Fredericksburg, Texas, hosts a fine German Oktoberfest and is home to a museum that highlights the events that took place in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
By Glenn Kaufmann
September 2006
A better way of life and a better way of living are constant refrains heard from Fredericksburg, Texas, locals. From its earliest days, when the original German settlers signed their own treaty with the local Indians (a treaty signed without U.S. government aid that remains unbroken to this day) to the current peace and reconciliation projects at the National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg has always been a uniquely peaceful oasis of relaxation, recreation, and creativity. In fact, oases in Fredericksburg are seemingly everywhere.
A short, convenient drive from San Antonio or Austin, Fredericksburg is easily reached off of either Interstate 10 or Interstate 35. Main Street, the town’s shopping, dining, and entertainment district, is a wide boulevard and presents no hazards for most motor coaches. Main Street parking is augmented with parking lots and generous side-street parking.
Fredericksburg was settled by German immigrants in 1846. With these roots, it’s not surprising that the town hosts a very popular Oktoberfest each year. The 26th annual Oktoberfest takes place Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 6, 7, and 8, 2006, and will feature German entertainment, with oompah music and traditional dances; exhibitions; and contests. Tents are set up so that the fun will go on regardless of the weather. Plenty of opportunities for dancing, including the Chicken Dance, will be available. Shopping will be plentiful for handmade arts and crafts. And food and drink will be abundant, with local Mexican-American fare in addition to traditional sausages, strudel, and beer.
The festival takes place at the Marktplatz in the heart of town. Sites at campgrounds fill quickly, so you’re best advised to make reservations now if you plan to attend. For tickets and more information, call (830) 997-4810, visit www.oktoberfestinfbg.com, or contact the chamber of commerce listed below. Tickets may be purchased in advance through the Oktoberfest Web site.
Throughout the rest of the year, numerous car, bike, and sports rallies pack the calendar, and Fredericksburg’s many other attractions make it worthy of a visit whenever you arrive. Most visitors are surprised to learn that the Fredericksburg area is known worldwide for its peaches. From mid-May through the end of August, roadside stands and the larger markets are packed to the rafters with these sweet, juicy local gems. And it’s also the place where Wildseed Farms grows incomparable fields of red poppies and Texas bluebonnets. The commercial farm supplies thousands of pounds of wildflower seeds to more than 20 state transportation departments. In addition, the Fredericksburg Herb Farm is a seamless blend of beautiful gardens, as well as a gourmet gift shop.
Gentle hills make the area excellent hiking territory. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, for example, boasts a trail up the second-largest granite dome in the United States, which rewards hikers with spectacular views of the countryside.
Other things to do include touring the Pioneer Museum/Vereins Kirche, a 3½-acre site with authentic historical buildings and a replica of the first social building in town, which served as a church, school, fort, and more. Speaking of forts, Fort Martin Scott, built to protect the settlers from Indians, also can be viewed at this site.
National Museum of the Pacific War
Amid all this history, one of Main Street’s most prominent features is a large, pink, steamboat-shaped building. Formerly the Nimitz Hotel, it now houses the Admiral Nimitz Museum. The museum, which is temporarily closed for renovation, commemorates the life of Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, the five-star Pacific Theater commander who was born in Fredericksburg.
Yet the Nimitz Museum is merely the tip of a much larger “iceberg” “” the National Museum of the Pacific War. This collection, which is open to the public, boasts six main exhibit areas that document in staggering detail the events leading up to the war in the Pacific and the conflict itself. The museum takes visitors through many renowned battles, such as Midway, Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Tinian, and so on.
The George Bush Gallery (named to honor former President George H.W. Bush) is the museum’s main exhibit hall. It is here that the story of the Pacific conflict unfolds in minute detail. In an attempt to accurately and fairly present the story of this conflict, the museum has gone the extra mile by including permanent exhibits on prejudice and propaganda used on both sides of the conflict. This gallery also contains a restored B-25 bomber in an aircraft carrier setting.
The museum has yet another component: the Pacific Combat Zone, a three-acre site 1-1/2 blocks from the main complex. In this exhibit visitors can view a life-size replica of “Fat Man” (the atomic bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki), a restored Higgins-style PT boat (PT-309), and an M3 tank. Several times each year the Combat Zone exhibit hosts staged re-enactments of battles fought in the Pacific Theater. In the past, these staged assaults have been complete with flame-throwers and other equipment.
Back on the main museum campus, the Plaza of Presidents exhibit is an outdoor gallery that pays tribute to the American presidents who served in the armed forces during World War II. The old limestone walls of the original Nimitz Hotel now take top attention along the Memorial Courtyard, as they are filled with plaques honoring the men, ships, and units that fought in the war. Memorial wall plaques may be sponsored by organizations or family members through a donation to the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. The Veterans’ Walk of Honor paves the path around the courtyard. Personalized paver bricks are available for sponsorships.
Next to the Memorial Courtyard is the Japanese Garden of Peace, a gift from the military leaders of Japan. In this tranquil area the museum has facilitated the reunion of numerous Japanese and American soldiers and sailors who fought one another during the war.
On one touching occasion, the world watched and wept as one aged Japanese pilot met the U.S. Navy sailor who had pulled him to safety 50 years earlier and then defended him against the aggression of his shipmates. As the veterans of this war grow older and pass away, it is this difficult but crucial work that many feel is the museum’s most vital charge. More than two dozen veterans have been reunited.
Upcoming events at the museum include its annual symposium September 16 and 17, focusing on the first six months of the Pacific War; a Veteran’s Day program November 11; and a Pearl Harbor Day program December 7.
The National Museum of the Pacific War is open daily (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, retired military, active duty, reserve, or National Guard; $3 for World War II veterans; $4 for students ages 6 and up; and free for children ages 5 and under. For more information, call (830) 997-4379 or visit www.nimitz-museum.org.
A passion for uniting people and the challenge of living well and finding a better way of life that colors everything will greet you the moment you arrive in Fredericksburg.
Further Info
Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce
302 E. Austin St.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(888) 997-3600
(830) 997-6523
www.fredericksburg-texas.com
Another helpful site: www.fbgtx.org
The city’s Visitor Information Center, at 302 Austin St., is open daily. A theater at the center shows a nine-minute DVD presentation about the town. The Uptown Welcome Center at 325 W. Main St. also is open daily.
Area Campgrounds
The following may not be a complete list, so please check your favorite campground directory or the FMCA Business Directory, published in the June and January issues of FMC and online at FMCA.com.
Fredericksburg KOA
5681 U.S. 290 E.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(800) 562-0796 Reservations
(830) 997-4796 Information
www.koakampgrounds.com/where/tx/43153
Offers full hookups, showers, rest rooms, laundry, camp store, cable TV, clubhouse, and pool.
Fredericksburg RV Park
305 E. Highway St.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(866) 324-7275
(830) 990-9582
www.fredericksburgtexasrvpark.com
Offers full hookups, showers, cement patios, cable TV, and high-speed Internet access.
Frontier Inn Motel & RV Park
1704 U.S. 290 W.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(830) 997-4389, ext. 117
www.frontier-inn.com
Sites have full hookups, cable TV, and free local phone. Rest rooms, shower, and laundry also available.
Hill Country RV Park, C6503
1589 E. Main
U.S. Highway 290 E.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(830) 997-5365
Offers full hookups and cable TV.
Lady Bird Johnson Municipal RV Park
c/o City of Fredericksburg
126 W. Main St.
Fredericksburg, TX 78624-3708
(830) 997-4202
www.fbgtx.org/other/rvpark.htm
Offers full hookups, cable TV, shady sites; 3 miles from downtown in a large park that has a golf course, fishing, hiking, swimming, and more.
Oakwood RV Resort, C9848
78 FM 2093
Fredericksburg, TX 78624
(800) 366-9396
(830) 997-9817
www.oakwoodrvresort.com
Has full hookups, pool and spa, picnic area, cable TV, meeting rooms, laundry. Discount to FMCA members.