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SHINER,
TEXAS
Suggested slogan:
If you´ve got nothing to do, why not do it in Shiner?
Lavaca County, Central Texas South
U.S. Highway 90A and State Highway
95
14 miles West of Hallettsville
20 mils South of Flatonia
18 miles East of Gonzales
Population: 2,070 (2000) 2,074 (1990)
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"My
Great Grandfather Schramm's Saloon in Shiner, Texas."
- Jay Francis,
photo circa early 1900's |
| Absolutely
Shiner
Shiner
citizens are called Shinerites. This is probably the reason they changed the name
from Half Moon. It's hard enough to be a Moonie, but a half Moonie? Billed as
"The Cleanest Little City in Texas", it certainly lives up to it's name.
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History
in a Pecan Shell
"TAKE TWO, THEY'RE SMALL" - Small town artillery
Every October 2, Shiner's neighbor Gonzales
commemorates the anniversary of the first shot fired for Texas independence.
The original cannon was buried to avoid capture and was thought lost until a flood
uncovered it in 1936. Since this coincided with the Texas Centennial, there were
doubts to it's authenticity. Tests conducted in 1980 confirmed it to be the real
McCoy.
The response to the Mexican request for the cannon was: "Cannon?
We ain't got no cannon. We don't need no stinking cannon."
Sorry.
Wrong dialogue.
History and the rebel's flag records the true response
to be "Come and take it!" So Gonzales has a "Come and Take It"
celebration, with a reenactment every year
Several times it has been
proposed that Shiner have a "Come and take this!" celebration. But the
individual has been outvoted and is usually escorted from the building. |
Shiner
Attractions
The Spoetzl Brewery
This is perhaps
the main draw for those who visit Shiner. As you may have gathered by their recent
ad campaign, Shiner Beer is "Brewed with an attitude". You can tour
the brewery (Monday thru Friday 11a.m. & 1:30p.m.) and find out for yourself
what kind of attitude.
After a hard day of maintaining an attitude, many
of the brewery employees repair to The Tenth Inning for "attitude
adjustment". This local tavern is a mere 7/10ths of a mile from the brewery,
which makes one wonder if there's an underground pipeline. Judging by the empty
cases outside, Shiner outsells the other brands 4-1. "We drink all we can
and we sell the rest".
Check out their gift/shop museum Mon.-Fri.
9 to 5 and Sat.11-3.
This is not the only tour in Shiner. The Kasper
Wire Works which is across the street from the brewery, also has tours, but
by appointment. They celebrated their Centennial in 1998.
The introduction
of barbed wire in 1874 put a serious crimp in smooth wire sales. It was either
attach all those barbs or find another use for it. This is exactly what August
Kasper did. From a simple woven wire basket, they are now one of the largest manufacturers
of fan guards, fry baskets, and newspaper racks in the world. If you have lost
money in one of these racks, do not ask for a refund here. The coin mechanism
is not made by Kasper. The fact that you couldn't remove a paper after losing
your money, well, that demonstrates the quality of the product.
The
Edwin Wolters Museum exhibits Shiner's past and is open Mon.-Fri. 8-5,
which isn't too convenient if you are a weekend visitor. You can move to Shiner,
or wait for the 2nd or 4th Sunday when it is open 2-5 P.M.
The 1895
Opera House, now called The Gaslight Theater puts on about four performances
per year.
An architectural jewel is the 1921 Saints
Cyril & Methodius Catholic Church, a red brick Romanesque Revival
style structure with painted murals and magnificent stained glass windows imported
from Bavaria. |
| For
fun filled activities The
annual Bocktoberfest hosted by the Spoetzl Brewery falls on the third Saturday
in October. This coincides with The
Fall Trade Fair held in downtown Shiner, 361-594-4180, and
The Shiner 10K walk, 361-594-3304.
The third
Saturday in April is their Spring Trade Fair. For
the fitness enthusiasts, year-round volksmarch sponsored by the Shiner
Half Moon Walkers (361-594-3304) can be walked any day of the year from January
1 to December 31. The choice of the Historical Walk and the Park Walk both start/finish
at Howard's Diamond Shamrock (361-594-4200) just outside Shiner on Hwy 90A West.
Welhausen
Municipal Park in
downtown Shiner features historic gazebo and various monuments, and is where Shiner
shines with its lighting display beginning Dec. 1. |
Nearby
Destinations:
Moulton
10 or
11 miles north of Shiner (the maps and signs differ) on Hwy 95.
Suggested
slogan: Try writing on our water tower.
Now if your town was closest to Shiner,
"The cleanest little city in Texas", why even try? But they do try,
and they succeed.
Moulton Chamber of Commerce, 361-596-7205. |
| Palmetto
State Park
Photo Courtesy John Frasier | |
|
Palmetto
State Park is
not that far a drive from Shiner and a good way to spend a day in a setting unusual
for this part of Texas. Take Alt.90 west, then north via US183 and FM1586 to Park
Road 11, which is a scenic drive through the park. Come here to see the exceptional
variety of plants, many tropical, some found no where else in the Southwest.
Website:http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/palmetto/palmetto.htm
For a weekend in the country, Shiner can be your take off point to enjoy the open
gently rolling pastures so characteristic of this part of Texas. (See also our
trip to Cuero
and DeWitt County, just a short drive away.) |
GETTING
THERE FROM HOUSTON
HEAD WEST ON I-10. Exit at Schulenburg and head south on Hwy 77.
Take your time and check out Schulenburg
and Hallettsville. Don't miss the Courthouse square in Hallettsville.
It's one block NW of the intersection of 77 and 90. This will be featured in a
future Courthouse tour. Head west on 90 to Shiner. When it's time to leave (if
you must), head north on 95 to Moulton and Flatonia.
FROM AUSTIN take 183 through
Lockhart and Luling, cross I-10
and continue to Gonzales
where you'll pick up 90. Head east to Shiner.
FROM SAN ANTONIO
take 90 through Seguin
and Gonzales. |
Shiner
Tourist Information The
Shiner Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 221
810 N. Avenue E, Shiner, Texas 77984-0221
Phone: (361) 594-4180
Website: http://www.shinertx.com/
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Anyone
wishing to share history, stories or photos of Shiner, Texas, please contact
us.
© John Troesser
First published Summer, 1998 |
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