Gruene Hall  -  New Braunfels
est. 1878

 Charlie Robison At Gruene Hall

   Gruene Hall in the town of Gruene, which is now a part of New Braunfels, is the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas. Gruene (Originally know as Goodwin) was settled by German farming families in the mid-1980's. As the head of one of these families, Ernest Gruene moved his wife and two sons to the area in 1872. The second of two sons, Henry (Henrich) D. Gruene, built his home (now Gruene Mansion) and firmly established the family's presence in the area by aquiring enough cottoproducing land to support between 20-30 tenant-farm families.
   Henry built several houses - a Victorian cottage (now Lone Star), a large brick home and a frame house (now Gruene Haus) for the foreman of his farm. 1n 1878, he built the dance hall known today as Gruene Hall and the town's first mercantile store (now Gruene General Store) and a cotton gin (now Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar) soon after. He also buiilt a lumberyard and bank and provided land for a second school and served for a time as postmaster.
   Henry Gruene's dance hall provided area residents a place for sociallizing and offered hard-working farm families a diversion from their difficult lives. In the early 1900's, the weekend dances usually began on Saturday evenings. Typically, there would be a break at midnight for sandwiches and coffee followed by more dancing until five a.m. while the children slept in the sideroom.
   In 1925 a boll weevil infestation devestated area crops. The Great Depression and a decline in cotton prices nearly wiped out what left of the town. In 1972 developers planned to raze the town but a local architect, Chip Kaufman, convinced local autorities of the historical value of Gruene Hall and other surviving buildings. In 1975 Gruene was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Two years later, San Antonio residents Bill Gallagher and Pat Molak used a $20,000 loan to purchase a number of local buildings including the hall. Their plans for the hall involved very little structural change and insisted on maintaining the vintage signs, stage, dance floor and 48-star U.S. flag.
   Under it's new ownership the hall began to attract the performers that have helped make it a musical landmark and has helped launch the careers of George Strait, Lyle Lovett and Hal Ketchum among others. Performers have included Jerry Lee Lewis, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Delbert McClinton and Merle Haggard to name just a few.
   When you're two-stepping at this historic hall, you may notice license plates nailed to the floor. Some date from 1948 or 1950. Others are much more recent. The legacy of Gruene Hall contunues to grow with great live music featured year-round. Visit today and be a part of history in the making.