Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is a city in and the county seat of Gillespie County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 Census, this city had a population of 10,875.
Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Old-time German residents often referred to Fredericksburg as Fritztown, a nickname that is still used in some businesses. It is located 70 miles northwest of San Antonio, and approximately 80 miles west of Austin. This city is also notable as the center of Texas German, a dialect spoken by the first generations of German settlers who initially refused to learn English. Fredericksburg shares many cultural characteristics with New Braunfels, which had been established by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels the previous year. Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. It is the sister city of Montabaur, Germany. On October 14, 1970, the Fredericksburg Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas.
History
Geography
Fredericksburg is located east of the center of Gillespie County north of San Antonio and west of Austin.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which, or 0.55%, is covered by water.
Enchanted Rock
is a geographical landmark north of Fredericksburg in Llano County. The rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome that rises above the surrounding land, has a summit elevation of above sea level, and covers. Enchanted Rock offers 8.4 mi of hiking trails, camping, picnicking, rock climbing, and other outdoor activities. It is one of the largest batholiths in the United States, and was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1970. In 1994, the State of Texas opened it as Enchanted Rock State Natural Area after adding facilities. The same year, Enchanted Rock was added to the National Register of Historic Places.Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock was a famous local landmark that perched atop Bear Mountain north of Fredericksburg. The natural wonder stone pillar, precariously balanced on its small tip. It fell prey to vandals, who dynamited it off its base in April 1986.Cross Mountain
The first known record of Cross Mountain was in 1847 by Ferdinand von Roemer. Native Americans used the location to signal each other about intrusions into their territory. The area was part of settler John Christian Durst's allotment. Durst found a timber cross on the mountain, indicating that Spanish missionaries had once used the site. Durst named the place "Kreuzberg" or Cross Mountain. In 1849, Father George Menzel erected a new cross. In 1946, St. Mary's Catholic Church erected a metal and concrete cross. The mountain has been used both for the Easter Fires pageant and for Easter sunrise services. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 1976.Climate
Fredericksburg experiences a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and generally mild winters. Average temperatures range from in the summer to during winter.Architecture
The Vereins Kirche, the Pioneer Museum Complex, Pioneer Memorial Library, and other architecture.Churches and religion
Nimitz Hotel and National Museum of the Pacific War
Railway
On January 3, 1913, the San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Northern Railway was chartered to connect Fredericksburg with the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway near Waring. In 1913 a long railroad tunnel was built. The cost of the tunnel sent the railroad into receivership on October 28, 1914. It was sold under foreclosure on December 31, 1917, to Martin Carle who deeded the property to the Fredericksburg and Northern Railway, which had been chartered on December 26 of that year. The train operated until July 27, 1942. Since the shutdown of the railway the tunnel has become a bat cave, hosting over 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats. In 2012 it became Old Tunnel State Park, with provides picnic and restroom facilities for visitors.Agritourism
The Fredericksburg-Stonewall area has become known as the Peach Capital of Texas and Benjamin Lester Enderle is known as the Father of the Hill Country Peach Industry. He was Gillespie County Surveyor and a math and science teacher at Fredericksburg High School when he planted five peach trees and began selling the fruit in 1921. Enderle worked to develop the Hale, Burbank, Elberta, and Stark varieties. He began marketing them through the H-E-B grocery chain, and eventually had 5,000 producing peach trees on. Growers claim the taste is due to the area having the right combination of elevation, sandy soil, and climate to produce flavorful clingstone and freestone peaches. The fruit ripens May–August, and consumers can either buy picked fruit, or pick their own.Herb farms, grape culture, lavender production, and wildflower seeds have become burgeoning businesses in Fredericksburg. Combinations of agribusiness with day spas, wedding facilities, or bed-and-breakfast accommodations are not unusual. Even a Texas Hill Country Lavender Trail has been designated.
Lady Bird Johnson's passion for Texas wildflowers not only lives on in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, but also sparked a high demand for seed. The Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg was founded by John R. Thomas in 1983 as a result of that high demand, and produces 88 varieties of wildflower seeds. It is the largest family-owned wildflower seed farm in the United States and host of an annual Wildflower Celebration.
In 1994, the Seventy-third Texas Legislature passed H.B. No. 1425, allowing brewpub operations within Texas. Fredericksburg Brewing Company began operations shortly thereafter.
A number of vineyards and related industries have also arisen in the post-LBJ era of Fredericksburg. The designated American Viticultural Areas of Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA and the much larger Texas Hill Country AVA both include Fredericksburg inside their boundaries. Fredericksburg is a common starting point or destination for tourists visiting wineries in the Texas Hill Country.
Education
The city of Fredericksburg is served by the Fredericksburg Independent School District. The school's teams are called the "Battlin' Billies".The first institute of higher learning in Fredericksburg was Fredericksburg College in 1876. The German Methodist Church of Fredericksburg founded the institution and offered courses in the arts, sciences, and foreign languages. Enrollment was about 150 students. W. J. R. Thoenssen was the first principal, succeeded by Charles F. Tansill. Finances caused the college to be closed in 1884. The property was sold to Fredericksburg Independent School District.
For higher education, Fredericksburg is home to Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg.
It also has some private schools, such as:
- Ambleside School of Fredericksburg
- Heritage School
- St. Mary's Elementary and Junior High School
Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools
Headquartered in Fredericksburg, the Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools is a group of former students and members of the community, interested in preserving the traditions of the old country schools, the community clubs, and the history of Gillespie County for future generations.Hospitals
Hill Country Memorial Hospital on Highway 16 is an acute-care facility that offers medical care, preventive care, and a wellness center.Transportation
Major roads
- U.S. Highway 87
- U.S. Route 290
- Texas State Highway 16
- Ranch to Market Road 1631
- Farm to Market Road 965
Airport
Demographics
2023 census
As of the 2023 United States census, there were 11,254 people and 6,894 households. The population density was 1,177.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 79% White, 0% African American, 0% Native American, 0% Asian, 1% from other races, and 1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19% of the population. 59% of households were occupied by their owners. 14% of the homes are worth between $200,000 to $299,999.In the city, the population was spread out, with 19% under the age of 18, 56% from 18 to 69, and 25% who were 70 years of age or older. 53% of the population is female. The Median Age is 53.6. 9.8% of the population are veterans.
The median household income was $57,474. 10% of the population was below the poverty line, 8% under 18 years
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, 8,911 people, 3,784 households, and 2,433 families resided in the city. The population density was. The 4,183 housing units averaged 630 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 93.08% White, 0.27% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.09% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 17.00% of the population. English is spoken by 72.73% of the population, Spanish by 14.77%, and Texas German by 12.48%. In terms of ancestry, 39.7% were of German, 12.5% were of Irish, 10.8% were of English, 4.9% were of American, 3.2% were of Scotch-Irish, 2.3% were of Scottish, 2.3% were of Dutch.Of the 3,784 households, 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were not families. About 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city, the population was distributed as 20.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 30.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,276, and for a family was $43,670. Males had a median income of $25,878 versus $22,171 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,788. About 7.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.