Cofran's Texas . . .
Hill Country Portal

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

CITY: Unincorporated

CHAMBER, TOURISM & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

• Hye Preservation Society: POB 292, Hye, TX 78635

NEIGHBORING TOWNS: 6 mi NE of Albert, Stonewall, 18 mi NW of Blanco, 4 mi E of Luckenbach, 10 mi W of Johnson City, 12 mi SW of Sandy, 1 mi E of LBJ National and State Historical Parks at Stonewall, 19 mi E of Fredericksburg

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS: Ranching, tourism, wineries/distillery

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: See full details in Directory below.

• Garrison Brothers Distillery: 830-392-0246; garrisonbros.com. Home of the first legal bourbon distiller in Texas, and now in full production. Tours by apmt.
• Hye Market & Tasting Room: 830-868-2300, in the historic Post Office building
• Wineries: See list below
• Hye Historic Post Office: Opened 1886, still in use today but not modernized. President Lyndon B. Johnson, at the age of 4, mailed his first letter here. Lawrence O'Brien was sworn into President Johnson's Cabinet as Post Master General on the steps of the store in October 1965. This historic building is also a general store.

NEARBY & HILL COUNTRY-WIDE ATTRACTIONS: See Attractions

Some of the very nearby attractions include:

• Albert: Albert Texas Ice House & Dance Hall; Historic School House
• Blanco: Historic Town Square & Courthouse; Real Ale Brewing Co
• Fredericksburg: Fort; Butterfly Ranch; Herb Farm; Theater; Trade Days; Museums; Dulcimers; Historic German Downtown; Jewelry Workshop; Rockbox; Wildseed Farm; Cowboy Ranch
• Johnson City: Exotic Zoo Resort; Texas Hills Winery; Whittington's Jerky; Historic Courthouse & Jail; Lavender Farms; Wildflower Capital; Bamberger Ranch; LBJ Boyhood Home
• Luckenbach: Luckenbach Dance Hall & General Store
• Stonewall: Peaches; Vineyards; Lavender; Sauer-Beckmann Living History Farm; LBJ State & National Parks (Texas White House)

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

• Blanco: Blanco State Park
• Fredericksburg: Admiral Nimitz State Historic Site & National Museum Of The Pacific War; Enchanted Rock State Natural Area; Lady Bird Municipal Park
• Johnson City: Pedernales Falls State Park; LCRA Pedernales River Nature Park; LBJ National Park
• Stonewall: LBJ State & National Historical Parks

Local parks include: Hye Community Park

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; Hill Country-wide Weather

MEDIA COVERAGE: See full details in Directory below.

• On-Line News: Google News
• Newspapers, Radio/TV, Articles & Videos: "Say Hi to Hye", Texas Highways Article, On-Line, 11/2015

MAPS: Local Google; Hill Country Special Maps

ROADS: For detailed listing of county, state and federal roads in Blanco County, including an interactive map, click: Roads

HISTORY: See Handbook of Texas Online:
"Whites settled the area in 1860 when a number of farming and ranching families moved to Rocky Creek, three miles east of the site of present Hye. Rocky, as this area of settlement came to be called, continued to grow steadily throughout the 1860s and 1870s with the influx of both German and Anglo settlers. In 1880 Hiram G. (Hye) Brown, for whom the community was later named, built a small store and house south of the Pedernales River on the Austin-fredericksburg road at the location of present Hye. Brown had come with his parents to Rocky eight years earlier. In 1886 he established a post office at Hye, which he operated as part of his general store. After the post office came in, other businesses were begun in the area, including a gristmill and a blacksmith shop. In 1906 a cotton gin was erected at Hye, and it continued to operate until 1945. In 1904 Brown built a new structure to house the post office and his business on the south side of the road just opposite its old location. This building, the Hye General Store and Post Office, which in 1966 was entered in the state archives as a Recorded Texas Historical Landmark, still stands today and continues to serve its original function. Hye gained particular attention in 1965 when President Lyndon Johnson used the front porch of the post office as the setting for his appointment of Lawrence F. O'Brien as United States Postmaster General. Johnson, whose boyhood home is nearby, also claimed to have mailed his first letter at the age of four from the Hye post office. The population of Hye was estimated at 200 during the 1920s and 1930s. It dropped to fifty during World War II and then climbed gradually from ninety in 1947 to a postwar high of 140 in 1968. From 1970 to 2000 it was estimated at 105."

According to the local Heritage Farms web site: "Hiram ("Hye") G. Brown founded Hye in 1880. Hye Brown decided the area needed a post office so in January of 1886, he applied to the US Post Office and on April 17, 1886, the Hye Post Office was established with "Hye" serving as Post Master. Some of the unique happenings at the Hye Post Office are: President Lyndon B. Johnson, at the age of four, mailed his first letter here. Lawrence O'Brien was sworn into President Johnson's Cabinet as Post Master General on the steps of the store in October 1965. "Hye" was born August 4, 1853, in Mississippi; he came to Texas about 1866. "Hye" Brown married Margaret Steen and they had six children."

According to Patrich Watson: "Hiram G. (Hye) Brown .... was born in Mississippi on August 4th, 1853, and moved to Texas with his parents in 1866, settling in Gonzales County. The family moved to Blanco County in 1872, where three weeks later Hye’s father, Willis T. Brown, died and was buried in the Blanco cemetery. In 1874, Hye went back to Gonzales and married Margaret Ann Steen. They lived at Fort McKavett until 1880, when they came back and settled in Hye. Hye decided the area needed a post office, so in January of 1886, he applied to the United States Postmaster General. On April 17th the Hye Post Office was established! It was named after him and he served as postmaster until 1917. The family still has the original letter from the Postmaster General. One of Hye’s daughters married James Phillip Watson and had two sons Porter and Thomas. They and their wives are still alive and well, and their families still own the family ranch - The 4B."

PRIOR CITY NAMES:

HISTORICAL MARKERS: See photo above at Post Office

CEMETERIES: Hye Cemetery

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

PORTAL PHOTO GALLERY: Hye

OTHER PROFILES: City Data (not available); Texas Escapes; Wikipedia

NOTES:
• No longer is there a TXDOT rest stop on US-290 on the E side of Hye.

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BUSINESS & ORGANIZATION DIRECTORY

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

CRIME STOPPERS-REPORT ANONYMOUSLY: 1-800-222-8477; or click: Stoppers

CRISIS HOTLINES: click Hotlines-Emergencies

LOCAL CITY GOVERNMENT: Unincorporated

LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT: See: Blanco County Government Offices

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

US POSTAL SERVICE (USPS): 800-275-8777; usps.com
Local post office: 830-644-2465; 10261 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635




DAY & SEASON HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES:

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

(MARY RUTH) WALLIS: 325-247-5983; Hye, TX 78635. Located 4 mi S of Hye. Weekend hunting






ALEXANDER'S INN: 830-584-5400; 8263 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. alexandersinn.co

COUNTRY CABINS, RV SITES & HUNTING RANCH: 830-868-7447; 1431 Hye-Albert Road (FM-206), Hye, TX 78635

HILL COUNTRY GUEST HOUSES: 512-845-8137; 1023 Lange Rd, Hye, TX 78635

HYE-WAY HAUS BED & BREAKFAST: 830-265-0457; 10120 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. Web

HOME SWEET HYE CABIN: 512-516-2273; Hye, TX 78635. Facebook




DIEKE'S GARAGE: 830-644-5513; 10222 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635

HYE THAI: 830-225-3554; 123 Rocky Rd, Hye, TX 78635. hyethai.com. Food truck at Hye Cider

HUMMINGBIRD FARMS: 830-868-7862; 9340 US-290 W, Johnson City, TX 78636. hummingbird-farms.com. Lavender

HYE FALUTIN FOODS: Hye, TX 78635

HYE HALL: 830-868-2300; 10260 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. Facebook. Built in the early 1900s by Hiram Brown, it provided a community gathering space and was used for dances, barbeques, school plays, and political rallies for many years, and then retired. Restored in 2019 by Jason Cook, and now open to the public again. Location: W of Johnson City, E of Stonewall, at Hye-Albert Rd intersection, across from US Post Office.

HYE MARKET & HYE END TASTING ROOM: Closed

HYE PIPE & FEED: 830-868-0200; 10243 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. pipemovers.com

HYE PRESERVATION SOCIETY: POB 292, Hye, TX 78635

HYE RV & BOAT STORAGE: 512-829-1061; 8679 US-290, Hye, TX 78635. hyervandboat.com

H.Y.E. STABLES: 830-456-7682; Hye, TX 78635. Facebook. Horse boarding

JAMES PATRICK WATSON: 210-279-4259; POB 243, 9726 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. jamespatrickwatson.com. Rustic Art Gallery

L & L DRILLING COMPANY: 830-868-7427, 888-759-9121; Drawer 217, CR-206, Hye, TX 78635.

MARTIN LTD: 830-832-1723; POB 203, Hye, TX 78636. Kevin Martin

McCARVER CONSTRUCTION: 830-868-9067; POB 266, Hye, TX 78635. mccarverconstruction.com.

RUSTIC ART GALLERY: 210-279-4259; 9726 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. rusticartgallery.com. Custom log furniture

SOUTH TEXAS GUNS: 830-868-2990; 683 RR-1320, Hye, TX 78635. Chuck Moon

STONEWALL HEAD START, INC: Moved. See listings for: Johnson City

(The) VINTNER VAULT TEXAS: 830-267-8888; 9953 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. thevintnervault.com

4B RANCH CAMPGROUND, RV PARK, EVENTS & FESTIVALS: 830-998-0030; POB 243, 9726 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. Facebook. Since 1880. Annual Hye Heritage Festival in April




GARRISON BROTHERS DISTILLERY: 830-392-0246; 1827 Hye-Albert Rd, Hye, TX 78635. garrisonbros.com. Whiskey

HORN WINERY & AZEO DISTILLERY: 844-493-4676; 9953 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. hornwinery.com. Wine, grape vodka, apple vodka, silver rum, gold rum, moonshine, spirit of agave - silver & gold, apple brandy, black label brandy and peach brandy

HYE RUM: Closed

TEXAS MEAD WORKS: 830-79-9463; 8500 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. bluelotuswinery.com. Located at Blue Lotus Winery, see above. Honey-based mead

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

Note: There are no local utility providers based in the Hye area. See surrounding larger towns of Johnson City, Blanco and Fredericksburg.





BINGHAM FAMILY VINEYARDS: 830-644-2081; 11157 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. binghamfamilyvineyards.com. Wine, tasting, club, pizza and chocolate. 100% Estate Texas wine. Winery in Meadow Texas.

BLUE LOTUS WINERY: 830-379-9463; 8500 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. bluelotuswinery.com. Wine, mead, tasting room, appetizers

CALAIS WINERY: 830-213-2124; 8115 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. calaiswinery.com. Boutique winery. Tastings and visits by apmt. Events

FRENCH CONNECTION WINES (x-COMPASS ROSE CELLARS): 830-850-4091; 1197 Hye-Albert Rd, Hye, TX 78635. frenchconnectionhye.com. New Onrs and theme, selling Rhône-style wines they make at Calais Winery (see above).

HORN WINERY & AZEO DISTILLERY: 844-493-4676; 9953 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. hornwinery.com. Wine, grape vodka, apple vodka, silver rum, gold rum, moonshine, spirit of agave - silver & gold, apple brandy, black label brandy and peach brandy

HYE MEADOW WINERY: 512-961-5984; 10257 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. hyemeadow.com. A new winery on 62 acres with a mission to "offer a spot to relax with great wine and make you never want to leave".

KERRVILLE HILLS WINERY-(The) HILL AT HYE: 830-377-1254; 11247 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. thehillathye.com. Located in downtown Hye, on N side. Tasting room only. House brand and guest wines.

PONTOTOC VINEYARD PICNIC TABLE: 7899 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635. On S side of US-290. See Weingarten in Fredericksburg and Vineyard/Winery in Pontotoc. This location is an historic gas station venue converted into distillery, guest house (Camp Wanderlust). Enjoy Pontotoc and other local wines, their own picnic baskets and snacks, and outdoor games. Local produce also available.

SERRANO WINE: 805-792-7694; 566 Rocky Rd, Hye, TX 78635. serranowine.com. Vineyards, winery, tasting room, club.

TEJAS WINERY: Closed

TEXAS WINE CLUB: 281-665-0589; 272 Rocky Rd, Hye, TX 78635. txwine.com. Discover fine Texas Wine with exceptional quality, small lots, boutique wine. 100% Texan. We double blind-taste & rate hundreds of Texas wines each month. Only the best vintages, reserves, & secret stashes make it into boxes of pure Texas bliss, delivered directly to your door.

830 998-7654

10352 US-290 W, Hye, TX 78635


Tasting Room Hours: Mon-Wed 10a-5p, Thurs-Sat 10a-6p, Sun 12p-5p and by appointment

Family-owned winery and vineyard operation on the W edge of Hye, Texas in the Hill Country AVA (American Viticultural Area). Founded in 2009, William Chris is first defined by a sensational portfolio of Texas grown hand-crafted wines. An unsurpassed commitment to sustainable wine making and an individualistic style shows through in every glass. Using small batch fermentation and old-world "by hand" techniques we can achieve a level of wine quality which is truly unique to Texas. A century-old farm house, breathtaking views of the Hill Country, handcrafted Texas wines. Come share a piece of our world....

>> Click www.williamchriswines.com for more details.

ZERO 815 WINERY: Closed

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