Travel to Menard and you’ll find a quiet town with a population of 1,300 people. If it had been up to the Spanish 300 years ago, you might be standing in the largest city in Texas. But because their efforts failed, Menard is now a small, often overlooked, outpost somewhere near the line where the Hill Country turns into the West. For those who are up for the journey, it offers an incredible trip and a glimpse into why folks have always wanted to live here in “Summerland.”
Presidio de San Saba
Anybody with a love for history or who wants to understand Menard’s deep and storied past, must start at the crumbling ruins of this old Spanish fort which tells the epic story of riches, conquest, and bloodshed. It was originally built in 1757 when Spain decided to push past the already-established forts of San Antonio to fend off the French and chase down the legends of a bountiful Apache silver mine. They brought a large force of 300 soldiers and their families to build a true post on the frontier. Within a year, the fort’s corresponding mission was attacked by a band of Native Americans, including Comanches, Kiowas, and others which set off a decade of fighting between the soldiers, missionaries, and tribes. Eventually, Spain retreated back to San Antonio in 1768, never to return again. Over the years, the ruins were abandoned, rebuilt, turned into a golf course, excavated, and now preserved for us all to explore.
Texas Scratch Kitchen
If you’re looking for an authentic French bakery run by three British sisters, who also happen to be teenagers, then you’re in the right place. This talented trio moved to Menard (their mother’s home) and missed the delicious pastries they knew growing up in England. They perfected their bread-making abilities and decided to open their own shop. They serve some of the best sweets in Texas and have a full lunch menu of sandwiches, salads, and the occasional pasta.
Fort McKavett
About 100 years after Presidio was abandoned, the U.S. Army returned to finish the task of taming the West. This fort is now one of the best preserved forts in Texas with buildings, barracks, and quarters spread across its grounds. A tour will take you back in time to the days of the famous “buffalo soldiers” who were freed Black citizens enlisted by the army after the Civil War. Many were sent to the Texas frontier including Sgt. Emanuel Stance who was the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor post Civil War when he rescued a boy and horses that had been stolen by a band of Apaches.
San Saba River
One of the main reasons folks have flocked to this region for hundreds of years is the flowing San Saba River. It cuts right through the heart of town offering ample places to fish, hike the banks, or dip your feet in and cool off. If you’re looking for full immersion, then head to the “hippie hot tub” located about 8 miles west of town where a rock shelf creates a horseshoe-shaped pool.
Summerland public house
According to an Apache legend, this area was called “Summerland” and if you drank from its river, you would always long to return. The owners of this local pub and restaurant have definitely created a place worth coming back to, over and over again. They craft delicious food from scratch, including oozing smash burgers and crispy hand-tossed pizza. Come on the right evening, and you just might enjoy a live-lobster dinner as the owner is known for changing things up often.
So whether you follow my footsteps or forge your own path, I hope to see you on the road.
Chet Garner is the host of The Daytripper® travel show on PBS.
To view the Menard episode, visit thedaytripper.com.
Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and X @chettripper.