Holiday Inn Express GRANBURY

Hood County Named for General

by VeronicaG

Granbury sits within Hood County, named for General John Bell Hood who led "Hood's Texas" the most renowned Confederate Brigade in the Civil War. This photo was respectfully displayed at the Old 1885 Hood County Jail museum.

FYI: John B.Hood was born in Kentucky and was a West Point Graduate.

He adopted the Lone Star State when he served in the army on the Texas frontier. He resigned from the US Army in 1861 to serve in the South.

He commanded the 4th Texas Infantry and rapidly rose to Lt. General.

Hood was known as the Fighting General for his leadership in the Army of Northern Virginia.

At the Battle of Chickamauga he lost a leg, but went on to become commander of the Army of Tennessee.

The Overlook

by keeweechic

The Overlook provides a great view of the De Cordova Bend Dam was named after A.L. Brooks Jr, a member of the Brazos River Authority's Board of Directors. He was a strong proponent and spokesman in the efforts for development and conservation of the water surface resources.

Fort Worth

by keeweechic

Fort Worth is only 35 miles northeast of Granbury. This is where the old west is wonderfully preserved in the Historic Stockyards District. There are also wonderful museums, art galleries, theatres and great shopping. The Fort Worth Zoo is also a wonderful zoo to visit.

Hood County State Bank

by keeweechic

This very distinctive red building originally belonged to the Hood County State Bank. It was built back in 1905 by John E Brown who was responsible for building the Round House in Granbury (which has since been demolished). It was only a bank for 10 years and now houses other businesses but still the distinctive 'Bank' sign is etched into the top of the building.

Granbury--A Genteel Place With Loads of Grace

by VeronicaG

"A Jewel Of A Town"

UPDATE: Granbury's Candlelight House Tour in early December was a wonderful introduction to the Christmas season--See my new Things to Do tip.

Granbury is less than an hours ride southwest of Ft. Worth along Rt. 377S, which threads past cow and horse pastures, small towns, new home developments, empty fields and clusters of trees offering muted hues of color, over a small bridge spanning the Trinity River, passed the occasional windmill, stumpy cacti, a road named Goforth and through Parker and Hood County.

Granbury, although only having a population of a little over 6800, is a charming little place where the town square was the first in Texas to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town's collection of 19th century buildings have been protected since l970, when local legislation moved to protect this jewel of a town.

The Brazos River eases past the town and in 1969 was dammed to form Lake Granbury, which is popular for water sports such as swimming, boating, waterskiing and fishing.

Town history records Charles Barnard as Hood County's first Anglo settler, who arrived from the northeast. He and his brother, George, established an Indian trading post near Waco. A second trading post on the Brazos River was included in 1847.

Charles brought his wife, Juanah, of Spanish descent, to the area. She was a former Comanche captive who the Barnard brothers ransomed. Other noted settlers were Elizabeth Crockett (Davy Crockett's widow) and son, Robert Patton Crockett. The family was granted land in the area as a gesture of appreciation for Davy Crockett's bravery at the Alamo.

According to a guide at the old jail, Granbury was the stomping ground of horse thieves and outlaws in the 1800's. Often the town took justice into its own hands when a sheriff was waylaid, meting out their own form of punishment, which may have resulted in a hanging or two.

Today, Granbury is a genteel town with a lovely town square. The antique/ gift shops and restaurants find cozy nooks in wonderfully restored buildings. An Opera House still invites those seeking entertainment to step inside; a regal looking courthouse continues to be the hub of business and if you like what you see, B&B's and a few motels can extend your visit.