Region: Gruene

Once a very significant cotton producing community, Gruene (pronounced “green”) is now listed among the Historic Places in the National Register. Now supported largely by tourism, it lies entirely within the city of New Braunfels along the Guadalupe River.

The history of this town goes back to the year 1872. A German American farmer of the first generation, Heinrich D. Gruene, bought six thousand acres of farmland along the Guadalupe River 3 miles north of New Braunfels. He planted cotton and built his house there. This small settlement was quickly followed by the establishment of a town called Goodwin, which lead to a flourishing community that was bustling with farming and commercial activity.

By the 1900, this town had become a thriving banking, shipping and ginning center for cotton farming. However, in the 1920s, there was a boll weevil blight outbreak which decimated the town. Then came the the great depression. By 1930, the total population was only 75. It was even bypassed by the post World War II highway construction, making it a virtual ghost town.

In the early 70s, there was an effort to restore the area’s structures. These include the old mercantile store and the Gruene Hall. This restoration effort continued on through the 1980s and still goes on today, making Gruene a thriving tourism center. Many structures from the past still exist, and these form the core attractions.