Every ghost town is a bet that didn't pay off. Grapetown just shows the receipt more honestly than most. Grapetown is an unincorporated farming and ranching community 9.5 miles (15.3 km) south of Fredericksburg, situated on South Grape Creek in Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas.
Gillespie County holds 10 documented ghost towns, including Albert, Blumenthal, Cain City — Grapetown keeps them company on the map.
The story of Grapetown
Texas ghost towns run the full arc: cattle railheads, cotton towns the boll weevil broke, and oil booms that went bust.
Grapetown is an unincorporated farming and ranching community 9.5 miles (15.3 km) south of Fredericksburg, situated on South Grape Creek in Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. It is located on the old Pinta Trail. Grapetown is noted for being the site of the first annual Gillespie County Bundes Schützenfest. The school was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984, Marker number 10048.
What you'll find today
The on-the-ground condition of Grapetown is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.
Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.
Getting there
Here's the honest truth: access to Grapetown is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Grapetown is roughly 30.1475, -98.7683 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.
Good to know
Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.
Survey Map
Approximate position — verify access locally before visiting
Grapetown FAQs
01Where is Grapetown located?
02What county is Grapetown in?
03What is the history of Grapetown?
04What remains at Grapetown today?
05Can you visit Grapetown?
Sources: account based on Wikipedia (“Grapetown, Texas”), CC BY-SA.
More in Gillespie County
Luckenbach
Gillespie Co., Texas
Read the guideCain City
Gillespie Co., Texas
Read the guideBlumenthal
Gillespie Co., Texas
Read the guideFort Martin Scott
Gillespie Co., Texas
Read the guideAlbert
Gillespie Co., Texas
Read the guideMorris Ranch
Gillespie Co., Texas
Read the guide