Day Trips
By Gerald E. McLeod, Fri., Oct. 10, 1997
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In Chappell Hill the scarecrows of autumn replace the wildflowers of spring as the major tourist attraction. The village is 10 miles east of Brenham and about an hour east of Austin in a scenic and historic portion of Texas.
The second weekend of October the residents close Main Street for the annual Scarecrow Festival. The last couple of years, around 200 front yards in the area have been decorated with mannequins made from straw.
The scarecrows can be viewed on just about any road in Washington County, including Brenham, Burton, Independence, and Round Top. Chappell Hill has the largest concentration. "There really are no rules," said contest chairperson Sandy Bingham, "some are traditional and some are really creative."
One of Bingham's favorites is a scene of four scarecrows in a fishing boat. On the scarecrows' posts, on dry land, is a sign that says, "Gone fishing."
"We're still trying to figure to how to do a skinny-dipping scarecrow," Bingham said. Last year's winner was a scene of eight dancing scarecrows with a band.
Besides judging for the best display of scarecrows at the festival there will be 125 booths selling food and merchandise, Oct. 11-12. There is also a special area of games and crafts for the children. Hayrides take visitors on a tour of the historic sites.
The town of Chappell Hill dates back to the beginning of the state and is on the highest spot between Houston and Austin. It may be the only town in Texas started by a woman. In 1847, Mary Haller bought the 100 acres from her brother-in-law for $300 while her husband was away on a buying trip for his general store. She named the town for her grandfather Robert Chappell, a Texas frontiersman.
The town became a religious, social, and educational center for the plantations that surrounded the town. The Hallers built the Stagecoach Inn in 1850 on a bluff overlooking the dirt highway that became Main Street. The inn became known as one of the finest inns on the road.
The town became a center of education when the Chappell Hill Male and Female Institute opened its doors in 1850. A Methodist college came to town and absorbed the male classes. Then the schools were combined again. When Chappell Hill College closed in 1911, its charter was transferred to Southwestern University in Georgetown.
Two things decimated Chappell Hill's population. First the Civil War took large numbers of its men. During the war the colleges were used as a Confederate quartermaster and a hospital.
Secondly, three yellow fever epidemics between 1853 and 1867 almost turned the village into a ghost town. Those that escaped or survived the disease left town for safer locations. In the late 1800s no one understood the causes of the sickness, let alone had a cure.
The yellow fever and other major calamities have now passed Chappell Hill. The town is a quiet little bedroom community for Houston workers with a few historical buildings along idyllic, tree-shaded lanes. Whether you are visiting during the Scarecrow Festival or any other time, it is a pretty place.
The site of the Female Institute is now covered by the old public school which was turned into a history museum in 1966. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 1-4pm. The staff also provides visitor information at 409/836-6033.
The Hallers' Stagecoach Inn is now part of a bed and breakfast complex of old homes that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For reservations, call 409/836-9515. There also are other B&Bs in historic homes in the area; ask at the museum for more information.
Main Street in Chappell Hill is lined with a few antique shops, a general store, and a bank that was possibly the last bank in Southeast Texas to register its accounts by names instead of numbers. East of town on US290, the Chappell Hill Sausage Company makes an excellent variety of sausages. The factory does not offer tours, but has a meat market with fresh meats. For a great lunch, try Bevers Kitchen on Main Street (it is closed on Sundays).
One of the most scenic drives in the county is FM1155 which runs through Chappell Hill to Washington-on-the-Brazos, the birthplace of Texas. From TX105 north of Brenham take FM390, the first highway in Texas designated as scenic and historic, through Independence to Burton. For more information on Washington County, call the visitors bureau at 800/225-3695.
Coming up this weekend...
Gospel Music Festival in Wimberley at Lions Park offers 18 hours of heartwarming music, Oct. 10-12. 512/396-4894.
German Festival in Columbus sponsors sausage and strudel cookoffs and lots of music and food, Oct. 11. 409/732-8385.
Herb/Art Fest at Hickory Hill Herbs in Lampasas combines herb experts with painters, potters, and photographers, Oct. 11. 512/556-8801.
Night in Old Luling honors the finding of oil with a day of fun in downtown Luling, Oct. 11. 830/875-5425.
Coming up...
Jazz Festival in Corpus Christi is one of the best musical shows along the coast, Oct. 17-19. 512/883-4500.
Poe at the Inn is a special one-man show of stories and poems by Edgar Allen Poe at the Landmark Inn State Historical Park in Castroville, Oct. 31. 830/931-2133.
Day Trips, Vol.1, a book of the first 100 columns, updated and expanded, is available for $6.95, plus $3.05 for shipping, handling and tax. Mail to: Day Trips, 1712 E. Riverside, Suite 156, Austin, TX 78741.
