Blanco City Profile and Featured Real Estate Agents

Blanco, Texas is a city in Blanco County in the charming Texas Hill Country. Located a mere 45 miles from San Antonio, to the north, it is on the 281 National Highway. Settled way back in 1853, it was originally built on the Blanco River bank, a little lower downstream. Called Pittsburg then, the original settlement was across the Blanco river, from where it stands today. Blanco is a short distance from Bulverde, and Spring Branch, and just 45 miles to Austin. The city is has become popular with tourists, and grown into a resort area because of its many attractions, including state parks, and a warm, sunny climate. This combination also makes it attractive to campers, and hunters, and anglers. The many streams in the area offer opportunities for game fishing while white-tailed deer, quail, and wild turkey, attract hunters. However, there is something for everyone to do in Blanco, from antique stores, to art galleries, from flea markets, and artisans, to historic buildings, not to mention a range of shops, restaurants, and parks. Blanco is also known for the warmth and friendliness of its people, and the rugged natural beauty of Texas Hill Country. This is also where the former US President Lyndon B Johnson grew up, and his boyhood home and ranch are nearby.

It is a factor of small town life that the pace is slower, less frenetic, than in bigger cities, and Blanco is no exception. Older residents still gather at the Bowling Club or the Cafi for leisurely discussions of the state of the world, and picking up the mail often turns into a socializing exercise. The River is a popular tourist, and local, attraction and recreational area, and forms the focal point to the picturesque Blanco State Park. The park offers camping facilities within the city, one of the very few to do so. The Blanco Market Days are a great way to pick up local and fresh produce, and a short drive on Willow City Loop gives you fabulous views of the natural beauty of the Texas Hill Country area. If water is your thing, head for the river, or to Canyon Lake, some 18 miles away, for a feast of water activities like boating, swimming, fishing and tubing. Blanco is also known as the Lavender Capital of Texas, because of the profuse presence of this beautiful plant. Lavender blooms in the area from May to July, practically carpeting the entire surroundings in lovely blooms, and the Blanco County Lavender Festival is celebrated in late spring. During the festival, you can not only find lavender merchandise, but lavender inspired menus at restaurants, and lavender themed art and luxuries from vendors and local artists.

Blanco was originally settled in 1853, when settlers built log cabins on the riverbank. The town was formally platted by the Pittsburgh Land Company, and a new community grew on the south bank. In 1858, when the county was organized, the new town across the river was selected to be the county seat. The Pittsburgh Land Company donated about 120 acres for this new town, and a post office was built and granted the same year. The first courthouse in the county was built here in 1860. The town grew and prospered, growing cotton as its primary crop. However, a series of incidents of illness and pests wiped out the cotton fields. Angora goats, and the resultant mohair, became the mainstay of the local economy. And the town became affluent on mohair subsidies. Since then, a steady growth in population, and smaller businesses, has increased the opportunities for local residents. There are ongoing projects for the improvement of the city, often by private citizens, which have created things like the public library, community center, and a food bank, and helped restore historic Blanco buildings. A range of service organizations and clubs have come up, and annual festivals and city wide events draw visitors to the area.