Giddings, TX
Music connected to Giddings
About Giddings
- • Blues guitarist Lightnin' Hopkins was born in Centerville, near Giddings.
- • The Texas Wendish Heritage Society, preserving Wendish culture, is headquartered there.
- • The Houston and Texas Central Railway's arrival established Giddings as a vital hub.
- • Legend says the supposedly haunted Schubert Store is still standing near Giddings.
- • The Great Depression significantly impacted Giddings' agricultural economy.
- • It was named for Giles A. Giddings, a railroad promoter and local citizen.
- • Approximately 4,881 people live there, a small town compared to Austin.
- • Visiting Giddings evokes a feeling of slow-paced, small-town Texas charm.
- • The Lee County Fair, a prominent agricultural event, began here.
- • The Houston and Texas Central Railway fueled its growth as a vital stop.
- • Legend claims a stagecoach carrying gold was robbed and buried nearby.
- • A devastating fire in 1884 destroyed much of the original business district.
- • It's named for Giles A. Giddings and was incorporated in 1874.
- • With 4,881 residents, it's smaller than many Texas county seats.
- • At 535 feet, the elevation offers gently rolling terrain.
- • Agriculture and related services remain important parts of the economy.
- • A slow, friendly charm permeates this classic Texas small town.
- • The local soils are primarily sandy loams and sands of the Eocene-aged Carrizo Formation.
- • The town is located within the watershed of the Colorado River.
- • White-tailed deer are common in the surrounding woodlands and farmlands.
- • Post oak and blackjack oak trees are common in the area's woodlands.
- • The area was inhabited by Tonkawa and later Comanche tribes before European settlement.
- • Giddings was established in 1871 after the Houston and Texas Central Railway extended to the area.
- • The Lee County Courthouse, built in 1899, is a notable example of Romanesque Revival architecture.
- • U.S. Highway 77, a major north-south route, passes through Giddings.