Texas Heritage, Winter 2005 Page: 32
39 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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T R AVE L*+TA
Photograph: By Al
RendonFrederickaburg Lure6 Touriat6 With Hiatory and Charm
Fredericksburg, in the Texas Hill
Country, is no longer the tiny
community started by German
settlers in 1846. Those immigrants were
part of the Adelsverein, an effort by
German noblemen to establish a new
Germany on Texas soil by means of an
organized mass emigration. John O.
Meusebach, one of the leaders of that
movement, selected the site for the
settlement, and it was named
Fredericksburg after Prince Frederick
of Prussia, another influential member
of the Adelsverein.
Fast forward almost 160 years since
the time of that original settlement,
and one finds that Fredericksburg has
transformed itself into a busy tourist
town-one that has successfully
embraced the future while holding on
firmly to its colorful past.
Stroll the sidewalks of the main street
today, and there are stores of every
kind: bakeries, art galleries, furniture
stores, brew pubs, gift shops, and bedand breakfasts that number in the hundreds.
And many of those businesses
boast names that harken back to the
town's German roots: Friedhelm's,
Auslander's, Der Lindenbaum, and
Engel's are just a few of the places
where visitors can enjoy schnitzel, saukerkraut,
and hearty ales. This GermanTexas
heritage is front and center each
fall as Fredericksburg celebrates its
past with music, dance, food, and drink
at the annual Oktoberfest.
The architecture is another sign of
the city's German roots. Many of the
newcomers to Texas during the
Adelsverein were fine craftsmen, who
brought not only their native customs
and traditions, but also a unique and
different form of building to the state.
This style, which later became known
as Texas Hill Country architecture, features
chiseled indigenous limestone on
both interior and exterior walls, gable
roof lines, minimal roof overhangs and
eaves, and intricate wood trim and cornice
work. Look for this style as youwander around the streets of
Fredericksburg, where there are many
fine examples in the homes, businesses,
and churches of the area.
The past is present, too, at the
numerous museums of Fredericksburg.
The Gillespie County Historical Society
maintains two museums, the largest
being the Pioneer Museum Complex.
This living history museum dates back
to 1956 and features a home, smokehouse,
and barn that were part of a
working farmstead. Wander no farther
than the main street of Fredericksburg
to find the other GCHS museum, the
Vereinskriche, a reproduction of the
original octagonal building that served
as Fredericksburg's first town hall,
church, school, and fire lookout (see
photo above). There, visitors will find
permanent exhibits about the city's
founding and photographic displays.
World War II buffs will enjoy The
National Museum of the Pacific War.
This is the only institution in the continental
United States that is dedicatedHERITAGE WINTER 2005
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Texas Historical Foundation. Texas Heritage, Winter 2005, periodical, Winter 2005; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth45368/m1/32/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.