August 10, 2011 | No Comments | Category: Uncategorized | Tags: activities,amenities,community tour,downtown gruene,Havenwood,land for sale,live in texas,masterplanned communities,New Braunfels,New Braunfels land,premier homesites,rural,small town,Texas Hill Country,texas homesites,texas land
Those who live in the Texas Hill Country will tell you – nothing beats the genuine, charming feel of a small, Texas town. After all, there are so many tremendous benefits to living just outside a major metropolitan area.
First, small towns have a strong sense of community. The phrase “everybody knows everybody” carries a lot of weight, because smaller towns are quieter and have less people, allowing you and your family to enjoy the built-in community with your neighbors. Plus, smaller towns tend to support local business, keeping the economy strong.
Also, small towns ten do experience less traffic and the annoyances of taking a long time to drive from one place to the next. When most people imagine bit city life, the first thing that comes to mind is traffic and smog, but you won’t get that in the quiet Texas Hill Country.
Overall, the New Braunfels and Gruene areas have one of the least instances of crime in the state – yet another reason why families prefer to raise their children in small towns. Peace of mind knowing that your children are free to roam about and ride bikes with their friends is priceless!
Havenwood at Hunters Crossing is just miles away from San Antonio and Austin, so residents have easy access to the hustle and bustle of the city while enjoying the relaxing and laid-back atmosphere of your small town. Visit our website to learn more about the unique aspects that small town life has to offer, and let one of our sales representatives show you the homesite of your dreams!
July 13, 2011 | No Comments | Category: Uncategorized | Tags: activities,Havenwood,land for sale,live in texas,New Braunfels,New Braunfels land,premier homesites,Texas Hill Country,texas land,Water Park; New Braunfels; Schlitterbahn
The heat of summer drives thousands of Texans to the waters edge each year, seeking relief from the sun’s rays. Be it a pool, a river or a simple sprinkler rotating on the lawn, summer fun is epitomized in plastic floating devices, snorkels and the water.
Deep in the Texas Hill Country in New Braunfels, scenic Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort guarantees the perfect solution to beating the heat. The name Schlitterbahn is a German term loosely translated as “slippery road,” and rest assured, there is plenty of adventure here, including raging rapids, towering waves and plunging waterfalls. The Waterpark boasts dozens of water slides, children’s water playgrounds and miles of inner tube chutes. Schiltterbahn’s Master Blaster uphill water coaster has even received national recognition! Surrounding the Rapids, relax on one of the sandy beaches or unwind in a giant, oversized hot tub as you sip a refreshing drink at the swim-up bar.
Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort is built along the spring-fed waters of the Comal River. The Resort began in 1979 with only 4 water slides, and has since grown to stretch over more than 65 acres. The New Braunfels park now has over 3 miles of inner tube rides, 7 water playgrounds for children, 17 water slides, 9 tube chutes, and the World’s First surfing and boogie boarding machine. The park’s watersource is also quite noteworthy, in that all of the water used in Schiltterbahn West is pumped from the Comal River that flows along the southern boundary. The water is filtered after use (no chemicals are used in the cleaning process) and is deposited back into the river, making Schiltterbahn extremely eco-friendly and environmentally conscious.
Country living in New Braunfels is enhanced by it’s small-town appeal, and the nearby attractions. Schlitterbahn Waterpark has been highly ranked and praised by various world travel publications and is often mentioned on the Travel Channel as an excellent place to visit. Soak up some country charm and spend a day amongst the waves!
July 7, 2011 | No Comments | Category: Uncategorized | Tags: activities,amenities,community tour,downtown gruene,gruene,gruene events,Gruene history,Havenwood,land for sale,live in texas,local events,masterplanned communities,New Braunfels,New Braunfels land,premier homesites,restaurant,Texas Hill Country,texas land
Just north of New Braunfels lies a small town that is anything but ordinary. Gruene, Texas dishes out a healthy dose of Hill Country charm and a sense of community that can be matched by few. Antique shops, restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts and Texas’ oldest dance hall entice visitors, with many of these businesses occupying original buildings from the town’s beginning in the mid-1840s. The Historic District is a thriving collection of “mom and pop” stores and restaurants that flourish and remain true to their small-town foundations.
When visiting a place like Gruene, one of the best ways to experience it is to indulge in the local flavor. The Gristmill River Restaurant and Bar, which is the original cotton gin, offers flavorful dishes that are guaranteed to make your mouth water. Under the protection of several giant oak trees, or perhaps in front of one of the stone fireplaces, sink your teeth into a juicy steak or a heaping burger. After dinner, head to the Gruene General Store (the original mercantile building) and pause for a drink at the soda fountain. As the sun sets, visitors and locals alike can relax on the spacious patio of The Grapevine and sample New World and Texas wines by the glass or bottle. Down the road, toes are free to tap as music springs to life at Gruene Hall where live music is available almost every night.
For the avid antique enthusiast, the mercantile building, which once held dry goods and housed Gruene’s original bank vault, is now home to the Gruene Antique Co. In this impressive Texas Landmark Building, 6,500 square feet of antiques, gifts and collectibles can be found. Lone Star, originally a Gruene family cottage, offers an eclectic assortment of furniture, gifts, candy, dinnerware, candles and accessories.
Preserving the authenticity of Gruene has been a long-time focus for those that love and protect the town. It is this that makes it an ideal and inviting place to come and slow your pace for a weekend and experience living history. Whatever your fancy, this small piece of the Texas landscape will delight and rejuvenate.
Plan your stay today! Visit www.gruenetexas.com for more details. Interested in living in Gruene? Havenwood is a special, masterplanned community adorned with majestic oak trees and rolling hills. You can enjoy the hill country sunsets from the porch of your very own custom-built home at Havenwood, with acres of land to explore. For more information on Texas hill country homesites, visit HavenwoodTexas.com.
June 22, 2011 | No Comments | Category: Uncategorized | Tags: activities,downtown gruene,gruene,Gruene history,live in texas,New Braunfels,New Braunfels land,Texas Hill Country,texas homesites,texas land
Gruene, Texas is a lively and vivacious community nestled in Texas hill country within the city limits of New Braunfels. Gruene’s history speaks of the rise of a town, its fall from prosperity, and its reinvention in the 1970s, turning it into the remarkable place it is today.
In 1872, first generation German American farmer Heinrich D. Gruene purchased 6,000 acres of farmland and planted cotton. It was Gruene’s second son, Henry D. Gruene that made cotton the number one cash crop in the area and a hub for shipping and banking. This attracted families to the surrounding areas, causing Gruene to grow. A mercantile store was built, and the town sprang forth, prosperous and successful. Unfortunately, the Depression and other economic factors led to the collapse of the family business in 1920. The town fell into disrepair and became a shadow of its former self.
It remained so until 1974, which brought about the arrival of Pat Molak. Seeking an environment different from that of the big city, Molak discovered the ruins of the once-thriving Gruene, and began to breathe life back into the flourishing community that stands today. Molak restored the town’s genuine look by renovating many of the buildings and houses and turning them into prosperous businesses. It is interesting to note that several of the houses that Henry D. Gruene originally built are still standing and in use today. A large frame house that Henry built for the foreman of his farm is now Gruene Haus and his Victorian cottage is now Lone Star. What is now Gruene General Store was once the town’s first mercantile store, and the cotton gin, which was powered by the Guadalupe River, is now Gristmill River Restaurant and Bar. Gruene Hall was once a dance hall and saloon, the small community’s main source of entertainment at the time.
Because of Molak’s work, Gruene has been added to the National Register of Historic Places, and many of the buildings that were rescued have been awarded a Texas medallion from the Texas Historical Commission. It is also sought by visitors and is thought of as a premiere attraction. Beginning with Gruene and carried on by Molak, this is truly a Southern treasure!
Those who live in the Texas Hill Country will tell you – nothing beats the genuine, charming feel of a small, Texas town. After all, there are so many tremendous benefits to living just outside a major metropolitan area.
