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 July 06, 2008 | Gillespie County Courthouse Texas County Courthouse Project #6: Gillespie County (Fredericksburg, Texas) Seventy miles west of Austin, the area that would become Gillespie County was once home to Tonkawa, Comanche and Kiowa Indians. The county was formed in 1848 and named for Capt. Robert A. Gillespie, Texas Ranger and hero of the Mexican War. While under the command of General Zachary Taylor, Gillespie participated in the assault of the Bishop’s Palace in Monterrey where he was mortally wounded. Named for Prince Frederick of Prussia, the county seat of Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 by John O. Meusebach and 120 other fellow Germans. German migration to Texas during the 1800’s resulted in a belt of communities throughout the central part of the state, with Fredericksburg being one of the most successful. In 1847 Meusebach signed a peace treaty with the Comanche Indians, the only treaty between whites and Indians that was never broken. Those who travel to Texas for the first time may be surprised at how much of Texas is influenced by the Germans. Everything from Chicken Fried Steak, Beer (Pearl and Shiner) to Texas barbeque can be traced back to these German communities. The current modern style Gillespie County Courthouse (below) was built in 1939 but is upstaged by its neighbor. The building next door (above) is currently a library but from 1881 until the new one was constructed it served as the courthouse. 
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