Gruene

Gruene is pronounced “green”.

Once a very significant cotton producing community, Gruene 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 of the first generation, Heinrich D. Gruene, a farmer, bought six thousand acres of farmland along the Guadalupe River, 3 miles north of New Braunfels. He planted cotton and built his house. This was quickly followed by the establishment of a town called Goodwin, leading 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 cane 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 included 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 old days still exist and these form the core attractions.

Among the most popular places is the Victorian-style edifice that is the Gruene Family Home of 1872. It operates as the Gruene Mansion Inn. There is also the renovated historic water tower that now has shops, restaurants and a wine tasting room.

This town is famous for its richness in tourist activities. Wine tasting, gives tourists a chance to experience and sample different wines. The Gruene Market Days are another popular attraction. All the products that are sold in the market are made by the vendors themselves. This gives it that exclusive appeal. The market days are held every 3rd full weekend of February through November. One is also held on the first week of December.

In the Guadalupe River, tourists also get to enjoy a variety of water recreation activities including tubing, canoe trips and rafting. There are also plenty of unique and interesting shops for those enjoying the river.

There are plenty of places to stay, ranging from quaint bed and breakfast inns, to nearby hotels.

Conveniently located on the Guadalupe River, technically in New Braunfels, Gruene is also just a few minutes drive down River Road to Canyon Lake. What a great spot for a vacation.

Hill Country Day Trippin’

There’s plenty of opportunities for day trips from the Gruene area.

Enjoy a relaxing drive through the spectacular Texas Hill Country on wide-open roads lined with breath-taking flowers and trees. Relish views only available in the Hill Country. You’ll feel like you’re light years away from a crowded freeway…because you are.

And, you won’t have to pick up and move. No packing and unpacking. While based in Gruene, you can stay as long as you want and experience an abundance of places to go and things to see and do.

Here are a couple of the possibilities:

City/Attraction	Miles	Approximate Drive Time	Click Below for Directions
Canyon Lake	21 miles	31 min	Directions
New Braunfels	3 miles	9 min	Directions
Guadalupe River State Park	32 miles	43 min	Directions
Boerne	43 miles	56 min	Directions
San Marcos	16 miles	25 min	Directions
Wimberley	22 miles	29 min	Directions
Blanco	38 miles	45 min	Directions
Johnson City	51 miles	1 h	Directions
The Alamo (San Antonio)	37 miles	41 min	Directions
Sea World (San Antonio)	49 miles	56 min	Directions
Six Flags Fiesta Texas (San Antonio)	41 miles	45 min	Directions
River Walk (San Antonio)	38 miles	43 min	Directions
San Marcos Premium Outlets	12 miles	17 min	Directions
Tanger Outlets San Marcos	11 miles	16 min	Directions
Texas State Capitol, Austin	47 miles	48 min	Directions
Source: Google Maps