Fredericksburg is a German town that happens to be in Texas. It was founded in 1846 by settlers who came from the German states under a land company led by John Meusebach, who named the town after Prince Frederick of Prussia, and the legacy of those early families still shapes everything from the architecture to the menu. The long Main Street is lined with limestone and timber buildings, many of them with steep roofs and shutters, and German bakeries, beer halls and sausage shops are still going strong.
The town is full of small details that tell the story. The Sunday houses, tiny cottages built by farm families so they could stay in town for church and shopping at the weekend, are a local invention, and a few have been preserved. The Vereins Kirche, an octagonal community church, stands as a replica in the middle of town, and it was used by settlers as a church, school and fort. Admiral Chester Nimitz, who commanded the Pacific Fleet in the Second World War, was born here, and the National Museum of the Pacific War in the town is one of the best in the country.
The riding around Fredericksburg is some of the best in Texas. The Hill Country roads, such as Highway 16 north toward Enchanted Rock and Ranch Road 965, have good surfaces and a satisfying rhythm of rises and bends, with views over ranches and vineyards. Enchanted Rock, a vast dome of pink granite about twenty-five kilometres north, glows in the late sun, and Native Americans considered it sacred because of the sounds it makes as it cools at night. Spring wildflowers draw crowds, so go on a weekday. The nearby Willow City Loop is a famous drive for bluebonnets.
Fuel and food are no problem, with a population of eleven thousand and plenty of stations. Peaches from the surrounding orchards ripen in summer and are sold at roadside stands, and the local wine, mostly Texan reds and whites, is worth sampling, though not before riding. The town fills up on weekends, particularly in spring and during the Christmas season, so book accommodation ahead. Bring a lightweight jacket for the evenings, which can be cool even in summer, and sit on a terrace with a pretzel and a cold beer.