A Walk Back in Time, Bastrop, TX

We continue our walk along historic Main Street in Bastrop, Texas.

We begin with a glimpse of some buildings just off Main on Chestnut Street. The Bastrop Abstract Company Building, although its sign says "Established in 1883", is not identified on the Historic Downtown brochure.

Its intense character façade would rival other identified historic buildings. It now houses the Colorado River Winery.

The sign on the side of the building notes an interesting identity in the building's life: "Gin-U-Wine Oyster Bar."

Next door to the former Oyster Bar is the Hasler Brothers Steakhouse with its equally handsome brick exterior.

A view along Main Street

Citizens State Bank Building, 1909

Citizens State Bank occupied this example of American Beaux Art/Neoclassical Revival Style building until 1974.

The chalkboard in front of what is now Cripple Creek and Company reads:

Act as if
what you do
makes a difference.
It does!

This vehicle seemed right at home in this vacant lot along Main Street.

The Knittle Buildings, 1895

The two buildings (the pink one and the beige Bridges Building) occupy the Knittle buildings which were named after the shoemaker and his two sons who owned them.

Old Post Office, 1897

Originally a meat market, the building housed the Post Office beginning in 1906.

A view of the mail boxes photographed through the front window.

We stopped at the Bastrop Visitor Center. The building was first a firehouse, then a jail, the town's city hall, and now the town's museum.

1915 Brockway fire truck, Bastrop's first motorized fire engine

Firemen climbed this ladder to hang hoses from the top of this tower in order to dry.

Wertzner Building, c. 1870

Prokop Building, 1887 (left) housed the business of the Prokop brothers, who were shoemakers and the Bauhoff Building, c. 1800's.

Kesselus Building, 1891

Originally housed Kesselus' tailor shop; most recently a Cajun restaurant Le Roux (closed).

Miller Building, 1901

This building is the site of the longest running business with the same usage--a barber shop.

Louis Eilers Building, c.1890's

The building is a restoration award-winner.

T.A. Hasler Building, c. 1870's

Old Iron Front Saloon, 1890

Haynie Building, 1883

R.A. Green Mercantile, c. 1890

Now home to several art galleries and shops.

A.A. Elzner Mercantile Buildings, 1891