Cofran's Texas . . .
Hill Country Portal

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

CITY: Not incorporated

CHAMBER, TOURISM & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Nothing formal

NEIGHBORING TOWNS: Hye; Kendalia; Luckenbach; Sisterdale; and Stonewall

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS: Ranching, Ice House & Dance Hall

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: See details in Directory below.

• Albert Texas Ice House & Beer Garden: Popular with locals for great music, cold beer, dancing, and a table arrangement under one of the largest oak trees in Texas. A frequent hangout for motorcyclists and locals.
• Albert Texas Historic Dance Hall: Restored historic dance hall, active again with live dancing and venue events.
• Williams Creek School House & Community Center: Restored historic school house attended by LBJ in 1921; now serving as an active community center. Tours available.

NEARBY & HILL COUNTRY-WIDE ATTRACTIONS: See Attractions

Some of the very nearby attractions include:

• Hye: Garrison Whisky Distillery; Wineries; Historic Post Office
• Luckenbach: Luckenbach Dance Hall & General Store
• Stonewall: Peaches; Vineyards; Wineries; Lavender; Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm

PARKS: There are many state and national parks in the greater area as profiled on the Parks page. These nearby parks include:

• Stonewall: LBJ State & National Historical Parks

Local city parks include: None

EVENT CALENDARS: Festivals & Major Events; Local Activities & Fun Things To Do; Farmer & Flea Market Days; Specialty & Seasonal Market Days; Art & Galleries; Quilting & Fiber Arts; Car Shows; Motorcycling Events; Beer & Brewing; Wine; Pet Events

WEATHER: Local Weather (Fredericksburg); Hill Country-wide Weather

MEDIA COVERAGE:

• On-Line News: Google News
• Newspapers, Radio/TV, Articles & Videos:

MAPS: Local Google; Hill Country Special Maps

HISTORY: Handbook of Texas Online: "The earliest known settlers in the area were George Cauley, Ben White, Sr., and a man named Jacobs. The town dates from 1877, when Fritz Wilke, George Maenius, and John Petri moved from Fredericksburg seeking new grazing lands for their cattle. Wilke, a blacksmith, bought his land from a man named Elmeier, who was murdered in a robbery several years later. The town was originally called Martinsburg after an early settler and was a stop on the Fredericksburg-Blanco stage route. The Martinsburg post office operated from 1877 to 1886, when mail was routed through nearby Hye in Blanco County. In 1892, however, Martinsburg got a new post office and a new name, thanks to Albert Luckenbach, who sold his store in Luckenbach, moved to Martinsburg, and opened a new post office, which he registered as Albert. The first local school was established in 1891, and in 1897 postmaster Otto Schumann opened the town's first store. The Albert Echo, a singing society, was founded the following year. In 1900 a new school building was erected; there the young Lyndon Baines Johnson was enrolled for a year. A local Lutheran mission was established in 1902 and eventually grew into what was often called the Lutheran Church of Stonewall, which Johnson attended. Albert had fifty residents in 1925, four in 1964, and twenty-five in 1972. By 1985 the store had been torn down, the school was a community club, and the town's dance hall was partitioned and used for storage; Albert still had twenty-five residents and two businesses. The reported population in 1990 and again in 2000 was twenty-five."

See Wikipedia: "The area was first settled by George Cauley, Ben White, Sr., and a man named Jacobs. Around 1877, blacksmith Fritz Wilke, George Maenius, and John Petri moved from Fredericksburg seeking pasture for their cattle. Wilke bought land from a man named Elmeier, who was robbed and murdered years later. The Martinsburg post office operated from 1877 to 1886. In 1892, Martinsburg got a new post office and a new name, after Albert Luckenbach sold his store in Luckenbach, and arrived to register a new post office in town, under the name Albert. A school was established in 1891, and in 1897 postmaster Otto Schumann opened the town's first store. In 1900 a new school building was erected where Lyndon Baines Johnson was briefly enrolled. A local Lutheran mission, the Lutheran Church of Stonewall, was established in 1902 which LBJ attended.

The town was a stop on the Fredericksburg-Blanco stage route and in 1967 became a stop on the President's Ranch Trail. In late October 2007, the town was put up for sale on the auction website eBay.

Albert had 50 residents in 1925, only 4 in 1964, and 25 in 1972. By 1985 the store had been torn down, the school converted into a community club, and the dance hall a storage locker, though Albert still had 25 residents and two businesses. The population would stay at 25 through 2000, but by 2007, the town had been all but abandoned. "

See www.alberttexas.com/history

PRIOR CITY NAMES: Martinsburg

HISTORICAL MARKERS: See Texas Historical Commission's Historic Sites Atlas: atlas.thc.state.tx.us. Includes interactive map plus detailed descriptions of historical markers, cemeteries, museums, all searchable by county.
• Williams Creek School House

CEMETERIES: See THC Historic Sites Atlas above.
• Wilke Cemetery, on RR-1623 just E of the Ice House

AVAILABLE SERVICES: Gas: no; Convenience Stores: no; Restaurants: no; Lodging: no; Grocery Stores: no; Banks: no; Vehicle Repair: no; Hospital: no; Med Clinic: no; Post Office: no; Public Schools: no; Cemetery: yes

OTHER PROFILES: City Data (not available); Texas Escapes with good photos; Travel Texas (not available); Wikipedia

NOTE: The Albert Ice House is the only business here and is "the town". It is a very popular biker destination because of the remote setting, huge oak trees, music and "cold beer". It is adjacent to the 85 year old Albert Dance Hall (which remains intact) and the historical school referenced above. Pecan and peach trees in area. The entire town of 13 acres is one property.

NOTE: Postal addresses carry the name of the nearby post office in Stonewall.





BUSINESS & ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY

EMERGENCIES
(Police, Fire, EMS/Medical)
Dial 911

CRIME STOPPERS-REPORT ANONYMOUSLY-CASH REWARD: 830-997-8477; or text keyword "TIP 830 and your tip" to 274637; or click: Stoppers




LOCAL CITY GOVERNMENT: Unincorporated

LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT: Click: Gillespie County Government Offices

STATE & FEDERAL GOVERNMENT: For offices that represent the Hill Country,
click: Texas & Federal Government Offices

CRISIS HOTLINES: click Hotlines-Emergencies

DAY & SEASON HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES:

See full list of leases for this town at: Hunting & Fishing.






ALBERT COMMUNITY CLUB: 830-644-2651; Ada Wilke, President. Meets at Williams Creek School house (see below). For club information and building rental: James Franze, 970-777-0644.

ALBERT TEXAS ICEHOUSE & BEER GARDEN: 830-644-2042; 5435 RR-1623 S, Albert, TX 78671. alberttexas.com. Popular with locals for great music, cold beer, dancing, and a table arrangement under one of the largest oak trees in Texas. A frequent hangout for motorcyclists and locals.>

ALBERT TEXAS DANCE HALL: A restored historic dance hall, active again with live dancing and venue events. See above website, same location and contact.

PAW & ORDER C.I.: 830-992-0594; 855-282-1296; 1908 Lower Albert Rd, Albert, TX 78671. Dog Trainer

(HISTORIC) WILLIAMS CREEK SCHOOL HOUSE & COMMUNITY CENTER: 830-644-2651; 5501 RR-1623 S, Albert, TX 78671
Restored historic school house attended by LBJ in 1921; now serving as an active community center. Tours available. This historic limestone schoolhouse was built in 1897 and consolidated with Fredericksburg in 1950. Future President Lyndon B. Johnson attended in 1921. From the historical marker: "Established to serve the rural Albert community. the Williams Creek School, also known as the Albert School, began in 1890-91 near the creek in 1897. Trustees approved construction of a stone schoolhouse at this site. They enlarged the school to two rooms in 1922, constructing a frame addition clad in brick-faced metal siding. A dogtrot separates the two main rooms and the original bell tower became a central feature. For one year, the young Lyndon Baines Johnson, an area native, attended the school, which merged with Stonewall in 1950, and the building has since provided space for a community club, which meets regularly, as well as other local events." Now also serves as the Community Center and can be rented for social functions. See more details above in History and Marker sections. See Gillespie County Historic Schools Profile including town and school history and pictures. Facebook

CALL or e-Locate BEFORE YOU DIG!
Free Texas 811 Locator
1-800-344-8377
www.texas811.org

HILL COUNTRY-WIDE UTILITY PROVIDERS:

For Hill Country area utility service providers (electric, gas, water, sewer, trash),
telecom providers (land lines, cellular service, TV, internet), and related services (package delivery, newspaper, etc.), click: Utilities & Telecom




NARROW PATH WINERY & VINEYARD: 830-644-2144; 6331 RR-1623 S, Albert, TX 78671. narrowpathwinery.com. Vineyard, winery, tasting room, club.

Note: Also see La View winery listed below in Blanco that is actually very close to Albert.

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