With its rolling hills and relaxed pace, Schulenburg will put a little oompah in your step

With COVID-19 (Coronavirus) everyone’s lives—yours and ours—were thrown into a scrambled state of flux. Someday, we’ll all be ready to pack the RV again and head out on our next adventure. In the meantime, here’s some inspiration for the future.

Located at the intersection of Interstate 10 and US 77, Schulenburg may be best known as a reliable stop for a kolache fix. But with its roots in German and Czech settlement, this little town offers numerous cultural attractions including the Schulenburg Historical Museum, Texas Polka Music Museum, the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum, and the spectacular painted churches.

Schulenburg © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Schulenburg, like many of the small Central Texas towns, was settled by German and Czech settlers in the mid-nineteenth century. Founded in 1873 when the railway officially came through town, it grew to 1,000 residents by 1884, and the arrival of a Carnation Milk condensing plant in 1929 put the town on the map. The plant still operates now part of Dairy Farmers of America and employs more than 200 people making dips and salsas.

Schulenburg © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

The area has the rolling hills and the beautiful bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes in the spring. Schulenburg is not the Hill Country and not the lakes but is nestled in between the hills. And not far from Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Victoria, or Waco either. Schulenburg is halfway to everywhere.

Original Kountry Bakery © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

There are a lot of locally owned businesses throughout the community that set the town apart. You can start your day by indulging in the Czech breakfast of champions: kolaches. While Texans ascribe the name to both the fruit and meat variety (pig-in-a-blanket) of this bready pastry, I’m drawn to the buttery goodness of traditional fruit kolaches at the Original Kountry Bakery.

Original Kountry Bakery © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

The first one melted in my mouth so quickly that I had to grab a few more to go. Kountry Bakery’s stew and chilli are also lunchtime favorites. And the best part about eating lunch at Kountry Bakery are all the sweets to pick up for desert.

Potter Country Store © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

With a giant squirrel sign outside shouting “How ’Bout Them Nuts,” I had no choice but to stop at the Potter Country Store offering local pecans in every form and flavor, including raw, roasted, chocolate-covered, and stuffed in pies. They even had a warm cinnamon variety ready for “grab and go” consumption.

Schulenburg Historical Museum © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Then, learn about their heritage and culture by visiting the Schulenburg Historical Museum. Originally opened in 1894, Sengelmann Hall features a big wooden bar and long family-style tables. Live music is a popular draw here and the food is better than ever thanks to Momma’s at Sengelmann’s which serves up homemade pizza, burgers, and pork schnitzel. Order with a big German beer and toast “Prost”.

Sengelmann Hall © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

To put some oompah in your day, walk to the Texas Polka Music Museum which honors the many artists who have brought polka power to Texas. There were old records, instruments, and even some DJ equipment from a local all-polka radio station. Visit the gift shop and purchase a polka CD to enjoy some road-trip tunes on the way home.

Texas Polka Museum © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Next stop: the Stanzel Model Aircraft Museum, dedicated to the local brothers who pioneered miniature aviation. Their most well-known plane, the “Tiger Shark,” was the first control-line model kit in the world. The well-designed complex was packed with drawings, old machines, and the stories of how Victor and Joe Stanzel founded one of the most-loved model plane companies in America.

Schulenburg © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Cruise the countryside and follow the steeple on the horizon to St. Mary Catholic Church in High Hill, one of the area’s famed “Painted Churches.” While the brick facade may seem typical for a country church, inside lies a sanctuary full of ornate sculptures, stained glass, and paintings that rival those in the cathedrals of Europe.

Driving the countryside of Fayette County St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ammannsville

The Painted Churches of Fayette County are a sight to be seen. Go inside a plain white steeple church and you will find a European styled painted church of high gothic windows, tall spires, elaborately painted interiors with brilliant colors, and friezes created by the German and Czech settlers in America.

Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Dubina Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Dubin

In total there are more than a half-dozen of these painted churches including the three others we visited: Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Dubina (pictured above), St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Praha, and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ammannsville (pictured below), known as “The Pink One.”

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ammannsville

It’s not surprising that the Czechs and Germans brought their religious traditions to Texas, but it is surprising that they were able to construct such magnificent churches on the Texas frontier.

Texas Spoken Friendly

Worth Pondering…

No matter how far we may wander, Texas lingers with us, coloring our perceptions of the world.

—Elmer Kelto