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You know the song and you know the lyrics, but where exactly is Luckenbach, TX? If you are driving through the Texas hill country and blink your eyes, you might just miss it. This small, 10 acre, unincorporated town is located outside Fredericksburg between two creeks; South Grape and Snail Creek. Although Luckenbach might be considered a ghost town as far as population goes, this is far from the truth. Throughout the year, Luckenbach is host to several annual events: armadillo races, the cowboy Christmas in December, the blue bonnet ball, mud dauber days, the women’s only chili cook off, the famous Willie Nelson Fourth of July picnic, and live music seven nights a week. Should you happen to pass through this small Texas gem during the week or on a weekend with no planned event, there is still much to do and enjoy such as listening to local artists play country music under the big oak tree, play washers and horseshoes, and enjoy a nice cold beer Texas style. While taking in all that Luckenbach has to offer you’ll see how this gem has managed to stay alive, but do you know how the town got its start? The town itself was established in 1849 by a German settler, Jacob Luckenbach. Upon arriving to the Fredericksburg area, Jacob was given a 10 acre lot which he sold and then moved his family 12 miles south to what is now Luckenbach. Although Jacob was one of the first settlers to the area, the naming of the town goes to Minna Engel and her fiancé Carl Albert Luckenbach. With the establishment and success of the general store there was a recognized need for a post office. While filling out a post office application, Minna selected the name Luckenbach for the town and the name simply stuck. The population of Luckenbach never exceeded 500 and over the years as the population decreased, in 1970 the town was sold by the Engel family for $30,000. Today, all that remains is the old post office, saloon, general store, and the famous dance hall. Since the opening of the General Store in 1849, agricultural merchandise, mechanical, and medical merchandise have all been sold. Today you will find all kinds of apparel and souvenirs such as t-shirts, ball caps, books, toys, and music from various artists who have had the privilege of performing in one of Texas’ most famous dance halls. Whether you live in the hill country or are driving through be sure to visit Luckenbach and discover the place where everybody is somebody. Deborah Allen is a sales counselor at Ranches of Brushy Top, a hill country acreage real estate community. They sell some of the most remarkable, rural, hill country Texas land located near Blanco, TX. For more information please visit http://www.brushytop.com.
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