Who doesn’t love a good old fashioned Texas town?
A visit to Hallettsville will tell you everything you need to know about Texan hospitality- it’s even known as “The City of Hospitality”!
This rural-suburban town is sure to be a winner for the quieter, calmer traveler. Main attractions are museums, parks, statues, and shrines.
History
Hallettsville is named after a family that colonized the area. John Hallett got a land grant in 1831. In 1836, after his death, his wife donated the land for a town.
As of the 2010 census, 2,550 people live in Hallettsville.
Many citizens are German-Texan, because the founders of the town were mostly Czech and German emigrants.
Where exactly is Hallettsville, TX? How far is it from major cities?
Hallettsville is in the southeast of the state and is the Lavaca County county seat.
-
It takes an hour and 45 minutes to drive from Hallettsville to Houston via I-10 E.
-
It takes an hour and 45 minutes to drive from Hallettsville to Austin via US-77 N and State Hwy 71 W.
Things to do in Hallettsville, TX
1. Downtown Hallettsville and Lavaca County Courthouse
The Lavaca County Courthouse was built in 1897 and in 1971 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building is built in Richardsonian Romanesque-style, a kind of Romanesque Revival architecture that has characteristics from French, Spanish, and Italian Romanesque architecture in the 11th and 12th centuries. It’s influenced very strongly by Pittsburgh’s Allegheny County Courthouse.
The gorgeous courthouse is raised three-story limestone- truly a sight to be seen!
This courthouse is a Texas State Antiquities Landmark.
101 S Main St, Hallettsville, TX 77964
2. Lavaca Historical Museum
The Lavaca Historical Museum preserves and exhibits artifacts to educate the public and build a stronger understanding and history of Lavaca and Hallettsville County.
They opened up on November 30, 1990 at 410 North Main Street. But after over 20 years there, it became clear that they needed more space. So on September 24, 2014, the museum reopened at 1205 North Texana.
Exhibits include the Texas State Championship High School Rodeo, the South Central Texas Semi-Pro Hall of Fame, Military memorabilia, and old Medical and Pharmacy objects.
1205 N Texana, Hallettsville, TX 77964
3. Old Lavaca County Jail
Located just a block away from the old town square in Hallettsville, Texas, you can find the old Lavaca County Jail. Operating from 1885 to 2005, it is the second longest operating jail in the state.
The jail shows off the evolution of technology in American jails. The second floor has medieval flat car cells from 1885, while modern cells were new additions to the first floor in the 1970s. However, because of overcrowding, the old cells on the second floor were still being used.
Two floods, one in 1940 and another in 1981, both filled Old Lavaca County Jail with eight feet of water.
The jail closed its doors in 2005 when a new jail was built, and the building was vacant until it was purchased in 2014.
South Texas Afterlife Researchers found out about the old jail and conducted a paranormal investigation, discovering many unsettling things.
Cell doors banged, shadows roamed, whispers and laughter filled the air, and even the occasional physical touch all took place during the investigation.
305 N Main St, Hallettsville, TX 77964
4. Hallettsville Golf Course
A city park is home to the Hallettsville Golf Course, a quaint 9-hole course.
It starts off pretty simple with four par 4s, bound to build your confidence and make you think the whole course is easy. But the course takes a sharp turn.
Next comes two birdie chances at the nearly 140 yard hole 5 and nearly 300 yard par 4 hole 6. Then a 220 yard par 3 follows, completed by a 200 yard par 4 and 500 yard finisher.
You’ll find two sets of tees for an 18 hole round.
Although you might expect much less from a simple golf course at a park, the Hallettsville Golf Course never disappoints!
The course is open:
-
Tuesday-Friday: 11am – 6pm
-
Saturdays, Sundays, holidays: 9am – 6pm
-
Daylight savings: Until 8 pm
Green fees are:
-
Tuesday-Thursday: $10
-
Fridays-Sunday: $15
Carts are available to be rented!
808 A Park Rd #1, Hallettsville, TX 77964
5. Hallettsville City Park
Hallettsville City Park has something for you no matter what you’re looking for.
If you have children between 6 and 13, there’s an amazing new playground that was just installed.
Try your hand at the tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, or previously mentioned golf course!
You can go on a calm, leisurely half-mile walk on the walking path. It’s a great way to see the locals and experience the park.
Bring a treat to eat under their picnic pavilions. If you want to have some extra fun, bring a board game or two!
There are also baseball, softball, and little league fields on the northern end of the park, maintained by volunteers and the City of Hallettsville Public Works. Come with a buddy or two and some gear to relive your childhood memories!
The park is open from 5:30am = 11pm
6. Mini Statue of Liberty
Hallettsville’s Mini Statue of Liberty is “like flying the Stars and Stripes. It is a display of pride in our country’s belief in ‘liberty and justice for all.’”
This roadside attraction even includes a replica of the building and base of where the statue stands. Most monuments don’t include the base and building, so this really makes Hallettsville’s version stand out!
It is colored to have the same green patina that the real sculpture has developed over time. This statue is on a strip of land that divides the in and out lanes of a large parking lot. Find a spot to park, take some pictures and walk around, and then onto the next!
Parking is free.
801 Fairwinds St, Hallettsville, TX 77964
7. Pecan Grove Blessed VIRGIN MARY Apparition Shrine
Many say that miracles happen at this shrine.
There is a single warped metal post put into the ground to signify the place where a farmer, Daniel, had a supreme vision 23 years ago. He saw a glowing apparition in his pasture of the Virgin Mary. She told him, “Get on your tractor and go home.” When he got home, he couldn’t talk.
Daniel wanted to attend seminary as a young boy, but instead became a farmer. He saw frequent visions of the Virgin Mary throughout his life.
After the vision, the Virgin Mary asked Daniel to build a shrine where travelers could stop and pray just a few feet from the road.
He built a small red gazebo in a pecan grove next to a creek with a bench to pray. Inside of the gazebo, the Virgin has her arms stretched out wide, a cork board with pictures and notes on it, and a small metal box for collections.
Leave a Reply