Car Guy Magazine Car Guy Magazine Issue 1114 | Page 35

F

or most Texans, the words “Hill Country”
conjure up images of small German towns
filled with antique stores and quaint bed
and breakfasts or picturesque hills speckled with bluebonnets and longhorn cattle.
For non-Texans, this description is a far cry from the
scorching Texas heat and flat terrains portrayed in old
John Wayne movies. But only Texas drivers know what
Hill Country is all about—it’s all about the roads.

The best twisties, scenery, curves, and marvels are all found in the
Texas Hill Country. But to understand what and where Hill Country
is, you must become acquainted with the geography.
The Texas Hill Country is 60,000 square miles of the most beautiful scenic vistas and roads that Texas has to offer at the center of the
state. It stretches 270 miles from Austin to its western edge at the Pecos
River and encompasses approximately 220 miles in between its northern edge near Goldhwaite to its southern edge near the town of Uvalde.
Historically, the largest number of European settlers were of German descent. These immigrants fled Germany with hopes of escaping
persecution, over-population, and economic turmoil. For these people,
Texas sounded like the land of opportunity and bratwurst and strudel.
The towns, named after villages they had departed from or royalty
they respected in the Old Country, began to prosper and today offer

some of the best-kept secrets in the Lone Star State.
Fredericksburg, east of the center of Hill Country, is a
hub to many of the great roads. It was established in 1864
and today it is filled with antique stores, German and eclectic restaurants and bed and breakfasts.