DRIPPING SPRINGS, TEXAS. Dripping Springs, on U.S. Highway 290 twenty-five miles west of Austin in northern Hays County, emerged as a community center before the Civil War.qv The first settler in the area is thought to have been a man named Fawcett, who arrived about 1849. Other families began farming the valleys of Little Barton and Onion creeks in the early 1850s, and in 1857 Dripping Springs opened what became a permanent post office. By 1884 the town supported several businesses, including a steam gristmill and cotton gin, and a population of 130. Education was provided by a public school and by the Dripping Springs Academy, which opened in 1881. The settlement's location on the Austin to Fredericksburg road made it a durable community center, and despite a population decline during the Great Depression,qv Dripping Springs developed into the principal town in northern Hays County during the twentieth century. With only minor fluctuations, its population has grown slowly but steadily since World War II.qv In the mid-1980s it reported twenty businesses and more than 600 residents. By 1990 its population had risen to over 1,000, and by 2000 it had grown to 1,548.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Mary Starr Barkley, A History of Central Texas (Austin: Austin Printing, 1970). Dudley Richard Dobie, A Brief History of Hays County and San Marcos, Texas (San Marcos, 1948).

Daniel P. Greene

The Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce is working to ensure that there is a favorable business climate for all types of enterprises and that visitors to the area feel at home as they visit Dripping Springs, Texas, the "Gateway to the Hill Country".

Dripping Springs ISD is located at the gateway to the Texas Hill Country. Under the state accountability rating system, the District is "Recognized" with the High School, Middle School and Walnut Springs Elementary (previously DS Intermediate) as "Recognized" campuses and the Dripping Springs Elementary (formerly DS Primary) as an "Exemplary" campus. The many academic, fine arts, and athletic accomplishments of students and staff bring great pride to the school and community.

With the new school year come new school names and a new school being built in the eastern area of the district. Dripping Springs Primary is now Dripping Springs Elementary and Dripping Springs Intermediate is now Walnut Springs Elementary. Rooster Springs Elementary is scheduled to open next school year on Belterra Drive.

The District affords many opportunities for parent and community member participation in school activities, planning for the future of District schools, and volunteering in a myriad of programs. Please explore this website for information about the District, each campus, school programs and immediate communications.

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Pedernales Falls State Park

History: Pedernales Falls State Park, 5211.7 acres, in Blanco County east of Johnson City, was acquired from private owners in 1970 and was opened to the public in 1971. It is located along the banks of scenic Pedernales River. This area, formerly the Circle Bar Ranch, typifies the Edwards Plateau terrain.

Pedernales Falls is the park's main attraction and may be viewed from a scenic overlook at the north end of the park. In this area, the elevation of the river drops about 50 feet over a distance of 3000 feet, and the cascading falls are formed by the flow of water over the tilted, stair-step effect of layered limestone. These river limestones belong to the 300-million-year-old Marble Falls formation and are part of the southwestern flank of the Llano uplift. These layers of limestone were tilted by the uplift, then eroded long before early Cretaceous seas of the 100-to-120 million years ago covered this part of Texas and deposited sands, gravels, younger limestones, and marine fossils.

Hamilton Pool Preserve is located about 30 miles west of Austin on FM 3238. From SH 71/U.S. 290 junction southwest of Austin, take SH 71 about 81/2miles to FM 3238 (Hamilton Pool Road), turn left and travel about 13 miles to the preserve. The entrance to the 232-acre preserve is on the right. The preserve is managed as a natural area (preserve) with emphasis on habitat protection and restoration, environmental education for public and private groups, and ongoing research; it offers limited, day-use only, with recreational opportunities such as picnicking, hiking, swimming and nature study.

The preserve's pool and grotto were formed when the dome of an underground river collapsed due to massive erosion thousands of years ago. Outstanding features of the preserve include:

Swimming hole and nature trails along the creek. Swimming is allowed only when the water quality meets safe standards. Water quality is monitored regularly. Updated information is posted at the entrance booth and provided on the park's telephone recorder message (512-264-2740). The parking lot is sized for 75 cars, and when all spaces are taken, cars are held up at the gate until a space opens. Drinking water or concessions are not available in the preserve.

Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site

History: Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site is in Gillespie County, between Fredericksburg and Johnson City, and contains 717.9 acres. Lyndon B. Johnson State Historical Park honors a native Texan who achieved the nation's highest office. To create the unique facility, friends of then President Johnson raised money to purchase property directly across the Pedernales River from the LBJ Ranch. In 1965, this land was accepted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the park was opened in 1970.

The park's location is historically significant since it is in the heart of the former President's home country. The area has been influenced by three major cultures: Native Americans, Spanish and German. Indians roamed the Hill Country first, leaving behind artifacts which tell of their nomadic life. The Spanish conquistadors followed, bringing a culture which was to endure to the present. German immigrants settled the Hill Country in the early 1800s and their descendants still call it home. Their culture has had a major impact on the development of the region and the park itself. All of these cultures are represented at the park. The 269-acre facility was officially dedicated in August 1970 in a ceremony attended by the Johnson family and a host of dignitaries. Since the dedication, the park has been expanded to approximately 732.75 acres.