PLACES TO VISIT IN THE NEW BRAUNFELS AREA
Comal County Courthouse
Noted architect, James Riely Gordon, designed this beautiful Romanesque Revival structure which was completed in 1898. Gordon’s design was chosen from among six designs in a competition for the courthouse’s construction, which cost a whopping $36,000! In 1898. The building was completely restored to its 1898 form, including its pink courtroom, which can be witnessed on a self-guided tour.
Main Plaza
In 1845, Nicholas Zink platted the roadways in New Braunfels with aesthetics, heritage, and social well-being foremost in his mind. Hence, Main Plaza or “Platz.” This beautiful spot of land in the center of town was where business got done, social events took place, and people just spent time together in “Gemütlichkeit” (friendliness). Adding a fountain in 1895 and a bandstand gazebo in 1905 helped ensure it was still the center of attention.
New Braunfels Railroad Museum
This structure was built in 1907 by the International and Great Northern Railroad. It served the community well until the depot closed and began being used as a museum in 1986. Today, the depot has been restored, and features displays large and small – from a velocipede to a telegraphy system to uniforms to actual train cars!
Sophienburg Museum
In 1845, Prince Carl chose this location to build Sophienburg (Sophie’s Castle) for his fiancé, Lady Sophia. Plans changed and what occupies the land today is a museum chronicling the history of New Braunfels. Visitors can enjoy an extensive collection of artifacts and even perform geneological research in one of the state’s most comprehensive collections of German emigration archives.
New Braunfels Outdoor Art Museum
Everything is bigger in Texas – even the artwork! Since 1999, building-sized murals have been popping up all over downtown. From a mural portraying prehistoric New Braunfels to the city’s founding to its daily life to its hispanic heritage to a salute to Spass (Fun) und Gemütlichkeit, these giant artworks present a huge amount of New Braunfels history.
Fire Museum
The New Braunfels Volunteer Fire Department was organized June 6, 1886. The old fire station is now a museum featuring antique fire trucks and fire-fighting equipment used by the early firemen. Tour appointments are made at the fire station next door.
Landa Park
Landa Park, located in New Braunfels, Texas, is a local icon with over 50 acres of parkland. This area includes the headwaters of the Comal Springs, a vital natural resource for the region. The park offers numerous attractions such as a miniature train, paddle boats, miniature golf, playscapes, and the Panther Canyon hiking trail. It is also home to the “Wurstfest Hall”. The Comal river is the shortest navigable river in the state. There is a stone post marking the original “Camino Real” (Kings Road) built by the Spaniards that passed through the area.
Naeglins Bakery
Naegelin’s German Bakery, located in downtown New Braunfels, Texas, holds the title of being the oldest bakery in Texas. The bakery has been serving its customers since 1868 and continues to delight them with its delicious and authentic German baked goods.
Edouard Naegelin Sr., a German immigrant and Civil War veteran, founded the bakery. Upon arriving in New Braunfels, he had only a sack of flour and less than a dollar to his name, to start his business.
Gruene
Originally settled over a century ago, Gruene is a snapshot of Texas culture and history come-to-life. With 15 walkable acres designated a National Historic District, visitors can shop, dine, and dance within the walls of the original township buildings.
Gruene Hall
Gruene Hall, built in 1878 by Henry (Heinrich) D. Gruene and located in the historical town of Gruene, (now part of New Braunfels) bills itself as "the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas". By design, not much has physically changed since the hall was first built. The 6,000-square- dance hall with a high-pitched tin roof, still has the original layout with side flaps for open-air dancing, a bar in the front and a small stage.
SEGUIN
SEGUIN
Seguin is named in honor of Juan Seguín, a Tejano Texian freedom fighter and early supporter of the Texas Revolution. It was founded 16 months after the start of the Texas Revolution. The frontier settlement was a cradle of the Texas Rangers. Seguin was the home of Dr. John E. Park, who experimented in construction using concrete made from local materials. The nearly 100 structures—the courthouse, schools, churches, homes, cisterns, walls, etc.—made up the largest concentration of early 19th-century concrete buildings in the United States. About 20 of them remain standing. Downtown Seguin is on the National Register of Historic Places. In honor of the pecan industry, a tribute to the nut's importance is "the World's Largest Pecan" erected on the courthouse lawn.
Sebastopol House
Sebastopol House Historic Site is an antebellum Greek Revival house built of concrete, located in Seguin, Texas, United States. Built between 1854 and 1856, Sebastopol is one of some 20 surviving buildings that give Seguin the largest concentration of early 19th century structures in the U.S.
Texas Lutheran University
Over the 100 years since moving to Seguin from Brenham, TLU's span has increased to over 40 buildings and sports fields on 184 acres with about 1,400 students each semester.
The Chapel of the Abiding Presence is located in the heart of the campus. The sanctuary Gothic Revival building of Austin limestone can seat 40 and Chapel services that last 20 minutes are open to the public. They are held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 AM during the academic year.