Top 7 Sights & Landmarks in New Braunfels, Texas (TX)

A former ghost town that offers a General Store and souvenir shops as well as THE Gristmill and Gruene Hall.

Progress has its cost. Like most places, many historic buildings and sites are destroyed to make way for new uses and purposes. But some places beg to be saved and that's how the New Braunfels Conservation Plaza & the New Braunfels Conservation Society was started. The Conservation Society was founded in 1964 to save the Lindheimer house-one of New Braunfels' historic homes. As IH-35 corridor developed through the community, the Conservation Society raised funds to save and move notable structures onto our 3.5-acre village. Over the years, our mission has grown to preserve and promote the history and heritage of New Braunfels, a mission that continues today. One-by-one, and over 50 years, historic German homes and businesses were donated & relocated to Conservation Plaza in order to save them. Private donations paved the way for the restoration of these historic structures. We have now created a Village: Old Town at Conservation Plaza. Many of these buildings also contain their original contents and furnishings like The Jahn Cabinet Shop, The Baetge Haus, Forke Store, Haelbig Music Studio and the Jahn house. A few have been preserved in their original locations like Ferdinand Lindheimier's House (the Father of Texas Botony), the Arnold-Rauch-Brandt 1853 Farmstead, the Gerlich-Wagenfuehr Haus, Church Hill Schoolhouse and The Buckhorn Barbershop. The New Braunfels Conservation Society is proud to be the custodian and caretaker of these historic buildings and sites that showcase both the lost German art of Fachwerk construction methods like the adobe brick, waddle & daub, rammed earth, fieldstone, and cut stone. Experience the craftsmanship, daily life and traditions at Old Town at Conservation Plaza. Tours available by appointment or during regular hours. No admission fees but donations are appreciated to help us keep the lanterns burning! Bring your kids and the Grandparents... It is a great experience for them to explore together with grandma and grandpa relating to them how it was when they were kids and the grand-kids being amazed! Home-school groups call ahead. You will love our hands on history! Bring your lunch and spend the day! It is also a great place to be married, have an adult birthday party, company event or family reunion.

Every story has a beginning and the saga of New Braunfels starts here! Take a journey to Texas with Prince Carl and his group of German colonists as they cross the ocean to establish a new colony at the edge of Indian Territory. Live their dream of freedom, adventure and prosperity. Exhibits rich in local artifacts, photographic images, maps and documents take visitors through the history and cultural heritage of New Braunfels and Comal County. The archives is one of the largest repositories of information chronicling the German immigration movement to Texas. The collection includes more than a million photographic images, newspapers, oral history recordings, government and church records, and genealogical information. Sophie's Shop, the museum store, carries the best in German collectibles, including nutcrackers, smokers, and Inge-Glas ornaments, as well as, books on New Braunfels, Texas, and regional history. Find New Braunfels souvenir t-shirts and decor to remember your trip.