Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Seguin, Going Nuts for History

Just east of San Antonio sits one of Texas’s oldest towns named after one of Texas’s original heroes - Juan Seguin.  He was one of the Tejano leaders in the Texas Revolution who fought in the Battle of San Jacinto.  He’s now buried under a grove of majestic oak trees in a town that does an amazing job carrying on his legacy, even if it is a little “nutty.”   


  1. World’s Largest Pecans - It’s a feat to have one of the “world’s largest” anything, but Seguin proudly claims three of the World’s Largest Pecans.  The story begins in 1962 when a group of locals wanted to honor the town’s pecan history and industry.  So they built a 5-foot long concrete pecan that still sits in front of the Guadalupe County Courthouse.  Forty years later, local pecan grower John Pape decided to build an even bigger pecan measuring 11 feet long, only to find out that a town in Missouri had already built an even larger one.  Finally in 2010, Seguin reclaimed the record with a monstrous 16-ft. long pecan statue that now sits outside the Texas Agricultural Education & Heritage Center.  So all trippers, myself included, can proudly selfie with the 1st, 3rd, and 4th largest pecans in the world.  


  1. Powerplant Texas Grill - Right through the middle of Seguin flows the beautiful Guadalupe River that used to electrify the town via a stunning brick powerplant.  It was decommissioned decades ago, and is now a Texified (and electrified) restaurant.  Hungry folks will find steaks, burgers, and fried pickles aplenty.  But there’s nothing quite like diving into a huge chicken-fried steak smothered in queso, while overlooking the dam below.  


  1. Son’s Island - Follow the river upstream and you’ll arrive at an unexpectedly exotic getaway on an actual island in the Guadalupe Riverbed.  Trade in your boots for flip flops and your car for a cabana as you spend the afternoon on “island time” wasting away in a hammock or renting a kayak.  I had to paddle around the entire island before I believed it was real.  It may be nowhere near the ocean, but it has all the sand, sun and water a Texas tripper needs.


  1. Guero’s Backyard - There ain’t no party like a taco party at Guero’s. In the backyard of this historic (and pink) home, a local couple is whipping up some of the best fusion street tacos on earth.  Wrapped inside a thick, homemade tortilla, you’ll find concoctions like the “Marissa” with seared ahi tuna, seaweed salad, and gorgonzola cheese or try the “Soul Train” with shredded beef short ribs and collard greens.  Tacos will never be the same.


  1. Haunted Magnolia Hotel - A town as old as Seguin is bound to have a few spooky skeletons still in the closet.  For those who want an eerie encounter with history and maybe even a ghost, take a tour of this historic hotel that was built in 1840 by one of the original Texas rangers.  Famous lawman Jack Coffee Hays was even married in front of the fireplace. Armed with ghost gadgets and photos, the owners will take you on a hair-raising tour and share the stories of the thirteen spirits who checked into the hotel, but never really checked out. 


So whether you follow my footsteps or forge your own path, I hope to see you on the road in a Chevrolet from my friends at Don Hewlett Chevrolet in Georgetown.






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