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During our time in San Antonio we were exposed to the city’s early cultures: Indian, Spanish, and Mexican. A later culture that settled in the area was German; at one time German settlers comprised a third of all residents and this rich heritage is still infused in San Antonio. We didn’t fully experience this while in San Antonio but we made up for it with a trip to nearby Gruene (pronounced “green”).

Located on the banks of the Guadalupe River, German immigrant farmers settled the area in the 1850s and Gruene became a major cotton-gin town by the turn of the century.

The town was never large and it is now completely within the city limits of New Braunfels, another town settled by German immigrants. It is home of the Wurstfest every Fall which they call, “The best of the wurst” (groan). The historic buildings have been carefully restored and a variety of antique shops, art galleries, and restaurants now occupy them.

The reason for our visit was the one building that still does the same thing it did when it first opened in 1878, play music. Gruene Hall is the oldest dance hall in Texas and as such the old wooden building has seen an amazing array of musicians: Asleep at the Wheel, Asylum Street Spankers, Guy Clark, Slaid Cleaves, Bo Diddley, Dixie Chicks, Dr. John, Steve Earle, Joe Ely, Eliza Gilkyson, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Nanci Griffith, Arlo Guthrie, Buddy Guy, Merle Haggard, Butch Hancock, John Hiatt, Tish Hinojosa, High Noon, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Chris Issac, Robert Earl Keen, Hal Ketchum, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy La Fave, Tracy Lawrence, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Feat, Little Richard, Lyle Lovett, Marshall Tucker Band, Delbert Mcclinton, Michael Martin Murphy, Willie Nelson, Nickel Creek, Leroy Parnell, John Prine, Dennis Quaid, Leon Redbone, Riders in the Sky, Leon Russell, Billy Joe Shaver, Todd Snider, George Strait, Marty Stuart, Taj Mahal, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Flatlanders, George Thorogood, Jimmy Vaughan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jerryjeff Walker, Hank Williams III, Lucinda Williams, Townes Van Zandt…

The Hall is built like a long low barn with a beer bar across one end and a stage at the other. The wood floor feels like it might be the original as it is nowhere near level and gently creaks as you cross it. The Hall lacks fancy glass windows, instead large wooden shutters block out the sun and the cold when necessary. On nice days like ours the shutters open to a garden. The Hall even squeezes in a few pool tables and outside there are horseshoe pits. A perfect place to while away part of a day or night.

And in the space of one long afternoon and evening we saw, Tracie Lynn, Dave Jorgenson and the headliner, Mark Chesnutt. The best thing about Greune Hall is that it is an intimate space. All three acts were relaxed and conversational, they shared anecdotes, and seemed to really have fun. Plus, many of the acts chose to play acoustic or at least without their full bands, which really lets the lyrics shine.

Here are two video clips from Mark’s performance:

Mark Chesnutt Video #1:
Bubba Shot the Jukebox [mp4 3.2MB, 40 seconds]

Mark Chesnutt Video #2:
Blame it on Texas [mp4 3.6MB, 45 seconds]

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Photos: View our photos from Gruene, Texas.

Notes: We visited Gruene, Texas on 02/17/2007.