History
Bluff Springs was first settled in the early 1850s. A post office was established at Bluff Springs in 1853 and remained in operation until 1902, with William S. Smith serving as postmaster. Mail was then sent from Buda. In the mid-1880s, the settlement had several steam-powered gristmills, cotton gins, and a church serving 250 residents. Stagecoach operations from the community expanded toward Lockhart, Luling, and Austin. Farmers in the area grew cotton, corn, oats, and sweet potatoes. In 1892, the population plunged to 50. It fell by half in the early 1930s but returned to 50 in 1939 and remained there through 2000. Bluff Springs only had a church, a few businesses, and scattered houses in the 1940s. [2]
Bluff Springs is located on the Thomas F. McKinney land grant. [3]
Travis County is located in south central Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,290,188. It is the fifth-most populous county in Texas. Its county seat and most populous city is Austin, the capital of Texas. The county was established in 1840 and is named in honor of William Barret Travis, the commander of the Republic of Texas forces at the Battle of the Alamo. Travis County is part of the Austin–Round Rock–Georgetown Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is located along the Balcones Fault, the boundary between the Edwards Plateau to the west and the Blackland Prairie to the east.
Manchaca is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Travis County, Texas, United States. It is located 10 miles (16 km) southwest of downtown Austin. This was a new CDP for the 2020 census with a population of 2,266.
Bend is an unincorporated community in Lampasas and San Saba counties in western Central Texas. Its population was 1,678 as of the 2010 census.
Del Valle is an airport-defined edge city of Austin and part of the Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is founded upon the 19th-century Santiago Del Valle leagues, the largest granted land parcel in Travis County.
Shelby is an unincorporated community in Austin County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 175 in 2000. It is located within the Texas German belt region, a region stretching from Sealy in the East to Fredericksburg in the west settled by German emigrants. To this day Austin county has a large German Texan population and many people still speak German.
Spicewood is an unincorporated community in Travis County and partially in Burnet County, Texas, United States. According to the Texas Almanac, the community had an estimated population of 2,000 in 2000. But in the 2011 census, the community had a population of 7,666. The community also extends towards Travis County off Highway 71.
New Sweden is a small unincorporated community in northeastern Travis County, Texas, United States. It is located within the Greater Austin metropolitan area.
Smithwick is an unincorporated community in Burnet County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 52 in 2000.
Wellborn is an unincorporated community in Brazos County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 100 in 2000. It is part of the Bryan–College Station Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The Grove is an unincorporated community in Coryell County, Texas, United States. The area is known for its abundance of Texas bluebonnet flowers during the spring. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 65 in 2000. It is located within the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan area.
Lytton Springs is an unincorporated community in northeastern Caldwell County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 500 in 2000. It is located within the Greater Austin metropolitan area.
Mixon is a small unincorporated community in northern Cherokee County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 50 in 2000. It is located within the Tyler-Jacksonville combined statistical area.
Littig is a small unincorporated community in eastern Travis County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 37 in 2000. It is located within the Greater Austin metropolitan area.
Elm Grove is an unincorporated community in Caldwell County, in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, there were no population estimates made available for the community in 2000. It is located within the Greater Austin metropolitan area.
Buckhorn is an unincorporated community in Austin County, in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, its population was 20 in 2000. It is located within the Greater Houston metropolitan area.
Cypress Mill is an unincorporated community in Blanco County, in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 56 in 2000.
Mahomet is an unincorporated community in Burnet County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 47 in 2000.
King is an unincorporated community in Coryell County, in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 25 in 2000. It is located within the Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan area.
Cedar Valley is an unincorporated community in Travis County, in the U.S. state of Texas. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 70 in 2000. It is located within the Greater Austin metropolitan area.
Jones Prairie is an unincorporated community located in Milam County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had a population of 35 in 2000.
