The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas

Central Texas

Central Texas , is a region in the U.S. state of Texas. It is roughly bordered by San Marcos to Fredericksburg to Waco, and to Brenham, and includes the Austin–Round Rock, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Bryan-College Station, and Waco metropolitan areas...

 featuring tall rugged hill

Hill

A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...

s consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 or granite

Granite

Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...

. It also includes the Llano Uplift

Llano Uplift

The Llano Uplift is a roughly circular geologic dome of Precambrian rock, primarily granite, in Central Texas in the United States. It is located in the eastern region of the Edwards Plateau, west of the Texas Hill Country...

 and the second largest granite

Granite

Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...

 monadnock

Monadnock

A monadnock or inselberg is an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain...

 in the United States, Enchanted Rock

Enchanted Rock

Enchanted Rock is an enormous pink granite pluton rock formation located in the Llano Uplift approximately north of Fredericksburg, Texas, USA and south of Llano, Texas. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, which includes Enchanted Rock and surrounding land, spans the border between Gillespie...

, which is located 18 miles (29 km) north of Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg, Texas

Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...

. The Hill Country reaches into portions of the two major metropolitan areas of Central Texas, especially in San Antonio's northern suburbs

Greater San Antonio

Greater San Antonio is a 8-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located in the South Central region of Texas. The MSA of Greater San Antonio is colloquially referred to as the "San Antonio-New Braunfels" metropolitan area as of the 2010 census.The official...

 and the western half of Travis County

Travis County, Texas

As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile...

, ending just west of downtown Austin

Austin, Texas

Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

. The region is the eastern portion of the Edwards Plateau

Edwards Plateau

The Edwards Plateau is a region of west-central Texas which is bounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and east, the Llano Uplift and the Llano Estacado to the north, and the Pecos River and Chihuahuan Desert to the west. San Angelo, Austin, San Antonio and Del Rio roughly outline the area...

 and the easternmost region of the American Southwest, and is bound by the Balcones Fault

Balcones Fault

The Balcones Fault Zone is a tensional structural system in Texas that runs approximately from the southwest part of the state near Del Rio to the north central region near Waco along Interstate 35. The Balcones Fault zone is made up of many smaller features, including normal faults, grabens, and...

 on the east and the Llano Uplift

Llano Uplift

The Llano Uplift is a roughly circular geologic dome of Precambrian rock, primarily granite, in Central Texas in the United States. It is located in the eastern region of the Edwards Plateau, west of the Texas Hill Country...

 to the west and north. The terrain is punctuated by a large number of limestone or granite rock

Rock (geology)

In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...

s and boulders and a thin layer of topsoil

Topsoil

Topsoil is the upper, outermost layer of soil, usually the top to . It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs.-Importance:...

, which makes the region very dry and prone to flash flood

Flash flood

A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...

ing. The Texas Hill Country is also home to several native Southwestern types of vegetation, such as various yucca

Yucca

Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40-50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of North...

, prickly pear cactus

Opuntia

Opuntia, also known as nopales or paddle cactus , is a genus in the cactus family, Cactaceae.Currently, only prickly pears are included in this genus of about 200 species distributed throughout most of the Americas. Chollas are now separated into the genus Cylindropuntia, which some still consider...

, and the dry Southwestern tree known as the Texas live oak.

Several cities were settled at the base of the Balcones Escarpment, including Austin

Austin, Texas

Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...

, San Marcos

San Marcos, Texas

San Marcos is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, and is the seat of Hays County. Located within the metropolitan area, the city is located on the Interstate 35 corridor—between Austin and San Antonio....

, and New Braunfels

New Braunfels, Texas

New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...

, as a result of springs

Spring (hydrosphere)

A spring—also known as a rising or resurgence—is a component of the hydrosphere. Specifically, it is any natural situation where water flows to the surface of the earth from underground...

 discharging water stored in the Edwards Aquifer

Edwards Aquifer

The Edwards Aquifer is one of the most prolific artesian aquifers in the world. Located on the eastern edge of Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas, it discharges about of water a year and directly serves about two million people...

.

Counties in the Texas Hill Country

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department is a Texas state agency that oversees and protects wildlife and their habitats. In addition, the agency is responsible for managing the state's parks and historical areas...

, the following 25 counties comprise the Texas Hill Country:

Bandera Bandera County, Texas Bandera County, formed in 1856 from Bexar and Uvalde counties, is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population is 17,645. Its county seat is Bandera. Bandera is named for the Spanish word for flag... Bell Bell County, Texas Bell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. Bell County was founded in 1850. It is part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2000, the county's population was 237,974; in 2010 the U.S. Census Bureau reported that its population had reached... Blanco Blanco County, Texas Blanco County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2010, the population is 10,497. Its county seat is Johnson City. Blanco is named for the Blanco River which traverses the county. The State of Texas formed Blanco County in 1858 from portions of Burnet,... Burnet Burnet County, Texas Burnet County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. As of 2000, the population was 34,147. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate was 44,488. Its county seat is Burnet. Burnet is named for David Gouverneur Burnet, the first president of the Republic of Texas... Comal Comal County, Texas Comal County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 108,472. Its seat is New Braunfels.Comal County is part of the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History Timeline:...

Coryell Coryell County, Texas Coryell County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 74,978. The county seat is Gatesville. Coryell County forms part of the Killeen–Temple–Fort Hood Metropolitan Statistical Area... Crockett Edwards Gillespie Gillespie County, Texas Gillespie County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 24,837. It is located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. Gillespie is named for Robert Addison Gillespie, who came to Texas in 1837. He was a Texas Ranger, an Indian fighter, a... Hays Hays County, Texas Hays County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its official population had reached 157,107. It is named for John Coffee Hays, a Texas Ranger and Mexican-American War officer. The seat of the county is San Marcos....

Kendall Kendall County, Texas Kendall County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008 census, its population was 32,886. Its seat is Boerne.... Kerr Kerr County, Texas Kerr County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 49,625. Its county seat is Kerrville. Kerr County was named by Joshua D. Brown for his fellow Kentucky native, James Kerr, a congressman of the Republic of Texas... Kimble Kimble County, Texas Kimble County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 4,468. Its county seat is Junction. Kimble is named for George C. Kimble, who died at the Battle of the Alamo.-Geography:... Lampasas Lampasas County, Texas Lampasas County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 17,762. Its seat is Lampasas. The county is named for the Lampasas River.... Llano Llano County, Texas Llano County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 19, 301. Its county seat is Llano, and the county is named for the Llano River....

Mason Mason County, Texas Mason County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 4, 012. Its county seat is Mason... McCullouch McCulloch County, Texas McCulloch County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. The geographical center of Texas lies within the county. In 2000, its population was 8,205. Its county seat is Brady. McCulloch is named for Benjamin McCulloch, a famous Texas Ranger and Confederate... Menard Real San Saba San Saba County, Texas San Saba County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Western Central Texas. In 2010, its population was 6,131. Its county seat is San Saba. It is named for the San Saba River, which flows through the county.-History:...

Schleicher Sutton Travis Travis County, Texas As of 2009, the U.S. census estimates there were 1,026,158 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile . There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile... Val Verde Val Verde County, Texas Val Verde County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2008, estimated population was 55,000. Its county seat is Del Rio. In 1936, Val Verde County received Recorded Texas Historic Landmark number 5625 to commemorate its founding.Val Verde, which means "green... Williamson Williamson County, Texas Williamson County is a county located on both the Edwards Plateau to the west, consisting of rocky terrain and hills, and Blackland Prairies in the east consising of rich, fertile farming land, The two areas are roughly bisected by Interstate 35...

Natural features

Because of its karst topography

Karst topography

Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there...

, the area also features a number of cave

Cave

A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...

s, such as Inner Space Caverns, Natural Bridge Caverns

Natural Bridge Caverns

Natural Bridge Caverns are the largest known commercial caverns in the state of Texas.The name was derived from the 20 m natural limestone slab bridge that spans the amphitheater setting of the cavern's entrance...

, Bracken Cave

Bracken Cave

Bracken Cave is the largest known habitat for Mexican Free-tailed Bats. It is located in southern Comal County, Texas, outside the city of San Antonio. Bracken Cave houses a colony of over 20 million bats, making it the largest known concentration of mammals, except for humans...

, Longhorn Cavern State Park

Longhorn Cavern State Park

Longhorn Cavern State Park is a state park located in Burnet County, Texas, United States. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is administrator of the facility. The land for Longhorn Cavern State Park was acquired between 1932 and 1937 from private owners. It was dedicated as a state park in...

, Cascade Caverns, Caverns of Sonora

Caverns of Sonora

The Caverns of Sonora, a National Natural Landmark, is a unique cave located west of the small city of Sonora, the seat of Sutton County, Texas. It is a world-class cave because of its stunning array of calcite crystal formations, especially helictites. These helictites are found in extreme...

, Cave Without a Name

Cave Without a Name

The Cave Without a Name is a limestone solutional cave located 11 miles northeast of Boerne, Texas off FM 474 and Kreutzberg Road, less than from downtown San Antonio, Texas. It has been commercially operated as a show cave and open for public tours since 1939...

 and Wonder Cave

Wonder Cave (San Marcos, Texas)

Wonder Cave is a show cave located in the Balcones Fault in San Marcos, Texas . Its entrance is one mile southwest of the county courthouse in San Marcos...

. The deeper caverns of the area form several aquifer

Aquifer

An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...

s which serve as a source of drinking water

Drinking water

Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...

 for the residents of the area.

Several tributaries of the Colorado River

Colorado River (Texas)

The Colorado River is a river that runs through the U.S. state of Texas; it should not be confused with the much longer Colorado River which flows from Colorado into the Gulf of California....

 of Texas — including the Llano

Llano River

The Llano River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately 105 mi long, in central Texas in the United States. It drains part of the Edwards Plateau in Texas Hill Country northwest of Austin....

 and Pedernales

Pedernales River

The Pedernales River is a tributary of the Colorado River, approximately long, in central Texas in the United States. It drains an area of the Edwards Plateau, flowing west to east across the Texas Hill Country west of Austin...

 rivers, which cross the region west to east and join the Colorado as it cuts across the region to the southeast - drain a large portion of the Hill Country. The Guadalupe

Guadalupe River (Texas)

The Guadalupe River runs from Kerr County, Texas to San Antonio Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. The river is a popular destination for rafters and canoers. Larger cities along the river include New Braunfels, Kerrville, Seguin, Gonzales, Cuero, and Victoria...

, San Antonio

San Antonio River

The San Antonio River is a major waterway that originates in central Texas in a cluster of springs in north central San Antonio, approximately four miles north of downtown, and follows a roughly southeastern path through the state. It eventually feeds into the Guadalupe River about ten miles from...

, Frio

Frio River

The Frio River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas. The word frio is Spanish for cold, a clear reference to the spring-fed coolness of the river.-Geography:The Frio River has three primary feeds; the East, West, and Dry Frio rivers...

, Medina

Medina River

The Medina River is located in south central Texas, USA, in the Medina Valley. Named after Pedro Medina, a Spanish engineer, by Alonso de León, Spanish governor of Coahuila, New Spain in 1689. It was also known as the Rio Mariano, Rio San Jose, or Rio de Bagres...

, and Nueces

Nueces River

The Nueces River is a river in the U.S. state of Texas, approximately long. It drains a region in central and southern Texas southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. It is the southernmost major river in Texas northeast of the Rio Grande...

 rivers originate in the Hill Country.

This region is a dividing line for certain species occurrence. For example, the California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera

Washingtonia filifera

Washingtonia filifera , with the common names California Fan Palm , Desert Fan Palm, Cotton palm, and Arizona Fan Palm. It is a palm native to southwestern North America between an elevation range of , at seeps, desert bajadas, and springs where underground water is continuously available...

) is the only species of palm tree

Arecaceae

Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...

 that is native to the continental United States west of the Hill Country's Balcones Fault.

The region has hot summers, particularly in July and August, and even the nighttime temperatures remain high, as the elevation is modest despite the hilly terrain. Winter temperatures are sometimes as much as ten degrees cooler than in other parts of Texas to the east.

Popular culture

The area is also unique for its fusion of Spanish

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

 and Central Europe

Central Europe

Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...

an (German

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, Swiss

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

, Austria

Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...

n, Alsatian

Alsace

Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...

, and Czech

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....

) influences in food, beer, architecture, and music that form a distinctively "Texan" culture separate from the state's Southern

Southern United States

The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...

 and Southwestern

Southwestern United States

The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...

 influences. For example, the accordion

Accordion

The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....

 was popularized in Tejano music

Tejano music

Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...

 in the 19th century due to cultural exposure to German settlers.

Devil's Backbone appeared in a 1996 episode of NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

's Robert Stack

Robert Stack

Robert Stack was an American actor. In addition to acting in more than 40 films, he was the star of the 1959-1963 ABC television series The Untouchables and later served as the host of Unsolved Mysteries.-Early life:...

 anthology series, Unsolved Mysteries

Unsolved Mysteries

Unsolved Mysteries is an American television program, hosted by Robert Stack, from 1987 until 2002, and later by Dennis Farina, starting in 2008...

, featuring ghost

Ghost

In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...

s of Spanish monks, Native American

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

s, Confederate

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

 soldiers on their horses, and a wolf spirit.

In recent years, the region has emerged as the center of the Texas wine

Texas wine

Texas has a long history of wine production. The sunny and dry climate of the major wine making regions in the state have drawn comparison to Portuguese wines. Some of the earliest recorded Texas wines were produced by Spanish missionaries in the 1650s near El Paso...

 industry. Three American Viticultural Area

American Viticultural Area

An American Viticultural Area is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau , United States Department of the Treasury....

s are located in the areas: Texas Hill Country AVA

Texas Hill Country AVA

The Texas Hill Country AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Texas Hill Country north of San Antonio and west of Austin, Texas. The appellation is the second largest American Viticultural Area, and covers an area of over...

, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA

Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA

The Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA is an American Viticultural Area surrounding the town of Fredericksburg, Texas in the Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg and the surrounding area were settled by German immigrants in the nineteenth century. These settlers were the first to...

, and Bell Mountain AVA

Bell Mountain AVA

The Bell Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in Gillespie County, Texas. It was the first designated wine area located entirely in the state of Texas, and covers an area of over . The appellation is entirely contained within the Texas Hill Country AVA, which was established...

.

The Hill Country is also known for its tourism

Tourism

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...

. In 2008, The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

 declared it "the No. 1 vacation spot in the nation." The Hill Country has also made Texas second to Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 as the most popular retirement destination in the United States. The region has attracted Baby Boomer

Baby boomer

A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...

s as they near retirement age.

Frederick Day, a demographer

Demography

Demography is the statistical study of human population. It can be a very general science that can be applied to any kind of dynamic human population, that is, one that changes over time or space...

 with Texas State University in San Marcos, said that the Hill Country life-style reminds one of the small towns of the recent past. "Like old America . . . [the] cost of living is pretty low. To people who have spent their work life in Houston or Dallas, the Hill Country is very attractive."

Notable people of the Texas Hill Country

• Lance Armstrong
  Lance Armstrong
  Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
  
   - (1971- ) Professional cyclist renowned for seven consecutive Tour de France
  Tour de France
  The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
  
   wins after surviving cancer. Born in Plano
  Plano, Texas
  Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
  
   but a long-time resident of Austin
  Austin, Texas
  Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
  
  
• Buffalo Hump
  Buffalo hump
  Buffalo Hump was a Native American War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians...
  
   - (born c. late 1790s to early 1800s - died 1870) was a Native American War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche
  Comanche
  The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
  
  .
• John Coffee Hays
  John Coffee Hays
  Col. John Coffee "Jack" Hays was a Texas Ranger captain and military officer of the Republic of Texas. Hays served in several armed conflicts, including the Indian and the Mexican-American War.-Biography:...
  
   - " Captain Jack " Leader of the Texas Rangers 1836 - 1848.
• Liz Carpenter
  Liz Carpenter
  Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Sutherland Carpenter was a writer, feminist, former reporter, media advisor, speechwriter, political humorist, and public relations expert....
  
   - (1920–2010) Journalist, author, political speech writer, humorist, public speaker, first female Vice President of University of Texas student body. One of the founders of National Women's Political Caucus
  National Women's Political Caucus
  The National Women's Political Caucus is a national bipartisan grassroots organization in the United States dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek elected and appointed offices....
  
   and co-chair of ERAmerica, traveling the country to push for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment
  Equal Rights Amendment
  The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
  
  . Drafted President Johnson's Nov 22, 1963 speech to the American public after the assassination of John F. Kennedy
  John F. Kennedy
  John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
  
  .
• John Russell "Hondo" Crouch - (1916–1976) humorist, proprietor of Fredericksburg
  Fredericksburg, Texas
  Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
  
  -adjacent Luckenbach, Texas
  Luckenbach, Texas
  Luckenbach is an unincorporated community thirteen miles from Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County, Texas, United States, part of the Texas Hill Country. It consists of between South Grape Creek and Snail Creek, just south of U.S. Highway 290 on the south side of Farm to Market Road...
  
   where the town's motto is Everybody's SomebodyWaylon Jennings
  Waylon Jennings
  Waylon Arnold Jennings was an American country music singer, songwriter, and musician. Jennings began playing at eight. He began performing at twelve, on KVOW radio. Jennings formed a band The Texas Longhorns. Jennings worked as a D.J on KVOW, KDAV and KLLL...
  
   and Willie Nelson
  Willie Nelson
  Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
  
   memorialized the small town in their song Luckenbach, Texas/Back to the Basics of Love.'
• Michael Dell
  Michael Dell
  Michael Saul Dell is an American business magnate and the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Inc. He is the 44th richest person in the world, with a net worth of US$14.6 billion in 2011, based primarily on the 243.35 million shares of Dell stock worth $3.5 billion that he owns,...
  
   - (1965- ) Founder of Dell computers. Started company in Austin and still resides there.
• John Henry Faulk
  John Henry Faulk
  John Henry Faulk from Austin, Texas was a storyteller and radio show host. His successful lawsuit against blacklisters of the entertainment industry helped to bring an end to the Hollywood blacklist.-Early life:...
  
   - (1913–1990) Austin-based radio personality, author, playwright, folklorist, actor, lecturer, blacklisted during 1950's
• Richard S. "Kinky" Friedman (1944- ) - American singer, songwriter
  Songwriter
  A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
  
  , novelist, humorist, politician
  Politician
  A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
  
   and columnist
  Columnist
  A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
  
  . Born in Chicago but grew up in Austin
  Austin, Texas
  Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
  
  . Resides at Echo Hill Ranch
  Echo Hill Ranch
  Echo Hill Ranch is a summer ranch camp of about 400 acres in the Texas Hill Country. The ranch was founded in 1953 by Dr. S. Thomas Friedman and Minnie Samet Friedman. It is located south of Kerrville near Medina. Echo Hill was founded as a noncompetitive, child-centered ranch camp for boys and...
  
   near Kerrville
  Kerrville, Texas
  Kerrville is a city in Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population was 20,425 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was 22,826...
  
  . Founded Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, also located near Kerrville
  Kerrville, Texas
  Kerrville is a city in Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population was 20,425 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was 22,826...
  
  .
• Fred Gipson
  Fred Gipson
  Frederick Benjamin Gipson was an American author. He is best known for writing the 1956 novel Old Yeller, which became a popular 1957 Walt Disney film. Gipson was born on a farm near Mason in the Texas Hill Country, the son of Beck Gipson and the former Emma Deishler...
  
   - (1908–1973) novelist who authored Old Yeller
  Old Yeller
  Old Yeller is a 1956 children's novel by Fred Gipson, which received a Newbery Honor in 1957. It was illustrated by Carl Burger. The title is taken from the name of the big yellow dog who is the center of the book's story...
  
  , Savage Sam, and Hound Dog Man, lived in Mason
  Mason, Texas
  Mason is the seat of Mason County, Texas, United States. The town is an agricultural community on Comanche Creek southwest of Mason Mountain, on the Edwards Plateau and part of the Llano Uplift. The population was 2,114 at the 2010 census.-History:...
  
  .
• Trey Hardee
  Trey Hardee
  James Edward Hardee III is an American track and field athlete who specializes in the decathlon.-Career:...
  
   - (1984-) World Champion Decathlete and graduate of the University of Texas at Austin
• Harvey Hilderbran
  Harvey Hilderbran
  Harvey Ray Hilderbran is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 53, which includes fifteen central Texas counties. Hilderbran resides in Kerrville west of San Antonio.-Legislative matters:Rep...
  
   - (1960- ) State Representative
  Texas House of Representatives
  The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
  
   from the western Hill Country since 1989, a Republican
  Republican Party (United States)
  The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
  
   from Kerrville
  Kerrville, Texas
  Kerrville is a city in Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population was 20,425 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was 22,826...
  
  .
• Max Hirsch
  Max Hirsch
  Maximilian J. "Max" Hirsch was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.Born in Fredericksburg, Texas, Hirsch became one of the most successful trainers in Thoroughbred horse racing history. He spent part of his formative years working as a groom and jockey at Morris Ranch in...
  
   (1880-1969) National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
  National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
  The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
  
   thoroughbred horse trainer.
• Betty Holekamp
  Betty Holekamp
  Betty Holekamp was a German colonist and pioneer in Texas. She is recognized for several "firsts" as a Texas pioneer, such as being the first to sew an American flag upon Texas's acceptance into the Union, and thus is known as the Betsy Ross of Texas...
  
   - (1826-1902) German Texas pioneer, also called the Betsy Ross of Texas.
• Carl Hoppe
  Carl Hoppe
  Carl Thomas Hoppe, a South Texas artist, was born to German immigrants August and Teresa Hoppe on August 22, 1897 in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas....
  
   - (1897–1981) San Antonio artist who painted scenes of the Texas Hill Country.
• J. Marvin Hunter
  J. Marvin Hunter
  John Marvin Hunter was an author, historian, journalist, and printer who founded the Frontier Times Museum in Bandera, Texas...
  
   - (1880–1957) Born Loyal Valley
  Loyal Valley, Texas
  Loyal Valley is an unincorporated farming and ranching community, established in 1858, and is north of Cherry Spring in the southeastern corner of Mason County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The community is located near Cold Spring Creek, which runs east for to its mouth on Marschall Creek in...
  
   author
  Author
  An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
  
  , journalist
  Journalist
  A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
  
  , and historian
  Historian
  A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
  
   of the American West, founded Frontier Times magazine
  Magazine
  Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
  
   and Frontier Times Museum
  Frontier Times Museum
  Frontier Times Museum is a museum of the American West located in Bandera in the Texas Hill Country. The facility was opened to the public in 1933 by the author, historian, and printer John Marvin Hunter .-Museum exhibits:...
  
   in Bandera
  Bandera, Texas
  Bandera is the county seat of Bandera County, Texas, United States,in the Texas Hill Country, which is part of the Edwards Plateau. The population was 957 at the 2000 census, and according to a 2009 estimate, the population had jumped up to 1,216 people...
  
  .
• Molly Ivins
  Molly Ivins
  Mary Tyler "Molly" Ivins was an American newspaper columnist, populist, political commentator, humorist and author.-Early life and education:Ivins was born in Monterey, California, and raised in Houston, Texas...
  
   - (1944–2007) Political author, journalist, humorist from Austin.
• Lady Bird Johnson
  Lady Bird Johnson
  Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources and made that...
  
   - (1912–2007), Graduate of University of Texas in Austin. Business woman and one-time owner of KTBC radio and television stations turned $17,500 investment into more than $150 million. She bankrolled her husband's initial political career, buried in Stonewall, Texas
  Stonewall, Texas
  Stonewall is a census-designated place in Gillespie County, Texas, United States. The population was 469 at the 2000 census. It was named for Thomas J. Jackson, by Israel P. Nunez, who established a stage station near the site in 1870....
  
   next to husband Lyndon B. Johnson
  Lyndon B. Johnson
  Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
  
  . Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
  The center currently functions as an Organizational Research Unit of The University of Texas at Austin.The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a public botanical garden on La Crosse Avenue near the Mopac Expressway, 10 miles SW of downtown Austin, Texas and just inside the edge of the...
  
   is named for her decades-long project to beautify America's landscapes.
• Lyndon B. Johnson
  Lyndon B. Johnson
  Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
  
   - (1908–1973) President of the United States
  President of the United States
  The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
  
  , born and raised in Stonewall, Texas
  Stonewall, Texas
  Stonewall is a census-designated place in Gillespie County, Texas, United States. The population was 469 at the 2000 census. It was named for Thomas J. Jackson, by Israel P. Nunez, who established a stage station near the site in 1870....
  
  .
• Tommy Lee Jones
  Tommy Lee Jones
  Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
  
   - (1946-) Actor, born in San Saba
  San Saba, Texas
  San Saba is a town located in Central Texas. It was settled in 1854 and named for its location on the San Saba River. The population was at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of San Saba County...
  
  .
• William Faulk "Guich" Koock - (1944- ) actor, humorist, one-time owner of Luckenbach, Texas
  Luckenbach, Texas
  Luckenbach is an unincorporated community thirteen miles from Fredericksburg in southeastern Gillespie County, Texas, United States, part of the Texas Hill Country. It consists of between South Grape Creek and Snail Creek, just south of U.S. Highway 290 on the south side of Farm to Market Road...
  
  , Fredericksburg businessman, nephew of John Henry Faulk
  John Henry Faulk
  John Henry Faulk from Austin, Texas was a storyteller and radio show host. His successful lawsuit against blacklisters of the entertainment industry helped to bring an end to the Hollywood blacklist.-Early life:...
  
  .
• Herman Lehmann
  Herman Lehmann
  Herman Lehmann was captured as a child by Native Americans. He lived first among the Apache and then the Comanche but eventually returned to his family later on in his life. The phenomenon of a "white boy" raised by "Indians" made him a notable figure in the United States...
  
   - (1859–1932) Apache captive and then Comanche adoptee (adopted son of Chief Quanah Parker
  Quanah Parker
  Quanah Parker was a Comanche chief, a leader in the Native American Church, and the last leader of the powerful Quahadi band before they surrendered their battle of the Great Plains and went to a reservation in Indian Territory...
  
  ), native of Loyal Valley, 1927 autobiography, Nine Years Among the Indians
• Hermann Lungkwitz
  Hermann Lungkwitz
  Hermann Lungkwitz was a 19th Century German-born Texas romantic landscape artist and photographer whose work became the first pictoral record of the Texas Hill Country.-Early life:...
  
   (1813–1891) Romantic landscape artist and photographer, noted for first pictoral records of the Texas Hill Country.
• Gerald Lyda
  Gerald Lyda
  Gerald Lyda ) was an American cattle rancher, contractor and developer prominent in the state of Texas....
  
   (1923–2005), general contractor and cattle rancher, born and raised in the Hill Country community of Marble Falls
  Marble Falls, Texas
  Marble Falls is a city in Burnet County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,959 at the 2000 census.Marble Falls is about northwest of Austin and north of San Antonio...
  
  .
• Matthew McConaughey
  Matthew McConaughey
  Matthew David McConaughey is an American actor.After a series of minor roles in the early 1990s, McConaughey gained notice for his breakout role in Dazed and Confused . He then appeared in films such as A Time to Kill, Contact, U-571, Tiptoes, Sahara, and We Are Marshall...
  
   - (1969- ) Model/Actor, raised in Uvalde, Texas
  Uvalde, Texas
  Uvalde is a city in and the county seat of Uvalde County, Texas, United States. The population was 14,929 at the 2000 census.Uvalde was founded by Reading Wood Black in 1853 as the town of Encina. In 1856, when the county was organized, the town was renamed Uvalde for Spanish governor Juan de...
  
   attended The University of Texas at Austin
  Austin
  Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
  
  .
• John O. Meusebach
  John O. Meusebach
  John O. Meusebach , born Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach, was at first a Prussian bureaucrat, later an American farmer and politician who served in the Texas Senate, District 22.-Early years:John O...
  
   - (1812–1897) Founder of Fredericksburg
  Fredericksburg, Texas
  Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
  
   negotiated 1847 Meusebach-Comanche Treaty
  Meusebach-Comanche Treaty
  The Meusebach-Comanche Treaty was a treaty between the private citizens of the Fisher-Miller Land Grant in Texas , who were predominantly German in nationality, and the Penateka Comanche Tribe. The treaty was officially recognized by the United States government...
  
   (unbroken to this date) with Comanche
  Comanche
  The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
  
   chiefs Buffalo Hump
  Buffalo hump
  Buffalo Hump was a Native American War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians...
  
  , Santa Anna
  Santa Anna (Comanche war chief)
  Santa Anna was a Native American War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians.-In The Early Life:Santa Anna was a member of the same band of the Comanche as the more famous Buffalo Hump. He was an important chief, though probably less influential than Buffalo Hump during the 1830s and...
  
  , Old Owl
  Old Owl
  Old Owl was a Native American Civil Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians. His name, Mo'pe-choko-pa, in Comanche literally meant "Old Owl."-Early life:...
  
  . Oversaw development of New Braunfels
  New Braunfels, Texas
  New Braunfels is a city in Comal and Guadalupe counties in the U.S. state of Texas that is a principal city of the metropolitan area. Braunfels means "brown rock" in German; the city is named for Braunfels, in Germany. The city's population was 57,740 as of the 2010 census, up 58% from the 2000...
  
  . Elected Texas State Senator for Bexar, Comal and Medina Counties. Buried Marschall-Meusebach Cemetery in Loyal Valley.
• Willie Hugh Nelson (1933- ) is an American country singer-songwriter, author, poet, actor and activist. Though born near Waco, outside of the hill country, he resides in Austin.
• Elisabet Ney
  Elisabet Ney
  Franzisca Bernadina Wilhelmina Elisabeth Ney was a celebrated German-born sculptor who spent the first half of her life and career in Europe, producing sculpted works of famous leaders such as Otto von Bismarck, Giuseppe Garibaldi and King George V of Hanover...
  
   - (1833–1907) Sculptor, art pioneer, works can be found in the Smithsonian American Art Museum
  Smithsonian American Art Museum
  The Smithsonian American Art Museum is a museum in Washington, D.C. with an extensive collection of American art.Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum has a broad variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States...
  
  , Texas State Capitol
  Texas State Capitol
  The Texas State Capitol is located in Austin, Texas, and is the fourth building to be the house of Texas government in Austin. It houses the chambers of the Texas Legislature and the office of the governor of Texas. It was designed originally during 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, and was...
  
  , U.S. Capitol
  United States Capitol
  The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
  
  
• James Wilson Nichols - (1820–1891) Texas Ranger, Frontier Battalion, Indian Scout, author, Now You Hear My Horn. Buried Kerrville.
• Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, (1885–1966) commander of U.S. Naval forces in the Pacific
  Pacific War
  The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
  
   during World War II
  World War II
  World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
  
   was from Fredericksburg and Kerrville.
• Old Owl
  Old Owl
  Old Owl was a Native American Civil Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians. His name, Mo'pe-choko-pa, in Comanche literally meant "Old Owl."-Early life:...
  
   - (c. late 1790s – 1849) was a Native American Civil Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians.
• Colonel Alfred P.C. Petsch
  Alfred P.C. Petsch
  Alfred P. C. Petsch was a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives for the 85th District of Fredericksburg and Gillespie County. He was a retired Lieutenant Colonel who saw service in both World War I and World War II...
  
   (1887-1981) Lawyer, legislator, civic leader, and philanthropist. Served in the Texas House of Representatives
  Texas House of Representatives
  The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
  
   1925-1941. Veteran of both World War I and World War II.
• Ann Richards
  Ann Richards
  Dorothy Ann Willis Richards was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was...
  
   - (1933–2006) Governor of Texas (1991–1995). Resided in Austin.
• Rudy Robbins
  Rudy Robbins
  Rudy Warner Robbins was a Western entertainer known for his singing, songwriting, acting, writing, and his past performance of film and television stunts...
  
   - (1933- ) singer, songwriter
  Songwriter
  A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
  
  , actor
  Actor
  An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
  
  , stuntman
  Stuntman
  A stuntman or stunt performer is someone who performs dangerous stunts.Stuntman may also refer to:*The Stunt Man, a 1980 film starring Peter O'Toole*Stuntman , a 2002 video game**Stuntman: Ignition, its sequel...
  
   from Bandera
  Bandera, Texas
  Bandera is the county seat of Bandera County, Texas, United States,in the Texas Hill Country, which is part of the Edwards Plateau. The population was 957 at the 2000 census, and according to a 2009 estimate, the population had jumped up to 1,216 people...
  
  .
• Andy Roddick
  Andy Roddick
  Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is currently the second highest-ranked American player, behind Mardy Fish....
  
   - (1982- ) Professional tennis player that resides in Austin.
• Santa Anna
  Santa Anna (Comanche war chief)
  Santa Anna was a Native American War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians.-In The Early Life:Santa Anna was a member of the same band of the Comanche as the more famous Buffalo Hump. He was an important chief, though probably less influential than Buffalo Hump during the 1830s and...
  
   - (c. late 1790s – 1849) was a Native American War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanche Indians.
• Juan Nepomuceno Seguín
  Juan Seguín
  Juan Nepomuceno Seguín was a 19th-century Texas Senator, Mayor, Judge, and Justice of the Peace and a prominent participant in the Texas Revolution.-Early life and family:...
  
   - (1806–1890) Served on both sides during the Texas Revolution
  Texas Revolution
  The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
  
  . Fought with Sam Houston
  Sam Houston
  Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
  
   and organized a Tejano
  Tejano
  Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
  
   rear guard. 1834 Territorial Governor of Texas
  Texas
  Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
  
  , 1841 Mayor of San Antonio
  San Antonio, Texas
  San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
  
  . Suspicions of his loyalty caused him to flee to Mexico in 1842. Served with Mexico's General Adrian Woll
  Adrián Woll
  Adrián Woll was a French soldier of fortune and mercenary who served as a general in the army of Mexico during the Texas Revolution and the Mexican-American War.-Biography:...
  
   and participated in Woll's 1842 invasion of Texas. Seguin, Texas
  Seguin, Texas
  Seguin is a city in Guadalupe County, Texas, in the United States. It is part of the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,011; the July 1, 2009 Census estimate, however, showed the population had increased to 26,842...
  
   named in his honor.
• Sixpence None the Richer
  Sixpence None the Richer
  Sixpence None the Richer is an American rock/pop band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, eventually settling in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their songs "Kiss Me" and "Breathe Your Name" and their covers of "Don't Dream It's Over" and "There She Goes". The name of the band is...
  
   - An alernative rock band prominent in the late 1990's with their song "Kiss Me
  Kiss Me
  "Kiss Me" is a song recorded by Sixpence None the Richer and released on the 1997 album Sixpence None the Richer. It reached number two on the U.S...
  
  "
• Frank Van der Stucken
  Frank Van der Stucken
  Frank Valentine Van der Stucken was an American composer and conductor, and founder of the Cincinnati Symphony in 1895.-Biography:...
  
   (1858–1929) Music composer, conductor
• Stevie Ray Vaughan
  Stevie Ray Vaughan
  Stephen Ray "Stevie Ray" Vaughan was an American electric blues guitarist and singer. He was the younger brother of Jimmie Vaughan and frontman for Double Trouble, a band that included bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. Born in Dallas, Vaughan moved to Austin at the age of 17 and...
  
   - (1954–1990) Blues guitar player resided in Austin.

See also

Adelsverein Adelsverein Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, better known as Adelsverein , organized on April 20, 1842, was a colonial attempt to establish a new Germany within the borders of Texas.-History:... Balcones Canyonlands NWR Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge Balcones Canyonlands is a National Wildlife Refuge located in the Texas Hill Country to the northwest of Austin, Texas. The Refuge was formed in 1992 to conserve habitat for two endangered songbirds including the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo and to preserve Texas Hill Country... Central Texas Central Texas Central Texas , is a region in the U.S. state of Texas. It is roughly bordered by San Marcos to Fredericksburg to Waco, and to Brenham, and includes the Austin–Round Rock, Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Bryan-College Station, and Waco metropolitan areas... Cherry Springs Dance Hall Cherry Springs Dance Hall Cherry Springs Dance Hall, is one of the oldest and most historic dance halls in Texas. It is located at 17662 North U.S. Highway 87, Cherry Springs, TX 78624. miles NW of Fredericksburg, Texas in Gillespie County's portion of the Texas Hill Country is the Texas farming community of Cherry Spring... Cherry Spring, Texas Cherry Spring, Texas Cherry Spring is an unincorporated farming and ranching community established in 1852 in Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located on Cherry Spring Creek, which runs from north of Fredericksburg to Llano. The creek was also sometimes known as Cherry Springs Creek by residents...

Edwards Plateau Edwards Plateau The Edwards Plateau is a region of west-central Texas which is bounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and east, the Llano Uplift and the Llano Estacado to the north, and the Pecos River and Chihuahuan Desert to the west. San Angelo, Austin, San Antonio and Del Rio roughly outline the area... Enchanted Rock Enchanted Rock Enchanted Rock is an enormous pink granite pluton rock formation located in the Llano Uplift approximately north of Fredericksburg, Texas, USA and south of Llano, Texas. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, which includes Enchanted Rock and surrounding land, spans the border between Gillespie... German Texan German Texan German Texan is an ethnic category that includes residents of the state of Texas with German ancestry who identify with the term. This identification may include cultural agreements—German language, German cuisine, feasts, music, hard work, frugality, and close family ties. From their first... List of geographical regions in Texas Llano, Texas Llano, Texas -History:Llano County was established in compliance with a February 1, 1856, state legislative act. The Llano River location was chosen in an election held on June 14, 1856, under a live oak on the south bank of the river, near the present site of Roy Inks Bridge in Llano...

Loyal Valley, Texas Loyal Valley, Texas Loyal Valley is an unincorporated farming and ranching community, established in 1858, and is north of Cherry Spring in the southeastern corner of Mason County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The community is located near Cold Spring Creek, which runs east for to its mouth on Marschall Creek in... Mount Bonnell Mount Bonnell Mount Bonnell , also known as Covert Park, is a prominent point alongside Lake Austin portion of the Colorado River in Austin, Texas. It has been a popular tourist destination since the 1850s. The mount provides a vista for viewing the city of Austin, Lake Austin, and the surrounding hills... Revolutions of 1848 Revolutions of 1848 The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe in 1848. It was the first Europe-wide collapse of traditional authority, but within a year reactionary... Sisterdale, Texas Sisterdale, Texas Sisterdale, Texas, is an unincorporated farming and ranching community, established in 1847 and located north of Boerne in Kendall County, in the U.S. state of Texas. The community is located in the valley of Sister Creek. The current 2010 population is 25... Texas Slave Ranch Texas Slave Ranch On April 6, 1984, more than 30 federal, state and local lawmen raided a ranch near the Texas Hill Country town of Mountain Home. The officers were responding to reports that workers on the ranch were kidnapped from Interstate 10, forced to work and that at least one worker had died and was...

Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA The Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA is an American Viticultural Area surrounding the town of Fredericksburg, Texas in the Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg and the surrounding area were settled by German immigrants in the nineteenth century. These settlers were the first to... Texas Hill Country AVA Texas Hill Country AVA The Texas Hill Country AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the Texas Hill Country north of San Antonio and west of Austin, Texas. The appellation is the second largest American Viticultural Area, and covers an area of over...

External links

• Boerne Directory "Heart of The Hill Country"