| SPICEWOOD, Texas -
"Gateway to the Hill Country" - 9 mi SE of Marble
Falls; 10 mi NW of Lakeway; 22 miles NW of Austin on Hwy 71. CHAMBER and TOURISM:
MARBLE FALLS/LAKE LBJ CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
also the LAKE
TRAVIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:
Local Guide & Tourism: www.spicewoodtx.us
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS:
BARTON CREEK-LAKESIDE GOLF COURSE (18 hole,
private): 210-693-4589; 830-693-4589; 1800 Clubhouse Hill Drive, Spicewood, TX 78669
CYPRESS VALLEY CANOPY TOURS: 512-264-8880; This eco-adventure destination offers zip line
tours, ropes challenges and places to swim and picnic. More Information.
DEAD MAN'S HOLE: (by Mike Cox in Texas Escapes): "The expression 'he just dropped
out of sight' had both figurative and literal meaning in Burnet County during and after
the Civil War. Common belief held that folks who disappeared in that area often ended up
at the bottom of a 150-plus-deep foot limestone fissure south of Marble Falls aptly named
'Dead Man's Hole.' ". Discovered in 1821, this 155 foot deep cave is believed to
have been the dumping place for victims hung from an oak tree over the hole. Self-guided
tour, always open. SE of Marble Falls, nearer Spicewood, on CR 401 between Hwy 71 and FM
2147 E.
GRELLE RECREATION AREA: On Lake Travis. LCRA park (see Parks & Lakes)
KRAUSE SPRINGS: 830-693-4181; Best known for mini-falls
and natural cold spring pool. Also features spring-fed swimming pool, picnic area, hiking,
RV and tent camping, showers and restrooms. Favorite camp site for scout troops, clubs and
primitive retreats. SE of Marble Falls on Hwy 71 in Spicewood.
LAKE TRAVIS AREA (see Parks & Lakes)
PEDERNALES GOLF COURSE (9 Holes/Semi-Private): 512-264-1489; Rt 1, Briarcliff 2,
Spicewood, TX 78669
SPICEWOOD VINEYARDS: 830-693-5328; 1419 Burnet CR 409, Spicewood, TX 78669; Wed-Sat
10-5; Sun 12-5; or by appt. Tours, tasting room, gallery, and gift shop. Picnic on the
veranda. Special event facilities available for weddings, reunions, retreats and
conference groups. Home of award-winning 100% estate handcrafted wines. Directions: SE of
Marble Falls. From Hwy 71 go S 7/10 mi on CR 408, then W 1.5 mi on CR 409.
STONE HOUSE VINEYARD: 512-264-3630: 24350 Haynie Flat Rd., Spicewood, TX 78669; Fri-Sun
12-5; or by appointment. Beautiful setting on Lake Travis surrounded by vineyards
producing award-winning wines, 35 minutes from Austin. Winery is constructed of massive
limestone blocks making it functional as well as a building of artistic architectural
merit. Directions: Located off Hwy 71 W, turn onto Paleface Ranch Road, 3 mi to junction,
R onto Haynie Flat Road.
HISTORY: "It was probably named for
the spicewood timber on nearby Little Cypress Creek. A post office opened at Spicewood in
1899 with James B. Pangle as postmaster. Nearby communities, such as Corwin, Clover, and
Rockvale in southern Burnet County and Haynie Flat in western Travis County, began using
the Spicewood post office; as these small communities declined in the late nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries, many of their residents turned to Spicewood as the focus of
community life. In 1919 Spicewood replaced Rockvale as the official name of the local
school district. By the mid-1920s the community had about 100 residents; that number had
risen to 125 by 1933. Spicewood businesses prospered when Farm Road 93 (later State
Highway 71) was built through the area in the 1940s; several businesses and scattered
houses marked the community on county highway maps at that time. In 1949 the school at
Haynie Flat was consolidated with the Spicewood district; Spicewood in turn was
consolidated with the Marble Falls Independent School District in 1952. The population of
Spicewood fell to 100 by 1970. It was reported as 110 from 1974 to 1990.
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