We get quite a few readers who are new to Fort Worth, or visiting, and are looking for the different "sights and sounds" of Texas.
Here's a suggestion: Gruene, Texas (pronounced "Green").
Why Gruene?
Well, Gruene Hall mostly, the original Texas honkytonk. The fact that Gruene Hall and Bass Hall have the same name is an oddity of the English language. Gruene Hall is a barn with a cement dance floor, a stage, and a bar that serves beer, lots of beer. And they have live music. Mostly country, but all kinds of rock-folk-country music, and all authentic Texan. On a Friday or Saturday night it is packed and a lot of fun. But also, Gruene is kind of a funky little town with shops, a wine tasting room, a few restaurants and the Guadalupe River that runs right through it. When you get down into the Texas Hill country you definitely get the feeling that you are in Texas. It's much drier, more like southern California than Dallas, rooftops are often galvanized steel and the stone is that beautiful whitish- yellow, Austin sandstone. It's hard not to fall in love with "Hill Country" Texas.
Of course, every new Texan needs a visit to the Alamo. But while you are down there get out to the country and enjoy the wide-open, warm, dry spaces of Texas.
Final related suggestion: Get off I35 and try Hwy 281.
4 comments:
We want you to know about other authentic Texas Dance Halls, which have recently been named to the Most Endangered List of Texas' historic structures. Please visit
www.texasdancehall.org
P.S. Gruene Hall is a dance hall, not a honky tonk (there's a difference!) and it has it original long-leaf pine floor, not a cement floor.
Psparks -- I guess I was enjoying myself a little too much. And I do remember the wood floors now. I stand corrected, thank you very much.
I will look up the website.
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