Fredericksburg, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fredericksburg, Texas
City
East end of downtown Fredericksburg
Seal
Nicknames:  Fritztown, The Burg
Location of Fredericksburg, Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Gillespie
Named for	Prince Frederick of Prussia
Area
• Total	9.25 sq mi (23.95 km2)
• Land	9.19 sq mi (23.81 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.14 km2)
Elevation	1,693 ft (516 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	10,530
• Estimate  (2019)	11,496
• Density	1,250.52/sq mi (482.84/km2)
Time zone	UTC−06:00 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP Code	78624
Area code(s)	830
FIPS code	48-27348
GNIS feature ID	1336174

Fredericksburg (German: Friedrichsburg) is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 10,530.

Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 and named after Prince Frederick of Prussia. Old-time German residents often referred to Fredericksburg as Fritztown, a nickname that is still used in some businesses. The town is also notable as the home of Texas German, a dialect spoken by the first generations of German settlers who initially refused to learn English. Fredericksburg shares many cultural characteristics with New Braunfels, which had been established by Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels the previous year. Fredericksburg is the birthplace of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. It is the sister city of Montabaur, Germany. On October 14, 1970, the Fredericksburg Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in Texas.

Geography

View of Enchanted Rock

Fredericksburg is located east of the center of Gillespie County at 30°16′27″N 98°52′19″W / 30.274058°N 98.871822°W / 30.274058; -98.871822 (30.274058, −98.871822). It is 70 miles (110 km) north of San Antonio and 78 miles (126 km) west of Austin.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²), of which 8.6 square miles (22.2 km²) are land and 0.05 square miles (0.12 km²), or 0.55%, are water.

Enchanted Rock

Enchanted Rock is a geographical landmark 17 miles (27 km) north of Fredericksburg in Llano County. The rock is a huge, pink granite exfoliation dome that rises 425 feet (130 m) above the surrounding land, has a summit elevation of 1,825 feet (556 m) above sea level, and covers 640 acres (260 ha). It is one of the largest batholiths (underground rock formation uncovered by erosion) in the United States, and was declared a National Natural Landmark in 1970. In 1994, the State of Texas opened it as Enchanted Rock State Natural Area after adding facilities. The same year, Enchanted Rock was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Balanced Rock

Balanced Rock was a famous local landmark that perched atop Bear Mountain 10 mi (16 km) north of Fredericksburg. The natural wonder stone pillar, about the size of a small elephant, precariously balanced on its small tip. It fell prey to vandals who dynamited it off its base in April 1986.

Cross Mountain

The first known record of Cross Mountain (elevation 1,915 feet (584 m)) was in 1847 by Dr. Ferdinand von Roemer. Native Americans used the location to signal each other about intrusions into their territory. The area was part of settler Dr. John Christian Durst's 10-acre (4.0 ha) allotment. Durst found a timber cross on the mountain, indicating that Spanish missionaries had once used the site. Durst named the place "Kreuzberg" or Cross Mountain. In 1849, Father George Menzel erected a new cross. In 1946, St. Mary's Catholic Church erected a metal and concrete cross. The mountain has been used both for the Easter Fires pageant and for Easter sunrise services. It was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 1976.

History

Architecture

The Vereins Kirche, the Pioneer Museum Complex, Pioneer Memorial Library, and other architecture.

Churches and religion

Nimitz Hotel and National Museum of the Pacific War

Agri-tourism

The Fredericksburg-Stonewall area has become known as the Peach Capital of Texas. and Benjamin Lester Enderle is known as the Father of the Hill Country Peach Industry. He was Gillespie County Surveyor and a math and science teacher at Fredericksburg High School when he planted five peach trees and began selling the fruit in 1921. Enderle worked to develop the Hale, Burbank, Elberta, and Stark varieties. He began marketing them through the H-E-B grocery chain, and eventually had 5,000 producing peach trees on 150 acres (61 ha). Growers claim the taste is due to the area having the right combination of elevation, sandy soil, and climate to produce flavorful clingstone and freestone peaches. The fruit ripens May–August, and consumers can either buy picked fruit, or pick their own.

Main Street at Fredericksburg, a Biergarten is along the major street.

Herb farms, grape culture, lavender production and wildflower seeds have become burgeoning businesses in Fredericksburg. Combinations of agribusiness with day spas, wedding facilities, or bed-and-breakfast accommodations are not unusual. Even a Texas Hill Country Lavender Trail has been designated.

Lady Bird Johnson's passion for Texas wildflowers not only lives on in the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, but she also sparked a high demand for seed. The 200-acre (81 ha) Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg was founded by John R. Thomas in 1983 as a result of that high demand, and produces 88 varieties of wildflower seeds. It is the largest family-owned wildflower seed farm in the United States and host of an annual Wildflower Celebration.

In 1994, the Seventy-third Texas Legislature passed H.B. No. 1425, allowing brewpub operations within the state of Texas. Fredericksburg Brewing Company began operations shortly thereafter. A number of vineyards and related industry have also arisen in the post-LBJ era of Fredericksburg. The designated American Viticultural Areas of Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country AVA and the much larger Texas Hill Country AVA both include Fredericksburg inside their boundaries. Fredericksburg is a common starting point or destination for tourists visiting wineries in the Texas Hill Country.

Transportation

Major roads

• U.S. Highway 290
• U.S. Highway 87
• Texas State Highway 16
• Ranch Road 1631
• Farm to Market Road 965

Airport

Gillespie County Airport (FAA locator T82) is located on State Highway 16 South, about 2 miles (3.2 km) from downtown Fredericksburg, and features a 5,002 ft (1,525 m) long runway and a hotel and diner. The airport was established by Hans Hannemann and Red Schroeder. Prior to 1945, the facility had been owned by the United States Army Air Corps. Transient and long-term hangar rentals are available.

Climate

Fredericksburg experiences a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and a generally mild winters. Temperatures range from 82 °F (28 °C) in the summer to 49 °F (9 °C) during winter.

Demographics

Fredericksburg city limits sign

As of the census of 2000, 8,911 people, 3,784 households, and 2,433 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,342.1 people per square mile (518.2/km²). The 4,183 housing units averaged 630.0 per square mile (243.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.08% White, 0.27% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 5.09% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 17.00% of the population. English is spoken by 72.73% of the population, Spanish by 14.77%, and Texas German by 12.48%. In terms of ancestry, 39.7% were of German, 12.5% were of Irish, 10.8% were of English, 4.9% were of American, 3.2% were of Scotch-Irish, 2.3% were of Scottish, 2.3% were of Dutch.

Of the 3,784 households, 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were not families. About 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the city, the population was distributed as 20.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 30.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,276, and for a family was $43,670. Males had a median income of $25,878 versus $22,171 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,788. About 7.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Fredericksburg in popular culture

• Film:
  • Baghdad Texas (2009) filmed in Fredericksburg and Kerrville, Texas
• Music:
  • "Stoned" (1995) a song by Old 97's advises 'Take a Greyhound to Fredericksburg'
  • "Chester Nimitz Oriental Garden Waltz" (1988) a song by the Austin Lounge Lizards
  • Grammy-winning blues artist Johnny Nicholas runs the Hill Top Cafe on US87 near Fredericksburg in a 1930s former gas station
• Books:
• Comedy:
  • Bill Hicks referenced Fredericksburg in the bit "Gifts of Forgiveness" which was included on his 1997 posthumously released comedy album Rant In E-Minor
• Radio:
  • Walter de Paduwa on his Dr Boogie radio show of 11/11/2016 described (in French) his 1990s visit to Fredericksburg eating sauerkraut at 35 degrees, and seeing the Nimitz statue but summing up with the somewhat sweeping advice N'allez jamais a Fredericksburg. Il n'y a RIEN a voir a Frederiksburg (Never go to Fredericksburg. There is NOTHING to see at Fredericksburg).

Gallery

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  View of Enchanted Rock from base camp

• 

  The Vereins-Kirche, c. 1847

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  Fort Martin Scott, c. 1848

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  Admiral Nimitz Museum, c. 1852

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  Pioneer Memorial Library (Gillespie County Courthouse), c. 1882

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  White Elephant Saloon, c. 1888

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  Bank of Fredricksburg, c. 1889

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  Haussegen Platz Log Haus bed and breakfast

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  St. Marys Catholic Church, c. 1906

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  Zion Lutheran Church, c. 1854 (oldest Lutheran Church in the Texas Hill Country)

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  Bronze statue "Lasting Friendship" in Fredericksburg park commemorating the peace treaty between local settlers and the Comanche.

Education

The city of Fredericksburg is served by the Fredericksburg Independent School District. The school's teams are called the "Battlin' Billies".

The first institute of higher learning in Fredericksburg was Fredericksburg College in 1876. The German Methodist Church of Fredericksburg founded the institution and offered courses in the arts, sciences, and foreign languages. Enrollment was about 150 students. W. J. R. Thoenssen was the first principal, succeeded by Charles F. Tansill. Finances caused the college to be closed in 1884. The property was sold to Fredericksburg Independent School District.

For higher education, Fredericksburg is home to Texas Tech University at Fredericksburg.

It also has some private schools, such as:

• Ambleside School of Fredericksburg
• Fredericksburg Christian School
• Heritage Family School
• St. Mary's Elementary and Junior High School

Fredericksburg has a municipally operated library adjacent to the Gillespie County Courthouse.

Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools

Headquartered in Fredericksburg, the Friends of Gillespie County Country Schools is a group of former students and members of the community, interested in preserving the traditions of the old country schools, the community clubs, and the history of Gillespie County for future generations.

Notable people

Images for kids

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  Balanced Rock, date unknown

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  Cross Mountain overlooking Fredericksburg in 2020

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  St. Mary's Catholic Church July 2017 2 (Main Church)

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  Couple strolling down Enchanted rock

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  Fredericksburg is known for its many downtown shops.

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  White Elephant Saloon, c. 1888

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  Bank of Fredericksburg, c. 1889

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  Bronze statue "Lasting Friendship" in Fredericksburg park commemorating the peace treaty between local settlers and the Comanche.

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  Marktplatz

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  Amish Furniture and Market in Fredericksburg

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  John O. Meusebach who led the German settlers to Fredericksburg

See also

In Spanish: Fredericksburg (Texas) para niños