6 Places to Experience the German Influence in Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg, Texas, a couple hours west of Austin, is unlike any other place in the Lone Star State. Given its historical founding and serious German influence, Fredericksburg is less about boot-scootin’ and more about das boot… less about denim with a big focus on Deutschland.
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Fredericksburg is a town built by German beer and is now part of the enormously popular Texas Wine Country. It was actually the second town in the state to be founded by the Adelsverein, AKA the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants. Ergo, come here when you’ve got a hankering for helles.
And when you do make it to Fredericksburg, here are 6 ways you can absorb that iconic German influence:
1. In the city itself
The city of Fredericksburg itself was named after Prince Frederick of Prussia (just think of that as the old-timey Germany) when it was founded back in 1846. Some of the old-timers call it Fritztown (and it wouldn’t be surprising if a few hipster did too).
How about that? Just by entering the town you’ve already begun soaking up its German heritage.
2. In the language
Fredericksburg, Texas actually has its own dialect, believe it or not. “Texas German” was a German dialect spoken by the town’s first generation of settlers (and their descendants) from whom it evolved in lieu of speaking English.
The speaking of these dialects has dwindled over time, but keep your ears open!
3. In the restaurants
Fredericksburg is home to some of the state’s best German restaurants and has even been previously named one of the US’s “Best Small Town Food Scenes.”
Popular places like:
- Altdorf Restaurant & Biergarten
- Der Lindenbaum
- Old Germany Bakery & Restaurant
- The Auslander
- and Otto’s German Bistro
…are sure to please your German-craving palate. And the best part is most of them are located within a short walk from each other. (Maybe it’s time to sew an elastic waistband into your lederhosen.)
4. In the beer! Of course.
Likewise, despite the fact that Fredericksburg is located in the famous Texas Wine Country, it still boasts some fantastic German-inspired beers, breweries, and beer gardens around town.
The Altstadt Brewery and Fredericksburg Brewing Company both instill heavy German tradition (ahem, the Reinheitsgebot) into the local beer scene.
5. In the architecture
The town of Fredericksburg is spotted by architecture that’ll make you feel like you’re back in a small Bavarian town. Places like the Altstadt Brewery, shops along Main Street, the Auslander Restaurant, and more will take you right back to the land of lager.
Keep your eyes peeled as you make your way around town to see what kind of German influence you can pick out.
6. At its festivals
Naturally, Fredericksburg hosts its fair share of German-inspired festivals throughout the year.
Of course there’s an over-the-top, 3-day Oktoberfest celebration in the fall when the town square becomes ground zero for all things German heritage (as if it wasn’t already).
There’s also Sängerfest (also in late September) that honors German heritage with traditional German choirs (and has been doing so for over 130 years).
And don’t miss Gillespie County Bundes Schützenfest in the summer—an old-fashioned German target shooting competition. A king is crowned and he reigns until the next year’s competition. Hey, you gotta prepare for the real Armbrustschützenzelt at Munich’s Oktoberfest somehow.
Ready to see the German side of Fredericksburg, Texas for yourself? Join our upcoming Lone Star Taste Tour! Get all the details in that link.
