A Visit to Historic Fredericksburg, the One in Texas

Posted on December 8, 2023 by

31 Comments

Mention Fredericksburg and everyone will assume you mean the one in Virginia, site of a major Civil War Battlefield. But did you know there’s a Fredericksburg in the middle of Texas with just as much history?

I discovered it when planning the itinerary for our recent trip. I knew it would be a hit with my husband who’s a World War 2 buff and would enjoy the first-class museum there. And I knew I’d like visiting one of the most charming towns in Texas with its German history, town square, shops and eateries.

We were both happy.

“Fredericksburg was founded on May 8, 1846, by German immigrants under the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas. John O. Meusebach chose the location for the second of the Society’s colonies four miles north of the Pedernales River between two creeks.”

The City of Fredericksburg Texas

We walked through the old buildings at the Pioneer Museum and learned about German immigration to Texas. We met a visiting German couple who told us their town has its own museum focused on the emigration side of the story. Small world, indeed.

We visited the Markt Platz (market square) in the center of town,

and its most iconic structure, the Vereins Kirche (“society church”) which was the hub of community activities including church and school.

And we came across a memorial to the only Peace Treaty made with Native Americans thought to never be broken.

“On March 1, 1847, Meusebach met with several tribes of Comanche Indians unarmed to negotiate a treaty between the Tribes and the town of Fredericksburg. Meusebach asked that the townsfolk be allowed to farm the land along the Llano in return for the Comanche being allowed in town at any time. He furthered the offer by promising that in times of hunger, the town would provide the Tribes with grain in return for game, honey, and bear fat.”

The City of Fredericksburg, TX

Later that night we visited the Market Square and found it all lit up for Christmas Nights of Lights.

It was gorgeous.

But by now you may be wondering – where’s the promised World War 2 museum and what’s it doing in the middle of Texas?

I’m glad you asked!

It turns out that Fredericksburg was the hometown of Admiral Chester Nimitz, Chief Commander of the Pacific Fleet during WW2.

“After brilliantly leading American forces to victory in World War II, Fleet Admiral Nimitz, the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas, hauled down his flag at Pearl Harbor and relieved Fleet Admiral King as Chief of Naval Operations. Accorded a hero’s welcome at home, the quiet, self-effacing officer described himself as merely “a representative of the brave men who fought” under his command.

Naval History and Heritage Command

An outstanding leader, Nimitz would only agree to a museum in his hometown, if it honored all those who fought in the Pacific War. As I went through the Nimitz Gallery, I was impressed with the man and longed for the kind of noble, selfless leadership he represented.

The National Museum of the Pacific War contains thousands of artifacts and stories from the many battles of the Pacific.

It also has the only surviving submarine used by the Japanese in their attack on Pearl Harbor.

There are many outdoor exhibits including a memorial to the presidents who served during WW2,

and a theatre in the Pacific Combat Zone, where examples of the terrain, trenches and fortified cave positions the Japanese created to battle U.S. forces on those islands are replicated. Living history reenactments occur throughout the year though not while we were there.

My husband spent most of his time inside the museum but there was too much information for me; I preferred wandering the grounds. One of my favorite places was the Japanese Peace Garden, for its simple beauty and what it represents, ‘a gift from the people of Japan, in honor of all that Fleet Admiral Nimitz did to improve U.S./Japanese relations after the war.’

I hope you enjoyed this tour of Fredericksburg.

I’ll leave you with that elusive hope of peace.

~ Susanne

Category: Art and Museums, TravelTags: , , ,

31 Comments on “A Visit to Historic Fredericksburg, the One in Texas”

  1. A very beautiful post, Susanne, I love your photos and descriptions of Fredericksburg. I’ve never been there. The name Nimitz always says Navy Vessel. Have a great weekend!

  2. A lot to see there, and I like how they did a ‘fair deal’ with the local tribes to avoid conflict.
    But 1846 is relatively ‘modern’ to someone from London. 🙂
    Best wishes, Pete.

  5. I have heard of this Fredericksburg but I knew nothing about it. The Pioneer Museum looks right up my street, the war museum less so, although I love the Japanese garden and the sentiment behind it. I also love that Peace Treaty memorial! And the Christmas lights are so pretty 🙂

  6. Thanks so much for taking me along on this photo journey! So much to see – now I want to visit in person!!

  7. I knew none of this beyond knowing about Germans in Texas. I was most intrigued by the recreation of the trenches used by the Japanese in the Pacific arm of the war.

    • I didn’t know much of the German history till I dug into the town. I remember also being puzzled about a Pacific War Museum in the middle of Texas, until I learned about Nimitz,

  8. When we lived in Point Venture ( On Lake Travis). We had a place on the 3rd hole of the Point Venture Golf Course. We went to Fredericksburg a few times. We visited a lot of the wineries in town on Main St. Great wines. Please visit soon.

    • We enjoyed our time in Fredericksburg. And noticed the many wineries in the region but didn’t stop as we were pressed for time and our itinerary already full.

  10. That WWII museum is massive. The one time we had the chance to visit my husband and I were there for hours and only left because we were starving. Great post!

  11. Your photos capture the charming town well. I grew up in Texas and I think it is one of the most authentic towns in the state. Where else could you enjoy a good glass of wine along with a Tex-Mex food or a schnitzel in a German beer garden. 😊

    • Thanks so much for your comment. I think “authentic” describes Fredericksburg perfectly! I did quite a bit of research before our trip, and I knew this was the small Texas town I wanted to visit!

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