(25 miles [40.2 kilometers] NE via I-35. Chamber of Commerce +1 210 625 2385 or 800 572 2626) Lured by promises of utopia, German immigrants flocked to Texas in the 1840s. New Braunfels was settled in 1845 and, thanks to abundant water and rich soil, it became by 1850 one of the state’s most prosperous towns. The German heritage still thrives in local architecture, cuisine, and festivals. Built on the site that town founder Prince Carl of Braunfels, Germany, chose for his castle (it was never built), the small Sopienburg Museum (401 W. Coll St. +1 830 629 1572. Adm. fee) exhibits local artifacts and replicas of an early bakery, a doctor’s office, and a pharmacy. A half-timbered house, log cabins, a music studio, and a cabinet shop are among eight structures moved to Conservation Plaza (1300 Church Hill Dr. +1 830 629 2943. Closed Mon.; Adm. fee) from around the region.
New Braunfels became a minor center for furniture and cabinet crafting in the 19th century. Housed in the 1858 Breustedt-Dillon House, the Museum of Texas Handmade Furniture (1370 Church Hill Dr. +1 830 629 6504. Call for schedule. Adm. fee) boasts 75 handmade works from the period.
