1884–85. The boom slowed after the 1885–86 drought, however, and the 1890 population was 2,500.Texas Historic Towns, old buildings in Texas, turning a dying town around, re-purposing old building, repurposing empty buildings. converting buildings into housing In May 1881 W. P. Patterson, a prominent rancher, was shot down by Texas Rangersqv. Citizens blamed the shooting on the rangers’ feud with cattlemen, and the ranger camp was moved from town to Hackberry Springs, twenty miles southwest. When Amarillo developed with the arrival of the Fort Worth and Denver Railway in 1887 and when the Santa Fe Railroad reached San Angelo a year later, business in Colorado City declined sharply. During the 1890s salt mining was important to the local economy, but salt declined in importance after 1900.A second boom between 1900 and 1906 followed the influx of farmers. The population of Colorado City was 3,000 in 1906. By 1910 the town had a new public school, a waterworks, and an electric plant. In 1914 the population was estimated at 1,500, and the town had two banks and a newspaper, the Colorado City Record. Though the drought of 1916–18 adversely affected local farmers, interest in oil increased. In 1916 the Consolidated Oil and Gas Company of Colorado was organized by local bankers, businessmen, and merchants to develop the area’s oil and gas resources, and by 1920 oil production was a part of the local economy. The Col-Tex Refinery began operation in 1924. By 1926 a city hall had been built, the streets were paved, and a new sewage system was in operation.Texas Historic Towns, old buildings in Texas, turning a dying town around, re-purposing old building, repurposing empty buildings. converting buildings into housing In 1931 Colorado City had an estimated population of 4,761 and 200 businesses. By 1940 the population had increased to 5,213, but by 1945 the number of reported businesses had declined to 120. In the late 1940s increased oil activity in Mitchell, Scurry, Coke, and Borden counties caused some growth, and by 1949 the number of businesses in Colorado City had increased to 176. During the mid-1950s a drought, the longest on record, affected the area’s agricultural production, particularly of cotton. In 1955 the population was 6,774. Lake Colorado City, five miles southwest, was built in the late 1940s, and Champion Creek Reservoir, six miles south, was built in 1959. The population was estimated at 6,400 in 1965. The Col-Tex Refinery closed in 1969, but in the early 1970s new industries were established, including a meat-packing operation and a mobile-home plant. Colorado City had 5,300 residents and 126 businesses in 1975. In 1990 it had a population of 4,749, a hospital, and 104 businesses. Local attractions include the Colorado City Historical Museum, the Colorado City Playhouse, and an annual rodeo. In 2000 the population was 4,281, and the community contained 234 businesses.
Population in 2014: 4,133 (87% urban, 13% rural). Population change since 2000: -3.5%

Median resident age:   38.9 years
Texas median age:   34.4 years
Zip codes: 79512.
Estimated median household income in 2015: $50,421 (it was $22,842 in 2000)

Colorado City: $50,421
TX: $55,653

Estimated per capita income in 2015: $20,542 (it was $15,591 in 2000)

Colorado City city income, earnings, and wages data

Estimated median house or condo value in 2015: $34,312 (it was $28,500 in 2000)

Colorado City: $34,312
TX: $152,000

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Colorado-City-Texas.html#ixzz4wDz90hW3

 

Kevin Fowler’s Rustic Ranch | Wimberley, Texas

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Kevin Fowler’s Rustic Ranch from Altared Weddings on Vimeo.

What started as a hobby evolved into what you see today at the Ranch. Outside of the normal routine of touring and writing music, Kevin collects and restores buildings that have a unique history. Each structure has been carefully crafted back to a state which honors its history and location. Everything on the Ranch has a story that we are anxious to tell people about. We stay busy making sure that bits of history don’t get lost to a landfill and in the process give something back to everybody that comes through our gates. It’s this level of care that ensures that each person we get to share this with walks away with a personal experience that can’t be found anywhere else in the Hill Country. That’s why we tell people that we are real Texas country.

“Kevin Fowler never ceases to amaze us… it became clear that his passion for music and historic buildings have collided in a new project that folks in Central Texas will no doubt be crazy about.” – Sandra Greaney, Country Line Magazine

“All these buildings roughly surround the intended site of the marriage ceremonies, smartly positions in a natural amphitheater of sorts.  Was it ever intended to be a fans-only business? ‘No.  It’s for everybody.’”    –  Houston Press

“It’s a perfect representation of an old rustic Texas ranch. The location is a peaceful country setting…NO highway noise. Guaranteed to have beautiful hill country sunsets. Unending opportunities for photography. A fantastic place for weddings or just about any other gathering you might have. This place is really AWESOME!”         – Wimberley View

For the Texas belle who prefers a little glamour with her grit, a rustic wedding without some sophisticated sparkle simply will not do…the concept was fittingly brought to life at country crooner Kevin Fowler’s Rustic Ranch. Dotted with sprawling centuries-old oaks and outlined by Loneman Creek, the newly opened 130-acre ranch is home to a 19th-century cabin, a restored farmhouse, and an authentic Texas dancehall that calls for a twirl-worthy dress…”  –  Lauren Kathryn, Swooned Magazine