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Touring the Camino Real
from San Antonio to San Marcos.
This is a demonstration version of a cyber tour. It is not complete - yet. I am putting it up to show people what the finished version will look like. I am also posting it while under construction so other persons can look at it and give their input. The directions are correct, so use them and have fun. Most of the historical information is correct too, but some details need some double checking. I put up ????? where I was not yet sure of names and dates and such.
| Interested in E- Tours and using the Internet to promote your historical tourism? Research has shown around 60% of tourists use the Internet to research their trip. I am working on several e-tours along sections of the Camino Real. Can I build a e- tour of your section of the Camino Real? Click above and find out more. |
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The Big Map
The best way to use this guide is to print it out and take it with you!!.
Before I confuse you allow me to point out several facts.
First, the Camino Real has more than one route in this area. The Spanish, and everyone who followed them, moved the route over the years. Inside New Braunfels and from New Braunfels to San Marcos there are really two major Camino routes. From New Braunfels to San Marcos the two roads are both beautiful winding rural roads. So I take you up one and back on the other.
Second, some parts of the Camino are now under modern development such as the interstate highway and subdivision grids of streets. In New Braunfels and San Marcos trying to follow the original route - or the bits and pieces that remain - is complicated and frustrating. So I have rerouted around these complicated sections along historical stagecoach routes and such that best connect the remaining major Camino sections. These alternate connections also have the best historical buildings and places, restaurants, shopping and things to see and do along them.
At key points I offer choices of routes. For purists who want to stay on the actual Camino as much as possible I offer the route to the bits and pieces, even if it is complicated. For everyone else I offer the choice of easier routes. These alternating routes do come together again and join at key points.
Third, there are low bridges and rail crossings where large, long vehicles cannot pass. I offer alternate routes around them.
So to use this guide read it first and decide which route you want to take. A good local road map will help make visual sense of my attempts to give directions. You can get my detailed maps of the whole route and inside New Braunfels in detail at the Main Street office at the New Braunfels City Hall.
The Start in San Antonio
Start at Loop 1604 and Nacogdoches street. Loop 1604 is the outer loop around San Antonio. The best way to get there from SA is to go up IH 35 to 1604 and go north west on 1604. Look for the big Rolling Oaks shopping mall.
The crossroad at 1604 and the mall is FM 2252. FM 2252 is also Nacogdoches street, and the Camino Real.
Go northeast on FM 2252--Nacogdoches street. You are on the Camino Real.
Look for Cibilo Creek. Cibilo means Buffalo in the old Payaya Indian language. The Payayas are one of the Coahuiltecan Indian groups who lived in this area. For more information on the Indians found along the Camino Real go to www.TexasIndians.com and look up the Coahiultecans, Tonkawa, Comanche, Wichita and the Caddo.
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Right before you get to the creek on your left is the first pink granite Camino Real marker. Looks like a pink granite tomb stone. These were put up by the DAR back in 1918 to mark the Camino. |
This is what all the markers have written on them.
There are more, one about every 5-6 miles, on the Camino. Behind the marker is an old German farm and what I believe is a stagecoach stop.
Stop and look around. There is a lot to see here.
The land behind this farm used to be the ranchera, or ranch, owned by Mission San Antonio Valero, or the Alamo Mission. To the right is the old Davenport Ranch cemetery and the small old house a short ways past the cemetery is the old 1850s Davenport Ranch house.
I highly recommend pulling over next to the modern bridge here and walking down to see the old crossing right next to the bridge. There is still old asphalt going down to the crossing. The crossing was in use well into modern times. The crossing itself is still there. It is a smooth limestone shelf across the creek that looks man made it is so perfect. It is now narrower than it was. Look close and you can see where part of it was blasted away for the new bridge. They didn't have to blast it away for any reason I can see. Why? I do not know, but damaging something so historical and unusual is a shame.
Cross the creek and go a short distance over the railroad tracks. Start looking around at the tracks. You have three choices here. You can turn to the right and go through Bracken on Bracken road (the best bet and the older road) or turn left on the dirt road and go one half block to the old cemetery back behind the business there, or go straight along FM 2252. The FM 2252 option is a modern built bypass around the old road that goes through Bracken. The Camino itself is under the railroad tracks here.
I would choose Bracken. The road through Bracken goes right back to FM 2252 in about 1 mile.
THE LOCAL MAP
IN BRACKEN
The Bracken Country store is a great place to eat, lunch only.
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Inside you will find an old style Texas country decor (junk and beers signs!!) and lots of real nice people. |
They have HUGE hamburgers fixed the old way on a grill with all the fixins. ( This is a Bracken Burger, they really are this big.)
This author, like most of the locals,
goes out of his way to eat there when in area during lunch.
Bracken's history begins in 1849, when the land was acquired by William Bracken, hence the name. When the railroad came through in 1869 a town was founded and named Davenport, after James G Davenport who was a prominent resident (remember the ranch?). The town grew. In 1883 the town applied for a post office, but the name of Davenport was already taken in Texas. So the name was changed to Bracken. The post office closed in 1940. The population in 1940 was around 75 and today is still around 75.
Back to FM2252 just beyond Bracken. On the left is a cluster of old German houses. This is the old Burkhardt farm. Today it is being developed as Bracken Village, a historic shopping and dinning complex. Stop and check it out!!!
On the finished tour page this would be a real link to their web site. I can create a web site to link too like this with info on all the stores or I can put it on another page on TexasCaminoReal.com.
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The little house in the front of the Bracken Village dates from 1870 and is in a architectural style popular with early German settlers in the region. You can find more like it in New Braunfels. |
| On the right is the across from Bracken village is the Fancy That Tea Room, The Tea Room is in a hundred year old house that has been furnished with antiques and a relaxing decor. This is a nice place for a light lunch and an a cold drink with a friend. |  |
Continuing northeast just a short distance on the right you will find the Over Yonder complex of buildings . This is a collection of old houses and buildings that is being developed for shopping and dining.
Back on the road again, still going northeast you have another choice of routes. You can stay on FM 2252 and go straight or you can take the "Old 2252 road" on the right. I would choose the Old 2252 road and go right. This is the old road that was bypassed by the new one. It has a number of old farms and homes along it and it loops right back to FM 2252 in about a mile.
From Old 2252 turn right on FM 2252 and continue northeast. Go past the major intersection with Fm 3009. About a mile beyond the intersection start looking on the left for a huge quarry, you cant miss it.
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Right at one of the several gates to the quarry is one of the 1918 DAR Camino Real Markers. I sure wish the quarry owners would clean up their mess around this marker. |
| About another mile along the road on the left is the Hierholtzer farm in the picture below. Started in 1847 by the Bremmers and finished in 1858 it was later purchased by the Hierholtzer family. The Hierholtzers owned it till 1977. The new owners have done a very nice restoration of the house. Note the dry laid stone fence around the home. |  |
Continue on and enjoy the scenery till you go over the railroad tracks. Sharp eyes will notice the remains of old dry laid stone fences in places along the road. These predate barbed wire which was invented in New Braunfels in 1871.
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Right past the railroad tracks is the old town of Comal. Comal was founded in 1846 on what was then the Old San Antonio road. Today it is just a crossroads with some picturesque old buildings that are closed up. |
At the stop sign in Comal turn left onto FM 482. Just a short distance up the road from Comal is St Josephs Church and cemetery.
The cemetery is on the left, a little way off the road, and makes a nice stop. You can park in the shade and stretch your legs. The cemetery is one of those peaceful old places you can only find out in the country. Check out the old hand pump on the water well there. Just down and across the road is St Joseph's Catholic Church which was built in 1912. Notice it still has outhouses! There is no indoor plumbing in the building and no air conditioning too! They still hold services here along with weddings and funerals.