A group of local businessmen in Brenham, Texas, decided to establish the Brenham Creamery Company and make butter from excess cream brought in by area farmers. A few years later, the creamery began making ice cream and delivering it to neighbors by horse and wagon. It was in 1930 that the company changed its name to Blue Bell Creameries after the native Texas bluebell wildflower. Butter was produced until 1958 when Blue Bell began to focus full time on making ice cream

A Brenham institution of hops and barley, BVB is a friendly, small-town brewery and taproom that embraces the essence and flavor of Texas. Established in 2014, we brew what we love, name it after the songs that we love, and we’re confident that you’ll love it too. Cheers ya’ll!

With a masters degree in Horticulture in hand, we started a nursery in 1976 as growers of woody ornamentals for the landscape industry and retail centers in central Texas. Our founder Mike Shoup soon lost interest in the overused plants (ligustrum, pittosporum etc.) and began to look for plants native to Texas that might fill the same demand.

Built-in 1925, in the grand architectural style of Beaux-Arts Classical Revival, the Simon Theatre provided a splendid setting for many theatrical performances, film screenings and ballroom dances. The James Simon family commissioned Houston architect Alfred C. Finn, whose career included designing a number of prominent Houston buildings as well as the San Jacinto Monument, to design the theatre for the community of Brenham. Today, after a meticulous million-plus dollar renovation, the glamour and grand style lives on for future generations in the newly named Barnhill Center at Historic Simon Theatre.

The Brenham Heritage Museum is located in what was once the US Post Office for the City of Brenham. The building was constructed between 1914 (when the land was first acquired) and 1916 (when construction was completed). It remained the post office until the mid-1960s, when a new post office was built nearby. The old post office structure became a federal office building.

Always wanting to create something delicious, flavorful, and relaxing, August and Linda Meitzen started with something small – brewing beer in the kitchen. Unfortunately, their children enjoyed the beer more than they did! They moved to the next logical step – whiskey! But. . . you can’t legally brew whiskey in your kitchen. After some reflection, they realized that their hearts weren’t in liquor or beer, but in wine. A winery!

Mike Newman is the creative force behind both the castle and the bakery bearing his name.

Since exploring Europe in his early 20’s, he had the dream to build his own castle, and has made that a reality in the Bellville countryside. Exhibiting the same hard work and determination that built his successful bakery of nearly three decades, Mike broke ground on his mighty fortress in 1998.

Located in the Austin County seat of Bellville, Texas, USA, Huff Brewing Co. was established to bring fresh beer to our community and all passersby. We take the job seriously, too, indulging in the love and labor of the craft. And with that work comes reward: a cold beer at the end of the day best shared with those around us who deserve a beer themselves.

This Anglo-American settlement is named for Thomas Bell, one of the Old Three Hundred who came to Texas in 1822 and in 1838 built a home in the Bellville area. In March, 1848, the town was surveyed and laid out by Charles Amthor, on land which had been donated by Thomas Bell and his brother, James. At this time Bellville was a post office on the mail route from Hempstead to La Grange. In 1848 when the county seat was moved from San Felipe to Bellville the first courthouse was an old frame structure which stood in the town square. A second courthouse which was constructed in 1854 was built at a cost of $13,000.00 and was the first brick building in Austin County. 12 This courthouse burned on April 5, 1960 and a new one was rebuilt to take its place. The first house in Bellville was built by Jim Irwin in 1849 and it served as a grocery and hotel as well as a home. 13 Economic conditions in Bellville were enhanced in 1880-1881 with the arrival of the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad. Bellville was incorporated in January, 1929