3 Things Few People Tell You About Lampasas That Really Should be Bragged About

On the northeastern cusp of the Texas Hill Country sits the town of Lampasas. Established in 1850 by John Burleson, and officially incorporated in 1883, the town is famous for having seven mineral springs, which made it a popular tourist attraction and health resort in the late 19th century. With a population just shy of 7,000, this town is a gem of the Hill Country, with some very unique things that often go unrecognized. Here are just a few, that might surprise you!

1. It Has Wonderful Murals Which Were Painted by Community Members.

Photo: Facebook/Nancee Stevens

In an effort to beautify the downtown buildings of Lampasas, the Vision Lampasas Art Committee proposed a series of murals to be painted on each, depicting wildflowers, cowboy boots, Sulphur Creek, and so on. Capturing the town’s culture and history, the murals are located near the town’s historic district, and each one involved the town’s residents through giant paint-by-number processes for completion. That way, anyone in the community could show up, choose a can of paint and fill in the corresponding numbers on a mural!

2. It Holds a Spring Ho Festival Each July.

Photo: Facebook/Lisa Canales Dibble

Annually held in July, Lampasas residents host the Spring Ho Festival, which is a week-long event drawing visitors from throughout the state. Since 1972, the festival has been 100 percent supported by local volunteers and features a beauty pageant, fishing derby, talent contest, county fair, barbecue cook-off, parade, and so much more. There’s even a Spring Ho Dance on the Square in the downtown Lampasas Historic District!

3. It Has the Oldest Spring-Fed Bathing Pools in Texas

Photo: Pinterest/Michael Franklin

Historic Hancock Springs Park has spring-fed bathing pools that were established in 1883, after which, the town grew up around them. Continuing to draw its water supply from them, the water for the Lampasas springs flows from Marble Falls and on into Sulphur Creek. In the 1880s, when the springs were famed for their curative properties, promoters of the Santa Fe Railway constructed the Park Hotel – a 200-room destination including all the luxuries of the time, such as a boardwalk to the springs and a number of bathhouses. After the hotel’s short-lived operation, it became home to Centenary College until a fire consumed it in 1895, following which, the property simply became Hancock Springs Park.