WINE IN FREDERICKSBURG TX
INTRODUCTION
This week for our Texas Road Trip, we are going to Fredericksburg in the Hill Country of Texas.
Fredericksburg is known for its wineries and peaches.
Fredericksburg is in the heart of the Texas wine industry.
LOCATION
Fredericksburg is the county seat of Gillespie County, Texas, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.
The town is located 80 miles west of Austin and 70 miles north of San Antonio.
The distance from Houston to Fredericksburg is: 238 miles.
The distance from Dallas to Fredericksburg is: 263 miles.
FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS HISTORY
TEXAS GAINS ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM MEXICO
During the early 1800’s, immigration into Texas continued from the United States.
The population of Texas increased steadily and the settlers gained more influence in the political system of Mexico.
The Mexican government created laws that limited their freedom and strife with the Mexican government ensued.
The government of Mexico decided to control the the Texan settlers.
The Mexican government declared war on the settlers and the Mexican army invaded Texas.
In 1836, Texas gained its independence from Mexico and became a sovereign nation.
Ruthless land speculators began promoting Texas as a land of opportunity.
Immigrants from the eastern states flocked to Texas where they established homes and communities.
THE COMANCHE NATION
LORDS OF THE PLAINS
On the Texas Gulf coast immigrant communities thrived.
However, settlers found it extremely difficult to create colonies in the interior of Texas because of the rough territory, the heat and humidity and opposition from the fierce Native Americans in the area, the Comanche Nation.
It is believed that in the 1500’s, the Comanche, part of the Shoshone tribe, migrated from Wyoming to the southern plains and later to central Texas.
They acquired horses from the Spanish explorers who came into the region in the late 1600’s. The addition of horses changed their lifestyle from hunter gatherers to buffalo hunters.
They became skilled hunters and fierce warriors, attacking other tribes, Mexican settlements and Anglo settlements. They were the most feared Indian tribe of that day.
They drove out the Native Americans who lived in the area, the Jumano and the Apache.
For the Comanche to have been strong enough to drive the Apache from the area, they must have been mighty warriors.
The Comanche came to be known as the finest light cavalry of their day. They raided Mexican and white settlements at will, stealing horses, cattle, livestock, etc. and taking captives.
They took numerous captives whom they would later allow to be ransomed for a high price.
They lived a nomadic life, staying in teepees and moving whenever they needed to hunt more game or to trade with other people.
In 1840, the Texans asked for a meeting with the Comanche chiefs in order to discuss the return of some captives and a peace treaty.
The chiefs agreed to the meeting and came to the meeting without any weapons.
At the meeting, later known as the Council House Meeting, the Texans insisted that all white captives be returned as soon as possible.
The Comanche could not return some of the captives that were kept by other Comanche who were not at the gathering.
The Texans were upset by this so they shot the unarmed chiefs, killing all of them.
The Texans then shot and killed the Comanche women, children, and older men who had come with the chiefs to the meeting and were camped nearby.
The Comanche, under the leadership of their war chief, Buffalo Hump, then raided settlements from central Texas to the Gulf Coast. They burned down the towns of Linnville and Victoria to exact revenge for what the Texans had done to them.
The Comanche nation had a huge influence in the history of the communities of Gillespie county.
For more information on the Comanche nation, click on this link:
https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/comanche-indians
GERMAN SETTLERS IN FREDERICKSBURG
In the early 1840’s, political upheaval and anarchy began in Germany.
The political strife and an extreme famine, motivated some wealthy Germans to create an association, The Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, to encourage the emigration of German settlers to Texas.
On May 8, 1846, John Meusebach shepherded 120 German settlers from New Braunfels to the location of modern day Fredericksburg.
They camped there and began to build houses, plant corn, started a garden, dug water wells, etc. and did everything they could to build a life in Texas. They named the town Fredericksburg in honor of Prince Frederick of Prussia.
In 1847, John Meusebach mediated a peace treaty with the Comanche tribe that lived in the area. The settlers gave the Comanche food and gifts for agreeing to the treaty. The treaty made it possible for the settlers to live in peace and prosper.
The Comanche tribe and other Native Americans continued to raid and burn other Texas settlements but the peace treaty allowed the colonists in Fredericksburg to live in peace.
The Meusebach-Comanche peace treaty was the only peace treaty that was never broken by either side.
In 1850, the population of the town had grown to 754 citizens.
WHY IS FREDERICKSBURG FAMOUS?
There are several reasons why the town has become well known:
⦁ Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet during World War II.
⦁ for the Texas Hill Country wines and wineries.
⦁ Gillespie County hosts more visitors than any other wine region in the United States with the exception of Napa Valley in California.
⦁ for the Oktoberfest celebration in the fall.
⦁ for the Fredericksburg peaches.
⦁ for Enchanted Rock, the second largest granite dome in the United States.
WHY DO PEOPLE GO TO FREDERICKSBURG? DONE
The town has become a weekend Texas road trip for people from Austin and San Antonio.
The town has become a popular “week-end get away” due to:
⦁ the notable history of the area.
⦁ the National Museum of the Pacific War. Click this link to go to their website: https://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/
⦁ the Pioneer Museum. Click this link to go their website: http://www.pioneermuseum.net/
⦁ the German European “feel” of the town.
⦁ the Texas Hill Country scenery.
⦁ the restaurants and bakeries.
⦁ the German style food and beer. Click this link to go to the website of the Altstadt Brewery: https://www.altstadtbeer.com/
⦁ the shops and artists’ galleries as the town has become a home for many artists.
⦁ bicycling in the hills surrounding the town.
⦁ bird watching in the countryside.
⦁ to relax at one of the unique bed and breakfast guest houses.
⦁ in the spring, people go to see the wildflowers, the Blue Bonnets, Indian Paint Brushes, Buttercups and other flowers.
⦁ Oktoberfest in the fall season.
⦁ to experience the German Christmas and New Year’s traditions from November to the first of January.
⦁ to visit Enchanted Rock, the second largest granite dome in the United States.
⦁ to visit Luckenbach. It’s about 13 miles from Fredericksburg to Luckenbach on RR 1376 .
⦁ the wineries in the area. They may be the number one reason people go to the town.
FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS PEACHES
Benjamin Lester Enderle is considered the “father” of the Texas Hill Country peach industry.
He was born in Kerrville, Texas on February 28, 1889.
In 1913, Enderle and his wife, Louise, moved to Fredericksburg where he became the county surveyor for Gillespie county.
Enderle and his wife bought 14 acres of land outside of Fredericksburg in 1921. Enderle planted peach trees on the land in order to sell peaches to make the payments for the property.
In four years, Enderle and his wife were producing more peaches than they could sell to the people in the area so they sought another way to sell their peaches.
They made a business arrangement with the HEB grocery store company to sell their peaches.
Enderle’s business selling peaches in HEB stores was so successful that he was able to buy 145 more acres of land.
He then planted 5,000 more peach trees on his new property.
Enderle worked to develop a peach variety that would endure shipment to distant markets using Hale, Burbank, Elberta, and Stark clingstone varieties
Eventually he was able to produce a peach variety that was able to withstand long distance shipping.
SOURCE: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/enderle-benjamin-lester
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT FREDERICKSBURG PEACHES?
The altitude in Fredericksburg is about 1,700 feet.
The change from the day time temperature to the night time temperature is just the right temperature difference for the peaches. The change in temperature makes the peaches sweeter.
Fredericksburg peaches are known for their sweetness and their ability to endure shipment to distant markets without being bruised.
The climate and the nutrient rich soil in the area provide the right conditions for producing sweet, quality peaches.
We have included a few websites from some of the peach growers in the area for you to check out.
1) Donald Eckhardt Orchards. Their website is: http://hillcountrypeaches.com/ and their telephone number is: 830–992–7113.
2) Burgs Corner. Their website is: http://burgscorner.com/ and their telephone number is: 800–694–2772.
WINE IN TEXAS
⦁ In Texas, there are four hundred wineries.
⦁ There are 5,000 acres of wine grapes in Texas.
⦁ Texas ranks number 5 in the United States as a wine producing state.
⦁ 80% of the wine grapes in Texas are grown on the High Plains.
SOURCE: https://texasfinewine.com/wine-facts/
WHERE ARE WINE GRAPES GROWN IN TEXAS?
There eight wine growing regions in Texas:
⦁ Escondido AVA = located in Pecos County in far West Texas.
⦁ Bell Mountain AVA = Gillespie County, Hill Country in Central Texas.
⦁ Texoma AVA = on the south side of Lake Texoma and the Red River along the Oklahoma border. Third largest in Texas.
⦁ Mesilla Valley AVA = along the New Mexico border and the Rio Grande River.
⦁ Davis Mountains AVA = Jefferson Davis county, Trans Pecos region in West Texas.
⦁ Hill Country AVA = central Texas. Largest wine growing region in Texas and third largest in U.S.
⦁ Fredericksburg AVA = central Texas. Within the Hill Country AVA.
⦁ High Plains = southern Texas Pan Handle. From Lubbock, north to Amarillo and westward to the New Mexico border. Second largest wine growing region in Texas.
AVA = American Viticultural Area = a region where grapes are grown that has geography or climate features that differentiate it from the surrounding area and that affect the growth of the grapes.
SOURCE: https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-texoma
INFLUENCE OF THE WINE INDUSTRY ON THE ECONOMY OF TEXAS
⦁ In 2017, Texas wine was a $13.1 billion industry.
⦁ There are 5,000 acres of vineyards and 400 wineries in Texas.
⦁ The Texas wine industry directly employs about 60,716 people.
⦁ Texas wines create about 17,000 jobs in supplier and secondary businesses that provide products and services to the industry.
⦁ Jobs in the Texas wine industry pay an average of $41,400 in annual wages and benefits.
⦁ The Texas wine industry is a major attraction for tourism. 1.7 million visitors a year spend about $716.6 million a year.
⦁ The wine industry generates local and state tax revenues.
⦁ In 2017, the wine industry paid about $802.2 million in state and local taxes.
https://www.txwines.org/texas-report/
Source: 2017 Economic Report on Wine prepared by John Dunham & Associates, New York
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WINE IN FREDERICKSBURG TX
GRAPE VINEYARD
Image by Leon Emmanuel from Pixabay
https://pixabay.com/photos/vine-vineyard-grape-wine-winery-3327945/
The original German settlers in the area started making wine using wild Mustang grapes which are native to the area and throughout south Texas.
Today, more than 50 wineries and tasting rooms can be found in Fredericksburg and Gillespie County.
Gillespie County hosts more visitors to the wineries in the area than any other wine location in the United States except Napa Valley.
Gillespie county was named one of the ten best wine travel destinations by Wine Enthusiast.
The economy of the county is built primarily upon the wine industry and tourism.
Tourists come to the area to visit the wineries and to attend the festivals and live music shows held throughout the year.
FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS WINE TOURS
These companies offer wine tours in the area. Click on the links to go to the company website:
1) https://www.fredericksburgtexaswinetours.net/
2) https://cellarratwinetours.com/
3) http://www.offthevinetxwinetours.com/
4) https://www.texasgrapeswinetours.com/
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FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS WINERIES
We have listed some of the popular wineries in the area. There are many other wineries you can choose to visit, if you like.
1) Grape Creek Vineyards on Main
Winery specializing in French & Italian varietals, with tours & Tuscan-inspired tasting rooms.
https://www.grapecreek.com/fredericksburg-on-main/
2) Fat Ass Ranch and Winery
3) Barons Creek Vineyards
https://www.baronscreekvineyards.com/
4) Texas Wine Collective
https://www.texaswinecollective.com/
5) Messina HOF Hill Country
6) Texas Heritage Vineyard
https://www.texasheritagevineyard.com/
OKTOBERFEST IN FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS
The locals celebrate their German heritage and ancestry by eating tons of sausage, drinking gallons of beer and dancing to some German music.
Oktoberfest usually starts on the first weekend in October and lasts for three days.
Many artists and artisans from around the state offer their works to the public during the week.
The celebration is held downtown at the MarktPlatz.
ENCHANTED ROCK STATE PARK
Another thing you can do in the area is to visit the Enchanted Rock State Park, about 18.5 miles north of the town on Ranch Road 965.
Enchanted Rock is a 500 foot high tower of pink granite that stands out prominently above the countryside.
The rock formation was given the name “Enchanted Rock” by the early Spanish and Anglo settlers because the Native Americans in the area believed the rock fomation had magical powers.
THINGS TO DO IN THE PARK
1) You can hike eleven miles of hiking trails. You can walk around Enchanted Rock and you can hike to the top of the rock formation. For more information, click on this link: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock/trails-info
2) You can climb rock formations. To do this, you need to sign a release form at the park headquarters. For more information, click on this link: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock/more-info/rock-climb
3) You can camp at Moss Lake and at Walnut Springs. For more information, click on this link:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock/fees-facilities/campsites
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Perhaps the best time to visit is from April to June, when the wild flowers are blooming.
The Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is managed by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Their website is:
https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/enchanted-rock
On weekends or holidays, the park capacity can get full rather fast. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department closes the park early when that happens.
If you made reservations to visit, you and your family will be allowed to enter the park.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The website for the chamber of commerce is: http://fredericksburg-texas.com/
Information on Fredericksburg and Gillespie County can be obtained here.
Their telephone number is: 830–997–5000.
NEWSPAPER
The Fredericksburg Standard is the town’s newspaper.
Their website is: http://fredericksburgstandard.com/ .
Their telephone number is: 830–997–2155.
COST OF LIVING IN FREDERICKSBURG VS COST OF LIVING IN OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS
Fredericksburg:
Median income: $50,645
Median home price: $304,600
Population: 11,046
Fredericksburg vs Houston
Homes in Houston are 39.1% less expensive than homes in Fredericksburg.
Median income Houston: $45,728
Median home price in Houston: $185,500
Population: 2,267,336
Fredericksburg vs Austin
Homes in Austin are 21.1% more expensive than homes in Fredericksburg.
Median income Austin: $55,216
Median home price in Austin: 369,000
Population: 916,906
Fredericksburg vs San Antonio
Homes in San Antonio are 42.4% less expensive than homes in Fredericksburg
Median income San Antonio: $46,317
Median home price in San Antonio: 175,400
Population:1,461,623
Fredericksburg vs Dallas
Homes in Dallas are 29.5% less expensive than homes in Fredericksburg.
Median income Dallas: $43,359
Median home price in Dallas: $214,700
Population: 1,300,122
SOURCE: https://www.bestplaces.net/
Fredericksburg is one of the most expensive towns to live in Texas.
SOURCE: https://www.bestplaces.net/compare-cities/fredericksburg_tx/dallas_tx/overview
FREDERICKSBURG TEXAS HOMES FOR SALE
The median list price of homes in Fredericksburg, TX was $460K in April 2021. This median price was down 13% year-over-year.
The median listing price per square foot was $301.
In April 2021, Fredericksburg, TX is a buyer’s market. The supply of homes is greater than the demand for homes.
Median Days on Market: 80 Days
SOURCE: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Fredericksburg_TX/overview
SCHOOLS
In 2019–2020, the school district enrolled 3,165 students. 49% of the students were considered at risk of dropping out of school. 15.1% of students were enrolled in bilingual and English language learning programs.
The school was given a rating of B for the previous school year.
Fredericksburg has 5 public schools rated good and higher by GreatSchools.
The average teacher’s salary was $52,916. This salary is $4,175 less than the state average salary for teachers in Texas.
The average experience level of the teachers was 14.5 years.
There are also four private and charter schools.
SOURCE: https://schools.texastribune.org/districts/fredericksburg-isd/
STORES
You will find grocery stores, a WalMart Super Center, cafes and restaurants in the town.
SOURCE: https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Fredericksburg_TX/overview
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY FREDERICKSBURG
Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg, established in 2002, is an off campus teaching site of Texas Tech University.
The University offers classes in viticulture and wine making. Students gain knowledge and skills to help them succeed in the wine industry.
For more information on the university, click on this link:
https://www.depts.ttu.edu/fredericksburg/
BED AND BREAKFAST
1) Magnolia House. 101 E. Hackberry St.
Their telephone number is: 800–880–4374 and their website is: http://magnolia-house.com/ . Claude and Lisa Saunders.
This bed and breakfast is rated “Number One” in the area by Trip Advisor and “Outstanding” by http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/ .
Attention to detail and outstanding customer service are hall marks of the Magnolia House.
2) Inn on the Creek. 107 North Washingston.
Their telephone number is: 866–244–7897 and their website is: http://www.absolutecharm.com/InnOnThCrk_Launch.html.
Barry and Tammy Sikes. Located next to the Nimitz Museum near Main Street.
3) 2 Wee Cottages. 108 East Morse Street.
Their telephone number is: 877–437–7739 and their website is: http://2weecottages.com/ .
This bed and breakfast is located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in town amidst giant pecan trees.
HOTELS IN FREDERICKSBURG
1) Inn on Baron’s Creek. 308 South Washingston Street. Their telephone number is: 866–990–0202 and their website is: http://www.innonbaronscreek.com/.
2) Fredericksburg Inn and Suites. 201 South Washington Street. Their telephone number is: 800–446–0202 and their website is: http://fredericksburg-inn.com .
3) Best Western Fredericksburg. 314 E. Highway Street. Their telephone number is: 830–992–2929 and their website is: http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/US/TX/Fredericksburg-hotels/BEST-WESTERN-PLUS-Fredericksburg/Hotel-Overview.do?propertyCode=44516
CONCLUSION
We hope you enjoyed our Texas Road Trip to Fredericksburg.
DISCLOSURE:
I am an Amazon associate.
This article contains affiliate links to products that will help you experience the Fredericksburg area on a more personal level.
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