Gruene, Texas

Gruene (pronounced Green) is a tourist mecca drawing visitors to see the area that once was a thriving cotton plantation begun in the 1870s. It included a swinging dance hall and a cotton gin. The boll weevil came to town and was followed by the Great Depression and Gruene became a ghost town. One hundred years after it was founded, investors began the restoration process and the deserted structures came alive again.


The Gruene Dance Hall never closed and was packed with a crowd enjoying the live music. Lyle Lovett and George Strait played here in their early music years.




The general store brings back memories as it was the first mercantile store built in 1878 to serve families that worked on the cotton farms. It was also the post office and a stagecoach stop.

A later mercantile building sprang up in 1904 and is a fun antique shop which Kelly spotted very quickly. While Kelly antiqued Sean found wifi in a coffee shop and got in a little work.


Gristmill River Restauant is located in the ruins of the 120 year old cotton gin high on a hill above the Guadeloupe River. They had a roaring fire in the fireplace and at sundown the warmth felt good as we dined.



We were delighted that Kelly and Sean joined us and indeed enjoyed spending the day with them. They are such fun!