Historic District of Gruene - Gruene, Texas - an historic town in Texas

Comal County, Texas has a ghost town that was originally known as Goodwin, the town is now Gruene, Texas. Situated on the Guadalupe River it was once a community that produced significant amounts of cotton. Today it is a tourist attraction due to the refusal to change with the times. The city of Gruene is completely within the New Braunfels city limits with much of Gruene having been placed on the National Register of Historic Places during April of 1975. The placement on the register means that the town gets to keep the authenticity of the 1800's.

In 1872 a German farmer named Heinrich D. Gruene bought six thousand acres of farmland located on the Guadalupe River three miles to the north of New Braunfels. Gruene built a house and planted cotton on the remaining land. There were a number of sharecropping families on the land so he opened a mercantile during 1878 to serve them. The store did well for a number of years due to the location between San Antonio and Austin, Texas.

The success of the store boosted the growth of the community and Thorn Hill School was built in 1878. Soon after the cotton gins were built increasing the commercial and farming activity a great deal by the time Comal County got the International Great Northern Railroad. This is when the town became Gruene after its founder.

There was never a post office in Gruene even though by the 1910's it had two freight rails stations. Boll Weevils, the Great Depression and the fact that highways bypassed the town after the 2nd World War all lead to the town of Gruene becoming a virtual Ghost Town by 1950. Reconstruction efforts for areas such as the mercantile and Gruene Hall began during the early portion of the 1970's. This reconstruction has continued through the present day even though New Braunfels has absorbed the town, Gruene is still a tourist business.

Original structures such as the home Gruene built that is now the Gruene Mansion Inn. Gruene's goal when he built his home was to make people feel welcome. There are a number of rooms that are suitable for families in the Inn. There are now thirty self contained units that were created out of the carriage house, old barns, corn crib, the mansion and other buildings. Guests of the inn have their own private entrances, porches and bathrooms.

The Gruene Mansion Inn in Gruene, Texas has a meeting room and break services. Guests are also provided with high speed access to the Internet and meals. There are thirty-one rooms total in the inn that is just a short distance from the Gruene Hall. There are five restaurants a short walk from the Inn.

There is an historic water tower over the Gruene Hall in addition to other buildings that have been turned into restaurants and shops. A wine tasting room is also available. The historic accuracy of the Gruene Historic District makes it a place that you have to see if you are ever in Texas.