Museum and Visitor Center
of the Bastrop County Historical Society
Bastrop is uniquely positioned at the center of things...
A fort established by the Spanish in 1806 at the junction of the Colorado River and El Camino Real de los Tejas, the Spanish "royal road" running between San Antonio and East Texas.
A frontier settlement founded by Stephen F. Austin—"The father of Texas"—and that played a central role in the colonization of Texas, in the formation of the Republic of Texas and, subsequently, the march toward statehood.
A community that played important roles in war and in peace, in times of prosperity and of need.
A spot deep in the heart of its citizens.
Today Bastrop is a place bustling with activity...from excellent restaurants and shops in its wonderfully preserved historic downtown to nature hiking in Bastrop's unique "Lost Pines," paddling down the Colorado River, strolling through historic neighborhoods. Bastrop's unique history, commitment to historic preservation, and many attractions prompted the National Trust for Historic Preservation to single out Bastrop as a "Distinctive Destination," one of 132 such treasured places across the U.S. and one of six in Texas.
The Bastrop County Historical Society invites you to savor our past and our present...
- through its Museum, which offers a superb collection of artifacts—from prehistoric times as well as from 19th and 20th century Bastrop.
- through its Visitor Center, which offers visitors a pathway to Bastrop's abundant attractions, its many accommodations, entertainment and recreational venues.