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Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 71F. Winds light and variable..
Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
A few years back, Kathy and I were in San Antonio, where I was speaking for a conference. While there, it was recommended we take in the Alamo Creek General Store and Café in Fredericksburg, Texas. Since Fredericksburg was only 50 miles north, we decided to drive up and have a burger. While we were there, someone recommended we stop by Luckenbach on our way back.
The town of Luckenbach (pronounced Luke-in-bach) was made famous by a song. Surely you have heard the lyrics: “... Waylon and Willie and the boys… .”
When we left Fredericksburg, Kathy and I were on a mission to see Luckenbach. We had no idea what to expect.
About 10 miles out of Fredericksburg, we began to see make-shift, dilapidated signs which read: “Don’t miss ‘uptown’ Luckenbach,” “Stop in ‘uptown’ Luckenbach,” and “See ‘uptown’ Luckenbach.”
“What do you think?” I asked Kathy.
“I’m not sure,” she said.
Soon we spotted a sign with an arrow pointing left which read, “Uptown Luckenbach.” Best we could tell, it amounted to a feed mill and a souvenir shop housed in a block building. As we pulled in front of the souvenir shop another sign read: “This is it.”
“This can’t be it,” Kathy groaned.
“Let’s check it out!” I said, as enthusiastically as I knew how.
A dirt path took us past an area caged in with chicken wire. Inside were rows of roughly constructed shelves displaying pieces of granite of odd shapes and sizes. The polished side of each piece bore the etching “Luckenbach, Texas.”
There were several signs which spoke of armadillos. I supposed that explained the chicken wire. While in “uptown,” I failed to see even one of those critters.
We stepped inside the unattended souvenir shop. There was plenty of signage giving directions on how to serve yourself. We purchased a refrigerator magnet and a small piece of granite (both had Luckenbach, Texas written on them), and two caps. After placing our money in the designated, covered crock-jar, we made our getaway.
As we headed for the car, Kathy moaned, “This can’t be it!”
Her words turned out to be correct. About a mile down the road we saw another sign. It read: “Luckenbach, Texas — Downtown Loop.”
The loop turned out to be a gravel road which led to what looked like a small county fairgrounds. A young man seated in a folding chair motioned for us to turn into a dirt parking lot filled with pickup trucks and cars covered with Texas dust. Turns out a car show was in full swing. We walked down to the entrance gate and paid the $5 fee to get in. Once we were through the gate, we found ourselves right smack in the middle of downtown Luckenbach, Texas.
The sign on the most prominent building read:
Well, that building turned out to be the gift shop. A cantina had been added on to the back. Just out back beyond the cantina stood an outdoor stage, where a band was hammering out country-rock music. The stage was flanked on the right by a small western hat shop and on the left by a men’s and women’s restroom building that looked like an old barn shed. That was about it.
We later learned that a local, accomplished guitarist and folklorist named Hondo Crouch purchased the town of Luckenbach, which at the time had a population of 3, in 1970. I could only assume that is why the post office closed in 1971.
Today, Luckenbach is a favorite watering hole for the locals. In the summertime, live music is played every day on the Luckenbach stage.
If you are ever within a hundred miles, I would strongly suggest you see Luckenbach — just for bragging rights if for no other reason.
From the moment we left the downtown loop, I will forever be able to say, when the subject of Luckenbach, Texas comes up — “I’ve been there.”
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