Batrop, Texas
(Bastrop COUNTY)

The Bastrop County Courthouse was built in 1883 in the Renaissance Revival style. Designed by Jasper N. Preston and F.E. Ruffini, this beautiful courthouse is a three-story, stuccoed-brick building with a copper-domed clock tower. Initially, the courthouse was not stuccoed, but after a remodeling in 1924, the stucco was added, and other architectural details were removed, giving the building a Neoclassical look. Unlike other county squares, this courthouse is surrounded by houses and churches rather than commercial buildings and businesses.

The great outdoors takes center stage in Bastrop County. The Lost Pines are magical, the Colorado River flows freely, and Lake Bastrop is a near-constant-level Corps of Engineers lake. For those of you with a more man-made bent, golf is top drawer. So, the first requirement for a visit to Bastrop is sunscreen. 

Let’s start on the water. This section of the Colorado River is nearly perfect for kayaks, paddle boards, and canoes. Outfitters abound, and you may want to check with Bastrop River Company or Rising Phoenix . The competitive sort will want to be on the river for the SUP CUP races held each August.  

If self-propulsion is not your thing, a quiet day on the water pulling out bass, catfish, sunfish, or bluegill might be the thing. The river, Lake Bastrop, Fisherman’s Park, or Moby Dick’s Pond (each well-stocked for beginners and showoffs) should get you a picture with the big one hanging off your thumb. Lake Mina in Bastrop State Park for catch and release is a nice pond. Fisherman’s Park is also a popular recreation area on the river with splash pads. playgrounds, sports courts, a put-in for the river, and a boat dock. 

Of course, for camping and hiking, you can take your pick between Bastrop State Park and Buescher State Park. Each park, as well as most of the county, are birding hot spots with hundreds of species available. Don’t take our word for it; the city is home to one of Texas’ 16 Audubon societies and one of the first four cities in the state to get the coveted “Bird City” designation.  

You can get a feel for the area’s history at the Visitors’ Center and Museum. Similar stories are told throughout the county: at the Elgin Depot Museum, the Bastrop County African American Cultural Center, the James Long Railroad Museum for all things trains, or Dinosaur Park in Wyldwood/Cedar Creek for life-size outdoor replicas. Our favorite museum, though, might be the Texas Halloween Museum, which is thought to be the world’s only museum devoted exclusively to Halloween.  

If you want to get your motor running, try the summer race series at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige.  

Finally, roaming Bastrop, Smithville, and Elgin is a delight. There is much more in the eating, shopping, lodging, and golfing sections.

We usually start with the restaurants, but Texas Ten wants to highlight one of our favorite “others”: the Copper Shot Distillery in Bastrop. So, we are going with entertainment and nightlife first. Here is a pro tip at Copper Shot: Take the tour with founder Stephen Todee and learn how he and his wife Cheri put this incredible place together on their own. The tour ends with a tasting flight that is more than worth the price of admission. Copper Shot is more than a distillery–bar, outdoor music venue, cigar club, and speakeasy are all apt descriptions. Worth the trip to Bastrop all by itself. Texas Ten is big on Copper Shot’s Pecan Shine mixed with Amaretto. Delicious.  

We are also intrigued by Violet Crown Spirits, makers of premium absinthe. Absinthe has a high alcohol content and is otherwise known as the “Green Fairy.” There are probably lots of interesting stories to be written. 

If you have a liquor focus other than spirits, Bastrop has you covered. CC Wine Company offers tastings in Bastrop at its elegant facilities.  Rising Sun Vineyard has a beautiful spot in McDade, while Bastrop Beer Company and 602 Brewery feature ice-cold craft beer perfect for hot Texas summers, cool October nights, promising spring afternoons, and gray December afternoons…you get the idea. Oh, as good as the Bastrop Brewing community is, the Wild Bunch Brewery in little Red Rock, Texas, gets a ton of deserved press. It looks like a Bastrop weekend could be nothing but brew tastings.  

A trip to Wild Bunch can be paired with boot-scooting at Watterson Dance Hall (also in Red Rock) if you hit the right evening when the hall is in full swing. Community dance halls are special, and Watterson is one of the best for authentic good times.  

The food scene in Bastrop County is burgeoning. But let’s start with the already famous places.  

Bastrop

Maxines Cafe & Bakery in Bastrop starts your day as well as any place in Texas. It’s open and great all day, but…pancakes! Barbecue is a Texas religion, and Southside Market in Elgin can claim to be the mother church. In business since 1882, there are now three other restaurant locations (Bastrop, Hutto, and Austin), but Elgin is still the place.  

In Bastrop, you have options. As Austin foodies encroach, more and more elevated dining experiences are available. Look to Storehouse Market and Eatery (farm-to-table) and Piney Creek Chop House (steakhouse) for date nights or special occasions. 

For high-end cafe fare, Tracy’s Drive-In Grocery (authentic Texas deli if there is such a thing – here since 1946), Gracie’s, or Texas Grill Restaurant, in addition to Maxines. Top-level hamburgers are all over the place. Roadhouse Bistro and Stem and Stone have devoted followings. 

The next major food group is barbeque. Besides Southside Market, there are some great options. Try any of The Gas Station (with a side of horror memorabilia?), Billy’s Pit Bar-B-Q, or Fitties BBQ. Then, take a nap. 

Tex-Mex is vacation, weekend fun food. Bastrop has a long list: Casa Chapala (We love the front deck), Costa Azul Mariscos & Micheladas (specializing in Mexican seafood), Guadalajara Mexican, El Nuevo Mexico, or Lozano Marisco Cafe.  Pizza, pizza-based food, and old-school Italian can be found at Neighbor’s Kitchen and Yard (great deck with live music), Bassano Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, and Bastiano’s. Bastrop does the Texas roadhouse/affordable steak thing well. In addition to  Roadhouse Bistro, Stem and Stone, or Texas Grill, which are already listed, you can try Old Town Restaurant and Bar (great for catching the game and for groups).

Then there are the specialty places. Seafood in Bastrop is actually lake food. Texas catfish is a thing, and Paw-Paws Catfish House does it well. Wait, hold the lake food limitation. Kyoto Sushi & Asian Cuisine does great things with saltwater creatures. Lab C Kitchen has built a highly enthusiastic following for its fresh Vietnamese. Philly Cheesesteak Corner is pretty self-explanatory.Finally, LeJeune’s Bodin and Cracklins for Cajun. 

Smithville 

We said it at the outset: Smithville is special. Texas Ten cannot think of a better place to spend a relaxed summer evening. For sustenance, try … them all. Here is your list.  

Comfort Cafe and Bistro 71 for enthusiastically reviewed, great cafe food. Try Hope Floats Cafe & Ice Cream for delicious food and even more delicious ice cream. Eclectic with atmosphere out the wazoo, which to the uninitiated is a technical industry term: The Front Room Wine Bar (tapas style eats plus entertainment); Fat Cat Lounge (eclectic with live music, often jazz); Smithville Brewing Company (brewpub food, live music on Sunday). Particularly for breakfast is the Old World Bakery &  Cafe. Locals love the old-school Tex-Mex at El Mexicano Grill.  

Elgin 

Southside is not the only game in town. For barbecue competition, try Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse (where barbecue dreams come true). Marseoni does a Mediterranean take on the Texas favorite. If they can make the Q healthy, I am all for it. Lucy’s Kitchen packs in the cafe fans downtown. You can tell Austin is coming for Elgin as Aviator Pizza, a high-end, Texas-focused (meaning all Texas wines and beers and locally sourced food) small chain from the capital city, has opened an outpost. Changing demographics aside, great pies. 

Elsewhere in Bastrop County

Cedar Creek is in Bastrop County, but it is also far east Austin, which has a notable food scene. The current “food trucks but will be brick-and-mortar soon” phenoms are  Puds Cups of Mud (A+ for the name), which pairs high-end coffee with burgers, brisket, and tacos, and Little Mac’s Smokehouse for more traditional barbecue and Texas goods. Try them now, and you can say you were first.  

Those of us who like to sit for our meals heartily recommend Southern Roots Cafe, which offers all manner of mouth-watering options. In McDade, Scales Cafe gets high marks. Paige has a Roadhouse Bistro outpost that locals love. You can get your downhome at Meuth’s Place if you find yourself in Rockne.

The biggest difference between shopping in Bastrop and shopping in most towns of similar size is Bastrop’s many art galleries. Texas Ten loves Texas art and Texas artists. Bastrop delivers in a big way. Check out Lost Pines Art Center (a large civic space that features exhibits, shows, classes, and local artists),  Found Fine Art Gallery (traditional gallery representing multiple artists), The Bridges Emprioum (featuring the visual art and mixed media of Ginger Bridges) Studio 71 Art Gallery (custom framing shop with affordable visual art and prints); Monarch Art Gallery (various artists and media)  Lost Pines Art Bazaar (fine Persian rugs and decor). Those were our favorites, but there are probably ten more.  

The Painted Porch is a stunning independent bookstore in Bastrop. Horseman Company is a minimalist’s dream decor store. Ivana May offers turn-your-head children’s clothing. Texas Boot Company has the best in western wear, including Lucchese boots. The Odditiy Den defies description. Just stop by.  

In Smithville, antique and vintage shopping is spectacular. Make the three or so blocks on and around Main Street (from 2nd Street to 4th Street) and find the perfect piece to finish that room.  

Broadway Paul’s Antiques & Salvage in Paige is one of the great picking spots in Texas.

Bastrop County might lead the free world in unique lodging experiences. Lake North Shore glamping offers luxury tents or airstreams in a picturesque setting. Basin RV Resort has joined the Airstream craze, offering rentals you do not have to move. Ardor Wood Farm offers upscale farm stays with a list of experiences on the other side of amazing. Shipping containers are having a moment. This Bastrop location makes the moment ultra cool. McDade hosts the Sherwood Forest Faire, so renting a castle is a natural thing to do.  

For us oldsters, “Green Acres is the place to be…” If you know, you know. And those who run Green Acres in Elgin know glamping to a T. In Bastrop, the Pecan Street Inn is the grand dame of Bed and Breakfasts. Katy House in Smithville is another great option. 

Texas Ten generally focuses on local, non-chain options. We make an exception here for the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort because it was the first of its kind in the area and the first time we ever heard the term “Lazy River.” Thousands of Texans have explored the area from Hyatt Lost Pines.

Texas Ten is a big fan of the Harvest Host idea for RV travel. In this idea, an attraction–a farm, winery, brewery, etc.–offers free or reduced-price stays to RVs and campers who then use the attraction. Bastrop County has several: 

In Elgin, at the Texas Olive Oasis or  the Headlong Goat Farm,  

In McDade at the Starry Night Alpaca Farm or a vineyard. 

In Paige, at a farm animal rescue sanctuary. 

In Smithville, at a craft brewery or sustainable chicken farm. 

In Red Rock, at a Waygu beef ranch or another craft brewery 

For traditional RV parks, there are a variety of options: 

Basin RV Resorts (Bastrop) 

The Pines at Bastrop (Bastrop) 

Sunny RV Park Family (Bastrop) 

Bastrop RV Park (Bastrop) 

Austin Oaks (Cedar Creek) 

Bellamont RV Park (Bastrop) 

Prickly Pear RV Park (Bastrop) 

Hope Hill RV and Tiny Home Park (Elgin) 

Crimson Oaks RV Park (Elgin) 

Star Ranch Nudist Resort (McDade-judge not lest ye be judged)

McDade hosts the Sherwood Forest Fair in April, a family-friendly version of traditional Renaissance fairs. At the same time, Smithville hosts a four-day jamboree, during which the city comes alive with various events and music.  

Early August brings the annual “Homecoming and Rodeo.” Anytime there is a rodeo in a Texas town, it is a good time to visit. With that said, Elgin’s Western Days Homecoming celebration is held every year on the last weekend in June, and its rodeo is held in July. 

August also has Bastrop hosting the SUP Camino Real, where lightweight, self-propelled watercraft take over the town and the Colorado River. 

In September, Bastrop and the Colorado return to center stage as the launch point for the Colorado 100K Canoe Race, ending in Columbus. This is one of Texas’ great water events, with plenty of excitement.  

Smithville is picture-worth, but in mid-October, it turns the tables by hosting the Smithville Photo Festival. Elgin goes gaga for swine with the Hogeye Festival on the fourth weekend in October. It is Halloween all over the world, but the screams may be the loudest in Smtihville at the Scream Hollow Halloween Park. 

The second Saturday of November is the “Airing of the Quilts” in Smithville. Craftsmanship passed down for generations is on display. 

Bastrop, Elgin, and Smithville have Christmas lights and celebrations throughout December.

There are three outstanding options here. First is Bastrop River Club (formerly Pine Forest), a municipal golf course rightly recognized as one of the best golf values in Texas. I’m not sure about the name change and what it means, but green fees are still low, and the course is still beautiful. Next is Lost Pines Golf Club (formerly Wolfdancer—what is it with the name changes?) at the Hyatt Resort. Obviously, it is resort quality. Third is Colovista Golf Club, mercifully too young to change its name. Colovista is a public course in a golf community that has received great early reviews.  If so inclined, your Bastrop weekend could be a golf weekend. 

Southeast of Austin by an hour or a day, depending on Austin traffic, Bastrop (the town) is at the convergence of SH 21(east/west), SH 95 (north/south), and SH 71 (running to the northwest). I-35 is the only reasonably close interstate and a ways away. Bastrop is about 2 hours and 45 minutes southeast of the state’s geographic center in Brady, Texas. 

Austin Bergstrom International is also on the east side of Austin, so it is just a short drive from a major airport. Smaller craft can try the municipal airport in nearby Smithville.

According to early archaeological evidence, the Tonkawa Indians were the first inhabitants of what is now known as Bastrop County. Originally, Plains Indians, whose name translates to “They all stay together,” migrated to Central Texas approximately 1,000 years ago. They survived by hunting buffalo and small game and shared the land with neighboring Comanches in the fall. When Anglos arrived in the area, the Tonkawas began using the abundant pecans in the region to develop a bartering system. 

In 1804, Stephen F. Austin received grants from the Spanish governor for a “little colony” where a fort was built at the Colorado crossing. Over time, this area gradually became settled. By 1827 Baron de Bastrop arrived at the location with plans to establish a German community. The Tonkawas were friendly with the new Austin and Bastrop Colonies settlers and often helped fend off attacks from the more aggressive Comanches. By 1830, more early pioneers had moved into the area and named the town of Bastrop after the Baron. This region continued to grow through additional land grants obtained by Stephen F. Austin. 

In 1837, the Congress of the Republic of Texas officially named the area Bastrop County.  Enslaved individuals arrived in tandem with cotton during the same year.  The economic prosperity from cotton significantly increased with the arrival of the lumber industry, spearheaded by the Bastrop Steam Mill Company in 1838, in the Lost Pines area. Because Bastrop County had grown so considerably, it was decided that it should be divided, and in 1840, Travis County was established.  Considerable growth continued through 1860, with the population of Bastrop County tripling. Despite the success and continued goodwill between Natives and Anglos, however, the US Army began to remove the Tonkawas from their land systematically. By 1859, the Tonkawas were gone. 

In 1860, despite having a significant slave population, Bastrop County voted against secession. Nevertheless, the county supported the Confederate cause during the Civil War. The County aided soldiers’ families and furnished Confederate regiments with necessary weapons. 

Reconstruction brought tension to Bastrop County, like the rest of the South, but the county continued to thrive. The economy saw a boost with the expansion of the Houston and Central Texas Railway in 1870. The railway led to the establishment of new towns, and Bastrop’s cotton and corn farmers could now directly ship their produce. Further railway development in the 1880s and 1890s connected Bastrop to other large Texas towns and made the county seat almost as large as Elgin, another city in Bastrop County. 

During the early 1900s, Bastrop witnessed increased resources and industries devoted to what we now call fossil fuels. Although only small amounts of oil were discovered, coal belts were mined in the county. In the 1920s, large clay deposits helped the city of Elgin become the “Brick Capital of the Southwest,” and the lumber industry in Bastrop experienced a revival. Corn and cotton were successful cash crops, but the farm depression in 1927 necessitated significant changes. The Great Depression decreased population and economic growth, with substantial declines in farm values. 

During World War II, Bastrop County’s economy underwent some changes. The cattle industry increased, and the cash crop diversification helped improve the farming economy. Nowadays, the county is renowned for its production of fruits and nuts and successful brick-making and furniture industries. Additionally, the county has a thriving tourist industry, further enhanced by entrepreneur Elon Musk. With the recent establishment of SpaceX and a new Starlink manufacturing facility, the county’s economy has received an additional boost. 

According to the 2020 census, Bastrop County’s population was 110,000, with a median income of $80,151.  23% of the population hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, the combination of which makes Bastrop slightly more educated and slightly more prosperous than the average Texas county. 44.6% of the population is white and non-Hispanic, 45.9 % are Hispanic, 5.5% are Black or African American, and the remaining 4% are of other or mixed ethnicity.  

Notable characters from Bastrop County included Texas Declaration of Independence signer John Wheeler Bunton, Pulitzer Prize finalist Paula Mitchell Marks, and the oldest surviving WWII Veteran, Richard Arvin Overton, who died at the age of 112. 

Primary Sources:  

254 Texas Courthouses 

Bastrop CountyHistory  

Bastrop Museum and Visitor Center 

Census Bureau 

Community Impact 

Texas State Historical Society 

Primary Sources:  

OTHER: SMITHVILLE