Lukenbach, Texas

As we were driving back from Fredericksburg the GPS started taking us back a different way then we came in…happens sometimes.  About 13 miles out of town we suddenly saw a sign announcing Lukenbach, Texas, and all of us instantly remembered the Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson song of the same name.  Jim C. immediately turned around so we could drive through and take a look-see.

From information I gleaned from Wikipedia, it seems Lukenbach is an unincorporated community consisting of 9.1 acres…that’s it folks…just 9.1 acres. 

The oldest buildings are a general store and salon reputed opened in 1849 (more probably 1886 according to records) by Minna Engel.  She renamed the town (formerly Grape Creek) for her fiancé, Albert Lukenbach.

With a population high of 492 in 1904 Lukenbach became a ghost town in the 1960s and was offered for sale in 1970 with a population of 3. Hondo Crouch, with others, bought the property for $30,000 and as Wikipedia says, so “Crouch used the town's rights as a municipality to govern the dance hall as he saw fit.”

I saw a local TV presentation say now-a-days local musicians gather on weekends and sit on hay bales under this large tree and jam…learning and sharing chords, songs and fellowship. There are concerts very day at 4 p.m. a sign announced.

Libations always available at this stand.

There are remnants of the post office that was decommissioned in 1971 with its zip code (78647) retired.

The general store is still utilized today as a gift shop where folks buy all sorts of souvenirs, many sporting the little town’s motto, “Everybody’s Somebody in Lukenbach”.  That’s a pretty good motto for any town I’d say.

Remember, you are loved.