Places

There are 254 counties in the State of Texas, in each of those counties a town serves as the county seat. And at the center of them all, stands a courthouse, erected to serve the people of those communities. Texas has more historic courthouses than any other state; there are approximately 234 still standing that are at least 50 years old. Law dictates that counties must build a “convenient building for hold courts”, which included space for courtrooms, office buildings and other rooms s ...

If you love history — especially that of the Old West — you would probably enjoy exploring the many courthouses of Central Texas. Every county seat has one of these buildings, most of which date back to the late 19th century. Much like the Gothic Cathedrals of medieval Europe, construction of these grand edifices represented the collective pride of the community and their hopes for the future. Take the Lampasas County courthouse, finished in 1884. If 20 years earlier, you had visited ...

For seven decades, Rocky River Ranch—a secluded camp along the banks of the Blanco River in Wimberley—has helped girls connect with nature, learn leadership, become creative, learn how to solve problems, build self-esteem, become independent, and build lasting friendships. Beth Brookshire Mitchell, co-owner of the Hill Country Wine Shoppe on the Wimberley Square, first attended the camp in 1963 and went for 11 years.

Relax. That’s the top thing to do at the Lost Maples River Lodge, a beautiful getaway centrally located near Concan, Leakey, Utopia and Vanderpool. Lost Maples State Natural Area is up yonder and Garner State Park is down thataway. The lodge has it all. Blending rustic elements with new construction, this 2,000 square-foot home right on the Sabinal River truly reflects the character of the Hill Country in style. This farmhouse was the first one completed by Texas Timber Frames of Boer ...

Speaking of bats, have you ever wondered where to find the largest single bat colony in the world? (And by large folks, we’re not talking hundreds or thousands, but millions of these flying, flapping and frenzily feeding furry little fellows, all in one spot. Wow!) Well, wonder no more because, just north of San Antonio, nestled on the southern edge of our beloved Hill Country exists a geological marvel that, for thousands of years, has been playing host to humongous hordes of these extreme ...

What would a beautiful sunset in the Texas Hill Country be like without bats dodging and darting overhead? What would it be like to have an estimated additional 2 million pounds of flying insects disrupting our lives? Thankfully bats, the Texas State flying mammal, rid us of that flying nuisance! Central Texas has an estimated 3000 or more caves and sinkholes.

You’ve heard about the famous bats in Austin. If you have any interest in these fascinating winged mammals, I hope you’ve made the pilgrimage to Ann W. Richards Bridge on South Congress where most afternoons between May and November you’ll see over a million Mexican free-tail bats spread across the sky. But I'm going to let you in on something — you ain’t seen nothing yet! Out near Mason, in the Western Hill Country, is an even more fascinating bat community — the Eckert James ...

One interesting, comfortable, and convenient place to stay in Alpine is Alpine Guest Lodging apartments. The place is historic and right in the middle of everything. The lodging was built 100 years ago, according to owner Cathy Wright. At one point they served as a hospital, later as professional offices, and in 2009 became vacation rentals. Cathy and husband Dave Leet bought the lodging in 2016, painted the exterior that year and the interior in 2017.

When the city of Alpine claims to be the center of your Big Bend adventure, believe them. To the north you’ll find history, gorgeous scenery, and a great observatory in Fort Davis. To the west are the galleries of Marfa, to the east are Marathon’s shops and historic hotel. To the south are Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.

What a vision to behold – millions of bats spiraling upward out of a tunnel tucked away in the heart of the Hill Country! Sure enough, a 920-foot-long tunnel on the abandoned Fredericksburg and Northern Railway line still performs an important environmental mission after rail traffic between Fredericksburg and Comfort ceased in 1941.