Fredericksburg Guesthouse Reservations

05/18/2026

05/08/2026

🎉 Happy 180th Birthday, Fredericksburg! 🎉

Today, May 8, we celebrate 180 years of history, heritage and community since our founding in 1846. From our rich German roots to the vibrant Hill Country town we are today, Fredericksburg continues to be a special place to live, work and visit.

The City of Fredericksburg team is honored to serve this community and help preserve the traditions, character and spirit that make our town so special.

Here’s to 180 years—and many more to come! ❤️

05/03/2026

It’s warming up at Enchanted Rock, but never fear! Programming and events continue through the summer, although they do tend to err on the side of the early birds and the night owls to keep temperatures cooler! Come out and join us this month for our awesome interpretive events!

04/03/2026

InSight Gallery will host the First Friday Art Walk on Friday, April 3 from 5-7 p.m. The gallery is located at 214 W. Main St.

Fort Martin Scott will host Frontier Fest from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, April 4. The Fort is located at 1606 E. Main St.

The Pioneer Museum has events throughout the weekend, including living history interpreters on Saturday, April 4 from 10 a.m-5 p.m. Living history interpreters will be at the museum, 325 W. Main St., and the Historic Gillespie County Jail, 117 W. San Antonio St.

Zion Lutheran Church will hold an Easter Egg Hunt at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 4. Participants should meet at the church's fellowship hall, 413 W. Austin St.

Zion Lutheran Church will host a 6:30 a.m. Easter Sunday celebration at Cross Mountain, one block north of Cross Mountain Dr. on North Milam St. (FM 965), on Sunday, April 5.

03/15/2026

On a business trip to San Antonio, Temple Smith heard of a prosperous village in the Hill Country that had no bank. Smith visited Fredericksburg, liked what he saw and decided to stay.
In 1887 Temple Smith founded the Bank of Fredericksburg, located on the first floor in the Maier Building at the corner of Main and Adams (today Hudson and Taylor).
Frontier banking could be an adventure.
On July 2, 1888, two strangers entered the bank, guns drawn. One stranger got the drop on Banker Smith and his assistant Mr. Wahrmund, The other bandit scooped up $250 in cash from the teller's drawer.
They wanted more but the timed vault was locked and couldn't be opened until the next morning. The bandits ran out into the street, leaped into the saddle and galloped to the west across the public square. Smith and Wahrmund ran upstairs to the law office of Judge A. O. Cooley. They took shots at the bandits from a second floor window until the outlaws made the brush and vanished.
In 1889 Smith commissioned renowned San Antonio architect Alfred Giles to build a new bank building at 210 E. Main Street. The bank was on the first floor. Smith and his family lived on the second floor.
Quite a few banks defaulted during the Panic of 1907, but the Bank of Fredericksburg, along with two other East Texas banks run by Banker Smith, weathered the crisis without closing doors or limiting withdrawals.

The San Antonio Light called Banker Smith's amazing work during the Panic "a unique feat."

"It is probable," the Light reported, "that this performance was not duplicated by any other individual banker in the United States."
Banker Smith is best remembered as the driving force behind the Fredericksburg Railroad. He spent years of his life and a considerable part of his wealth, bringing the railroad to town.
The railroad honored Banker Smith by naming a stop after him.
The town of Bankersmith, two miles south of Grapetown, once had a depot, post office, store, lumberyard, garage and dancehall.

Temple Smith died on April 24, 1926.

The Bank of Fredericksburg did not survive the Depression. In February 1932 both Fredericksburg banks failed on the same day.

Credit: Michael Barr

03/05/2026

to 1963 when West German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard (left) visited Fredericksburg to meet with First Lady Lady Bird Johnson (center) and President Lyndon B. Johnson (right).

Come hear more about about this visit, tomorrow, March 6 at the first-ever History Harvest. Details in the comments. We hope to see you there!

02/21/2026

Saturday February 21, 2026 — 430pm

01/17/2026

We are THRILLED to announce that we have been nominated for Best Open Air Museum by USA Today Readers' Choice!

We are proud to be the stewards of our town's rich history and heritage and we are eager to preserve it for generations to come.

Voting takes place once per day and continues through Feb. 9.

Vote now! 🗳 10best.usatoday.com/awards/pioneer-museum-fredericksburg-texas/

01/11/2026

01/08/2026

Main Street in Fredericksburg Tx 1984.

Credit: Texas Happens