Travel And Tourism

The Small City of Lockhart, Texas

Lockhart, the barbecue capital of Texas as it's known around Austin and the surrounding area, is a short thirty minute drive from Austin on U.S. 183 South. This article looks at the features and history of Lockhart Texas.
Lockhart is one of the most historic communities in Texas, the city was established by Byrd Lockhart in the 1800s. Lockhart, who was an assistant surveyor for Green DeWitt, built roads with his own finances, and requested a land grant on Plum Creek in return, which he farmed even though he lived in nearby Gonzales.

When Lockhart farmed the land, it became accessible to others, who settled the community shortly thereafter, and even though the city was originally in Gonzales County, the city later created Caldwell County and became the county seat, due to the distance to Gonzales and the bad roads which made getting there difficult. The county was named for Matthew Caldwell, and Caldwell was a scout and leader of a group of rangers who fought in the Battle of Plum Creek and later against Mexico.

Since the small town was situated on the Chisholm Trail, after the area was struck by a serious drought, the farmers joined the cattle industry, and later found certain strains of cotton were resistant to drought, so cotton farming became a popular occupation for the early settlers, along with cattle raising. The railroad came to nearby Luling in the 1870s, and a decade later, the railroad arrived in Lockhart, and by the 1920s, oil was being discovered in Luling as well as Lockhart, and the city was known as a boomtown during that time period.

Today, Lockhart retains its historic feel and old west flavor, and there are numerous downtown buildings which line Main Street, including the Eugene Clark Library, a historic structure built with a bequest of $10,000 from Dr. Eugene Clark, who was a native of New Orleans. Dr. Clark, a notable early resident, bequeathed the funds for the library on his deathbed, and later, the library was improved and is now the primary source of reference and reading material for the students and other inhabitants of the small town. Lockhart also offers a refuge for Austinites trying to escape the high prices of the Austin real state market.

The Caldwell County Courthouse is a very historic structure dating back to 1894, and the Muldoon blue sandstone building with Pecos Red sandstone trim is located on San Antonio Street in the downtown area as well. The courthouse is one of the oldest in Texas, and the Eugene Clark Library is the oldest operating library in Texas, as are many of the buildings in this historic community.

Lockhart has a population of just over 12,000 residents, and the area of Lockhart is 11.3 square miles, of which .04 is water. Lockhart is situated on the Guadalupe River, which runs from New Braunfels south all the way to the coast and through most of the cities located on or near Highway 183 South. Lockhart was the site of the infamous Battle of Plum Creek, during which the locals fought the Comanche Indians, and after which the community was settled by the locals, many of which were survivors of the battle or relatives of those who fought for our freedom and safety.

Today, Lockhart is known for its barbecue, and visitors as well as residents have four choices of spots to sample the local specialty, including Black's Barbecue, Kreuz Market, Smitty's Barbecue, and the Chisholm Trail Barbecue. The barbecue that is prepared at these establishments is not made with barbecue sauce, and relies on its smoky flavor and tender meat for its renowned taste, among other factors. To find out just how good it is, come to scenic and historic Lockhart and try a sample of the best!

Living down in Austin Texas Ki helps clients in the Austin Texas real estate market. His site provides users a search of the Austin MLS along with a blog dedicated to Austin real estate news and events.