Kerrville, Texas is a popular senior vacation community in the Texas Hill Country.

Kerrville TX History

Kerrville originated as a successful shinglemaker’s camp that grew into a mercantile and shipment center for the middle and upper Hill Country. The town came to prominence in 1857 when German master miller Christian Dietert and millwright Balthasar Lich started a large grist and saw mill on the bluff. This mill had a permanent source of power and protection from floods and became the most extensive operation of its kind in the Hill Country.

The Civil War slowed economic development and split the town. However, Reconstruction brought an economic boom to Kerrville. Demand in San Antonio for lumber, produce and craftsmen, the expansion of cattle, sheep, and goat ranching and the cessation of Indian raids all combined to boost the local economy. Cattle drives during the 1880’s and 1890’s were instrumental in attracting more business to the area.

Kerrville Texas – Paradise for Hunters, Bird Watchers and Artists

Today, Kerrville is still a thriving town and home to a large number of artisans, painters, writers, and musicians. James Avery, the nationally known craftsman of gold and silver jewelry, has his headquarters in Kerrville. The Kerrville Area offers year-round exotic game hunting as well as seasonal hunting of whitetail deer, turkey, quail and dove. The area is also a bird watcher's paradise for the number of species and the rare and endangered birds sighted. It is possible to see the Golden-cheeked Warbler, the Black-capped Vireo, the Green Kingfisher, the Zone-tailed Hawk and others.