Enjoy the artwork, hometown feel and shopping in Bastrop County
By Laura Castro
Residents here have a standard warning for visitors: You’re going to fall in love with Smithville. The picturesque community of more than 4,000 along the Colorado River in Bastrop County, off State Highway 71 about 40 miles southeast of Austin, abounds with smalltown charm, historic buildings, museums, antique railcars, and oak tree-lined streets and parks. There are popular restaurants, eclectic shops and stylish art galleries scattered along or near historic downtown Main Street.
Enjoy the history, festivals, shops and restaurants in the heart of Burleson County
By Alyssa Meinke
Caldwell, in the heart of Burleson County, has a history steeped in the trade and shipping that followed the path of El Camino Real. That famed route, established in the 1700s by Spanish colonialists, connected Texas with Mexico City.
Two high school seniors represented Bluebonnet at the government youth tour
Some of the nation's most famous sites and symbols were among memorable stops for Johnique “J.T.” Thomas and Tara Williams, high school seniors who represented Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative on the 2023 government youth tour in Washington, D.C.
By Alyssa Meinke
A rainy start did not dampen the spirits of more than 450 Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative members and guests at the co-op’s Annual Meeting on May 9 in Giddings. Bluebonnet’s Board of Directors and staff welcomed everyone to the traditional gathering at The Silos on 77 event center, as attendees reconnected with old friends and made new ones.
They’re at fairs and fundraisers, community meetings and nonprofit events. They connect the cooperative with new subdivisions and businesses. Get to know the people who grew up, live in and love the regions they serve.
By Melissa Segrest l Photos by Sarah Beal
If you've been to a recent festival or fundraiser in the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative service area, you’ve probably seen Kyle Merten, Jo Anna Gilland, Sherry Murphy or Tim Schultz.
Juneteenth, June 19, marks the date in 1865 when a Union general landed at Galveston to announce that all Texas slaves were free. This was two years after President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the surrender of the Confederate Army.
In 1980, Juneteenth officially became a Texas state holiday, and in 2021, Juneteenth was officially designated a federal holiday.
