Join us in the darling riverfront town of Llano as we launch our new “Let’s Visit” series showcasing the small Texas Hill Country communities we’ve grown to love.
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Did you know that this erstwhile nineteenth-century frontier trading center site on the banks of the Llano River was briefly nicknamed the “Pittsburgh of the West” for iron deposits found within Llano County? Following the discovery of those deposits, the communit swelled optimistically to 7,000 residents in the 1890s, only to rapidly decline when speculation proved fruitless. For locals in the wake of the bust, their attention returned to the hard work of farming and ranching—the bedrock industries on which the Hill Country region relied upon for generations. Later, granite quarrying proved lucrative in the middle of the twentieth century while regional tourism and deer hunting leases helped attract more money to the town.
Our must-see recommendations for modern travelers includes a walk around the historic granite courthouse (on the National Register of Historic Places since the 1980s) that rests in the center of a classic town square dotted with shops (check out The Stuffology Store!). We’re also fond of the legendary Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, the Llano County Historical Museum, and the charming Sandstone Street B&B. Popular annual events include the pro rodeo, an annual fiddle festival, and Llano Earth Art Festival (LEAF).
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Related:
Our Top Places to Stay in the Hill Country (2019)
Where Every Day is Derby Day: Old Glory Millinery
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